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Mark Levinson No. 20.6 vs. Krell KRS 200 vs. Krell KAS

Hi Everyone:

I am PERHAPS Contemplating Selling My ML No. 20.6's to Purchase a Set of Krell KRS 200's which I have always wanted. I am though Very Satisfied with the Sound of My 20.6's and I am afraid, that although the KRS 200's will undoubtedly improve the Bass Area, that this improvement will come at the expense of Fine Micro-detailing, where I believe, that the 20.'6s are some of the best amps perhaps ever produced.

I am from Europe, so I would like a 220-240V Version of the KRS 200's, Which is also what I have read, gives the best results sound-wise. Regarding though, which Power-Installation I should install, then I would like to ask, that since these Amps have a Power Consumption of 160Watts EACH, what kind of Breakers should I install in my house? I've heard, that if you install too small Breakers, then they will either have the Breakers cut out or they will sound too "Thin" and/or  "Hungered" for more Power. But what are "Too Small" Breakers? Would a Dedicated 20 Amp Breaker for EACH Amp be enough? I could install both 30, 40 or 50 Amp Breakers, but I have to say, that I Very Rarely Hear music at Loud Volumes. I Prefer to sit late at night and hear music at fairly low levels, so the question is, where to stop Breaker-wise? Perhaps both 30 and 40 Amp. Breakers is still Recommendable as well as Wise, but the question is, whether a 50 Amp Breaker for EACH Amp, isn't Overdoing it??? What do you guys say?

What is Your oppinions about this? Have any of you heard both The 20.6's and the KRS 200's either together side by side or with some time-span in between?

Another Question is regarding the KRS 200's in comparison to The KAS's. Some say that The KRS 200's are The Best Pure Class A Amps, Krell has ever made, but how does it compare to the KAS's, which have Sustained Plateau Biasing instead?

Any and Every Comments and Experiences are Very Welcome.

Have a Great Audio Day.

Sincerely Thomas.

128x128ferrari365gtb
gs5556
1,235 posts
 
Thomas:

The preamp I use with the 20.6 is a CAT SL-1 Signature, which I had for almost 20 years  I did audition a 38 or a 380 (can't remember) many years ago to see if balanced worked better than single ended and I did not buy it because I thought it was a little on the dark sounding side with string instruments. The cat and the 20.6's are an absolutely superb combination and saw no reason to change.
rcprince
3,073 posts
 
One thing I'll note, at least from the reviewers at the time your 20.6s were made, was that the ML gear was always described by them as slightly "darker" sounding than Krell amplifiers.  I've always interpreted that to mean that the ML amps had a tonally richer midrange, with perhaps a little less top-end frequency extension and a little less tight bass.  Given how much you like your ML amps, which are superb amplifiers, you might not find the Krells to be as much to your liking.
dlcockrum's avatar
dlcockrum
2,190 posts
 
^Perfectly stated and also true of Classe'.
ferrari365gtb's avatar
ferrari365gtb OP
20 posts
 

Hi Dave:

Sounds Very Interesting with those DR-9's. I hope that you will be able to get that Upgrade-kit for the other one as well, so that you can drive them Bridged. What are their watts as Stereo Amps??? 50W? 100W? I suppose, that if they are for instance 100W, then you should be able to Quadruple the Amount of Watts to about 400W when bridged, Correct Dave??? I at least remember this from my early hi-fi days back in the late 80'es and early 90'es, where I had a couple of 100 Watt NAD 2200PE's, which nominally were 100Watts in Stereo, but a Whopping 400 Watts Bridged. Together with a couple CW D-9E, They Definately Rocked The Interior Pants off Your Grandmother, jijiji!!!

A guy I know in the states, which I have talked to about His  and Mine No. 20.6's, has TWO Pairs of No. 20.6's. One pair he bought around 20 years ago and they have been stored in their boxes for all this time. He wanted to sell them at first for $10.000USD, but retracted the add, since he would rather try to bridge them, so as to get more Power to his B&W 801N's. I haven't heard if he has done it yet, but one of these days, I'll drop him a line or two, to see how THAT project is going.

I would love to hear, how and when you are coming along with 1) Finding the up-grade kit (Have you seached on ebay??? Sometimes you can find some pretty odd and rare things there!!!??? 2) Getting them into Bridge Mode (Is it just a switch on the back of it or is it more complicated than that???

Yeah its fine, to crank up the volume on the Krells, but I Cherish More The Silent Nights at 9-10 O'Clock in The Evening or Later still, where everybody has gone to bed, including my wife and then Gently and Fluently raise the volume JUST ENOUGH, so that you can hear all details. That is why I have invested heavily in cables, so as to hear the finest details at LOW Volumes. That is in MY opinion, what separates a High-End Stereo from a Normal Hi-fi or Low-end Stereo, that you falsely believe, that if you crank up the volume, you'll hear more low level detail...WRONGGGG!!! You'll hear more of EVERYTHING and thus the sound that obscured the low level detail before at LOW volume levels, will ALSO obscure these same low level details, when you crank up the volume...

Lot's o' Luck, with finding that kit, but until then, you can still enjoy the stereo version at low volume levels, where it counts...

Have a Great Audio Day.

Sincerely Thomas.

ferrari365gtb's avatar
ferrari365gtb OP
20 posts
 

Hi jafant:

Thanks, we think so too, I believe I speak for everyone. Please join the conversation. What gear do YOU have???

Have a Great Audio Day, jafant.

Sincerely Thomas.

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