Best sounding Krell ?

Audiofiel:

I have had a Bel Canto S300. It was nice sounding, nothing really that special. I opened her up and saw a standard ICEPower ASC200 module. Sold the S300, bought two ICEpower ASC200 modules on ebay for $69 each. So lets get this "Value" thingy right. I built my own $2500 Bel Canto S300 for less than $250. They put it in a nice chassis and made a monster profit. This is most likely your best selling Bel Canto - admit this.

Now Bel canto make some very nice stuff on the higher end (their valve amps are excellent - so I have heard).

Now the Krell. I built a KSA-50 amp and my Magnepan MGIIIa have never sounded better. Ever. Now Krell didn't slap in a pre-manufactured module and call it their own. The Krell KSA50 is not a terribly complicated amp, but it work some special magic as far as I am concerned.

Bottom line is I think you should give Krell a little more credit. I fail to believe they are a has been as you indicate.

They put it in a nice chassis and made a monster profit. This is most likely your best selling Bel Canto - admit this.

Yes and No. Much as I don't want to jump in and defend high priced items.

The reality is that the packaging on most audio gear is the most costly part. Machining nice knobs - a brushed steel fascia with neat details and curves all add significant cost. Veneer and wood work finish is the most expensive part of any audiophile type speaker. This gear is meant to be looked at by a proud owner - and everyone knows the placebo effect - if it looks great then one will be predisposed to expect it to sound great.

For example, in a Benchmark DAC1 the front fascia and knob are more expensive individually than the selected critical components that make the sound.

Bel Canto products look really nice - a very high quality finish - they also probably sell less volumes than cheaper products and that is probably why they cost so much.

It isn't always "monster profits" - high quality furniture with high quality finish costs money even if a chair is still a chair when you sit on it.

>>I think you should give Krell a little more credit<<

Well Biff, I talk to dozens of customers every week and very few, if any, serious audiophiles still ride a dinosaur to work.

Yabba dabba do.

Audiofeil,

Your a salesman. It is not beneath you to pump and dump to suit your livelihood.

It is funny that the customer is always right only when you are able to convince him to buy something you are selling. Tell me if customer after customer came in asking about Krell, you wouldn't sway your opinion?

When I want a real unbiased opinion on anything, the last person I ask is a salesman. I trust you also do the same.

I like what I like, just like many here on this forum. Bashing what I like because you can't make a dime off me really gives me caccapants.

Someone has to sell to all the cavemen out there with Geico money.