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New amp? Thiel...

Bought a pair of Thiel CS2.4's about 6 months ago and they are just as amazing as the reviews say. I'm driving them with a Krell KAV-250a, which has plenty of power but somehow I'm wondering if there's not a better amp for the Thiels...

The rest of the system includes a Krell HTS7.1 (need to maintain the HT/2-ch in one room, so not much of an option there... besides the analog pre of the HTS7.1 is pretty darn good), a Clearaudio Champion with Benz Silver MC, Graham Slee phono stage, Oppo BDP-95 (xlr analog) and all Cardas cables. The room is pretty much a concrete bunker... basement with carpeted concrete floor, concrete walls with drapes on the walls (basically thickish cotton/synthetic blackout curtains), so it's a pretty bright room. I know I need to add some acoustic panels to it, that's on the list.

I've heard the Thiel CS2.4's with a very large (and out of my price range) McIntosh (MC1.2k) and that's an amazing combination.

I would sell my Krell (seems to go for $1100-1600 depending on condition lately) and I would add another $500-1000 to that...

Any recommendations where to start looking?
128x128audiojan
cmalak
681 posts
 
Audiojan...if you went with a Class A Krell, I think the sound will not be as forward as the more modern Krell sound is, which is why I included that link above. I think Class A biased amps will give you that more liquid less edgy sound (so look for older Threshhold, Pass Labs, Krell, and even Accuphase amps biased in Class A). The main thing though is having an overbuilt power supply that can push through a lot of current given the dips below 4ohms that Unsound points out happens for much of the frequency band with the 2.4s. The Thiels are sensitive enough that you don't really need much more than 100wpc to play them loud, as long as the amp has an overspec'd power supply and can also deliver a lot of current. If the amp is not capable of pushing a lot of current, you will then have tonal aberrations, because the tough load points happen especially in the lower registers, and then the 2.4s will sound tipped up and thin.
audiojan's avatar
audiojan OP
432 posts
 
Second day of trying out the Mark Levinson 334 and I think I've found a real gem. The slightly dark (yet detailed) sound of the ML meshes nicely with the extremely neutral Thiel's.

Best way to describe it calmness. It just sounds right.

Ok... so now I need to sell off the Krell. It has served me well.
dtc's avatar
dtc
1,047 posts
 
Check into the issues with the caps on the 3xx amps. They are known to fail and require replacement. If they have not been replaced there is a good chance they may need to be and the repair is expensive through the Levinson repair services. Great amp - just be careful you don't have to put another $1,000+ into it. They are often priced low because of the cap issue. If you really want it and the repair has not been done, get an estimate for replacing the caps and see if you can find a non-Levinson place to do the repair, just in case.
cmalak
681 posts
 
Audiojan...sorry. I did not realize you had pulled the trigger on the ML 334 amp before posting above. Congrats and glad you are liking the 334/2.4 combo.
audiojan's avatar
audiojan OP
432 posts
 
I appreciate the input and the heads-up about the caps. They are fairly recently replaced though, so I should be good for many years to come.

One thing that really strikes is the depth and height this amp can re-produce. The Krell was more forward (to be expected) and extremely detailed, kind of calling attention to all the details. The ML is kind of just "there", you hear all the details, but more in appropriate "space". I used the word calm before to describe it and that's very much what it feels like listening to it.

Before the music was played in front of the speakers (and yes, the speakers disappeared) and now it's more behind the speakers (and you still can't pinpoint the sound source).

The combination of the Thiel CS2.4's and the Mark Levinson 334 is very, very special. Yes, I've heard better, but that was with the McIntosh MC1.2kW mono blocks, so many magnitudes dearer.... still the 334 is not that far behind in my room and at my volumes (larger room and louder might be a different story, but I would give you way before the amp will...)
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