Best Class A amp with SLAM

Handymann, I was in your position after selling my last Krell FPB600 years ago. I've had 3 Krell amps and Krell was the only stable component in my system. They worked great with everything including 100db horns. Krell cd players are also excellent but all had tranport issues which was unfortunate. I decided to sell just to try something different.

I had withdraws like you, missing the bass control and dynamics. Nothing I had since can match Krell strengths but do have a more open, grain free and musical sound.

After reviewing AVM Ovation MA-8 Mono Amplifers, Peter Breuninger of AVShowrooms declared them the new Krell. He found them best Krell Evolution 900e mono in all traditional Krell strengths. I think Peter is a Krell fan. Google the review if interested.

Time to re-set this thread after getting derailed by the usual distractor.

The original poster already has Pass amps and wants to know if there's something that will provide the kind of slam he got from Krell while sounding "sweet," which I assume means warm and not harsh-sounding up top. He did not ask about soundstage or singer's head size or any of that.

I think I would go for the X.5 series. I also owned the XA100.5. I also prefer the extra slamm and weight of the X.5 series. The high's are also different compared to the XA.5 series. There are a few Krell amps I also like. But the focus on the timbre of instruments and voices Pass does a better job.

Ok, thanks Bo for your reply. Sounds good.

Handymann --

You should try out a pair of Belles SA-30 stereo poweramps in a (vertical) bi-amp configuration:

http://www.powermodules.com/sa-30.html

It may not look much on paper but, believe me, you'll be convinced of its merrits in-use. Simply put it's one of the best poweramps, if not the best, I've ever heard - price disregarded. Its sonic attributes are that of coherency, scale, ease, dynamic (both micro and macro) and transient prowess, naturalness, resolution, etc. In fact it hardly makes sense to point out specific areas it does well, it's just an overriding feeling of the music being unrestricted, indeed freed - there's really nothing it can't handle.

Perhaps it makes more sense pointing out what it does better than most amps I've heard; there's an inherent sense of power and vitality combined with an outspoken coherency, natural tone, and organic "vibrancy." Leading edges are sharp and clean, as they should be, yet in no way overpowers the flow of the music. To my ears this is a rare sonic combination.

For your information I have no affiliation with Power Modules(Belles).