I have gone through lots of amps through the days of my system. I started with a 4B-NRB, then a Legacy/Coda Powerbloc2 (big improvement), then a set of Legacy Monoblocs (lesser improvement), then a McIntosh MC-352 (very nice improvement especially in musicality), and finally to a Krell FPB-300c. The Krell amazes me in its detail and imaging, and I find it to be very musical. For me it is a good, noticeable improvement over the Mac, and well worth the money I spent.
System synergy is very important as mentioned above. I once tried a great tube ampÂ…for me it was horrible.
I get the feeling Krell has this "etched" reputation based on their older amps because I do not find this to be the case on the newer stuff.
Keep in mind, when it come down to the $$$ being spent here, we really don't NEED any of this, so it is up to you to decide if it is worth the difference. The best advice is to try to audition. Or, buy as cheap as you can here on AgoN, and have the ability to resell with minimal financial loss (just shipping hopefully).
Good Luck