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First foray into Class A amp -- recommendations

Thinking of checking out a Class A(or quasi) amp just to see if the sound is really better than a nice Class A/B amp. I want to buy a used amp and my budget is $2500-3000. My current class A/B amp is a McCormack DNA-1 Deluxe, rev. A.

I've been looking at a lot of amps here on A'gon and what I have come up with so far is the Krell KSA-200S, which, from what I read in reviews, operates largely in Class A into 8 ohm loads up to 200 wpc.

Considering that my McCormack is a pretty decent amp, do you expect that the Krell would offer a significant upgrade in my priority areas of bass slam and control, mid range transparency, and natural high frequencies? I also welcome any other suggestions or ideas. Thanks!
mtrot
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
09-16-14: Audiolabyrinth
Mtrot, if you go and audition a krell 400cx or 700cx, they will clearly out perform the pass labs amp you listened to, espeacially with high quality cables, my depth of the sound stage to me is endless,voices and instuments are incredible!

Why would he want one of those problematic amps? I've heard they have microprocessor boards controlling the bias, and the boards are always screwing up so bad that even their own Krell technicians can't fix them.
Keep it simple!! Besides, I don't think those amps will be in his $2K-$3K price range.

Go ahead AL, get some practice using the markup tags on this reply. ;^)

Cheers,
John
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
09-16-14: Jmcgrogan2
Go ahead AL, get some practice using the markup tags on this reply. ;^)


See how easy that is??? LOL!!
jdoris
972 posts
 
Fair enough. Skkotb.

But I stand by my comment: If you have moderate or lower efficiency speakers, there's considerable risk the Pass 30s won't be showing their best. (Which, I suppose, is part of why Pass sells many more powerful, and expensive! ;), amps.

If the OP is after "Class A" sound, his issue may not be how the 30s measure in A/B.

Of course, YMMV.

Cheers,

J
skootb
68 posts
 
I had a pair of xa60.8s and can't recommend them enough. they rock

(but I moved and had to sell due to space issues...)
mtrot OP
804 posts
 
@audiolabyrinth, who wrote:

"if you go and audition a krell 400cx or 700cx, they will clearly out perform the pass labs amp you listened to, espeacially with high quality cables"

That much difference between the 300cx and 400cx? I thought the 300cx was a bit more dynamic than the Pass XA100.5s, but it wasn't a huge difference.

Now, the speakers being used in the comparison were Magnepan 3.7, which are apparently not the most dynamic speakers out there. But, there was no question that the Pass were better in sound stage and fidelity to the actual sound of instruments and voices.
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