Krell --- Are the Newer designs better?


After hearing all the Krell hatred for so many years, I never thought I would consider a Krell amp -- thin, steely highs -- recessed, distant midrange -- sterile, lifeless sound.............should I have believed what many said?

Then, after reading more recent reviews of the FPB series amps, I got the distinct impression that the sonics have improved to the point that the amps are now in the top class of solid state sound. Even the infamous Jonathan Scull thought it a great amplifier.

However, there are proponents of the older amps, saying they sounded the best. Krell, like Levinson, seems to have polarized audiophiles -- either they like it, or they hate it. What have your experiences been with the different Krells, and how do they measure up to the competition, such as Pass, Rowland, Gamut, Plinius? By the way, I should point out that I am a tube guy, so few solid state amps have floated my boat, the Boulder 1060 being one of them.
kevziek
The new Krell's do not sound like tubes, If your a tube guy as you say then you must know that no SS amps could ever sound like a tube. They can however give that same smooth, glare free no-fatigue listening experience that the best tube amps can give, the Krell's can do this. Lets face it, theirs just a little to much tube ( bloat, noise, midrange exaggeration) in poor tube amps and way to much (sand) in a poor designed SS amp. Once a person learn's this through experience and listening to both types of amps. As a poster said yesterday, if people spent more time and money on their rooms they might just find that their choice's in audio gear has become much wider and more flexible.
I purchased a used KSA-250 earlier this year. What a revelation, even my wife and children commented on the immediate sonic improvement. I am very happy with my KSA-250; I may even try and buy a second one for bi-amping.
Sogood51,
I'm not totally convinced that SS can't do what tubes do, but I only say that after listening to the Boulder. The Boulder fleshed out instruments, separated musical strands with no congestion, & had no grain or texture whatsoever -- all traits similar to tubes. I'm just not interested in a $19,000 amplifier, so........

The Pass X350 also was extremely good, however, it became somewhat shrill on certain recordings that were less than ideal. I have come to believe that the shrillness and grit sometimes heard on lesser material on a SS amp is not always on the recording -- I believe it is due to some intermodulation distortion that transistors seem to be prone to. Others will say the tubes are rolling this off or obscuring it, but I don't believe that fully. Transistors tend to react to the musical signal in less than musical ways, and these are some of the things we hear and don't like about transistors.
I loved my old KSA 200S. Also liked the original KAV 300i, which I preferred over the 300iL.