Best sounding Krell ?

Do it Lush...I just love my 400xi with the Transparent MM on it. I've heard great things about the Sim 7 etc...good luck and happy listening. By the way I found a use for my other cable.

I have a FPB 600 that I've been using with BAT tubed preamps for about 10 years now. It's always been a wonderfully lively and dynamic combination. Negative opinions on Krell products have prompted me to audition many amps in that time in search of an "upgrade". Most recently, I heard the highly reguarded Ayre MX-R(admittedly with different speakers than mine)As much as I wanted to like the Ayres, coming home to the life and energy of my own system was a breath of fresh air. I'd still like to hear the Ayre's in my own room but no one's going to convince me that Krell doesn't make a worthy product.

I think Ayre and Krell are light years apart in sound. If you've been listening to Krells with Bat tube Preamps for the past 10 years, I would expect you think most other amps especially some of them to sound a bit lifeless. Krell is as lively as the come IMO and you've probably got a nice touch on it with the tube pre. If the Krell sound isn't bothering you and obviously it isn't too much I'd stick with it.

Hooked up a HiFi-tuning plug today and I was amazed at how much more analog like my system sounded. Truly an amazing piece of technology...IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE BOARD!! Smoother less strident treble with more complexity, enhanced dimensionality, more natural sounding midrange and better defined bass with an overall enhanced acoustic space. Reminds me of LP sound minus the flaws.

Wireless200,
I tend to think you're right. I've obviously built a system around my amp that sounds good to me. This may not be the prescribed way to assemble a system but it's the way mine has evolved. I am afraid if I spend big bucks on one of these newer "smoother" amps I'm going to feel like the life's been sucked out of the system and spend even more trying to recapture it. My speakers are Vandersteen 5As which I really feel do benefit from a shot in the arm of strong juice.