Krell or Mark Levinson amp.?

All your paying for is marketing. Listen to an Ayre Amplifer. The most under advertised in the industry. I have listened to Krell and Levinson for years. They bore me. Ever notice how ever year they come out with something so new that you must own the new model, come on folks, amplifer design does not change that much in one year or two or three. Your being exploited. "AYRE"... Now thats music. Si tback and have some fun. Isn't that whats its all about anyway! Best of luck.

Yeah Gary, you're right, none of us are having any fun at all. I guess we'll never learn, oh enlightened one. We're just wasting our lives away, because we don't happen to use the amp that you use. It surely must be the very best in the world for the price, so I guess I must be a fool for not doing exactly as you say, and trying to copy your system to the last detail. How could you be wrong, after all?

I knew someone would bite at that. But seriously Carl don't you feel that Levinson amps are to analytical for listening over the long hall. Sometimes to much of a good thing can be over bearing, and don't get me wrong I love Krell amps it's just that some times I feel that there bass (which is the deepest and tightest I've heard) is sometimes unnaturally so? (In some models). Most music just doesn't sound like that. All I am saying is that there are other alternatives out there that are worth listening to which are also very musical. Pass Labs, McCormack, Bryston, Audio Research, Classe and yes Ayre as well. Some of these brands are also more affordable which more cost concience audiophiles might be able to own. And yes it is scary when Darth Vader takes ownership of a high-end company. Thats my point with the advertising and marketing thing. Are we having fun yet... All the best.

If that's all you're saying, then we have no problem. So you were baiting me, then? How manipulative! Anyhoo, my experience is that it's the ML amps whose bass is analytical and "overtight". A Krell FPB's bass is rounded, and correct. Look, of course there are other amp alternatives, but this thread was specifically regarding ML or Krell. And as I've said before, I can make my Krell sound similar to a tubed Conrad Johnson just by changing cabling, so we are reading too much into this perhaps. The idea is to pick an amp, and then try to get the most out of it. Just throwing something together will get you nowhere. And expecting the amp to have the same character regardless of other system aspects, is a fool's errand. I mean, I've heard the same degree of differences going from mine, to similar amps, just by changing the AC cord. You have to "guess" at what amp you think you might like, then buy it, and then spend a long time getting it to really sing at that highest performance level, where any compromises that you decide it is making, are well distributed, and preferable to you. That's what most anybody does with any amp, even a $200,000 one.

Looks like a few responses on this one...but, do yourself (and your wallet) a favor & listen to the new Classe CA301 or CA401. I have compared to both the M.L. & Krell and find the CLasse at least equal or in some areas more musical.