Krell FPB 600 or 400cx?

I am using two Krell Evo 600E monblocks for R/L channels with music and home theater. The Evo 600e is a stunning amp. I use two Krell S275 amps for home theater only. One S275 amp is used to bi-amp my center channel speaker (my processor has 2 center channel outs) and the second S275 for the two surround channels. The S275 replaced my Krell 3X250 amp. I use cast for the 600E's, balanced connections for the S275's. The S275 is a much better amp than the 3X250 Krell. Since I don't use them for music, I don't have a feeling for their ability to create a 3 dimensional sound stage, dynamics, tight bass, transients, speed as I do with the Evo600e's. I have had no problems with the S275's, I like them very much. They are dead quiet and they provide more power than I need. They probably perform much better than the small Krell 150 monoblocks, which recieved very positive reviews. They are compact in all dimensions except for depth and weigh 50lbs each. The S275 is very nice, but it is not in the same class as the evo amps. If you plan to use the amps for music only and you don't want to pay the cash for a new Krell EVO e series amp, I advise looking for two Krell 450 mcx or 650 mcx monoblocks. I owned the 450 mcx's and loved them. They are great, extended frequency range amps (fast, detailed, 3 dimensional sound stage, great instrument seperation, nice highs, great tight detailed bass). They will not fit into a rack as well as the S275. You should be able to pick them up for a great price if you can find them. But keep in mind, you need a very good preamp and/or processor with the high end amps to get them to sound their best. I think the pre-amp/processor is every bit as important as the amp, if not more important. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Matjet,

Are the new evo series much betterbthen the fpb 450 mcx? I am using 2 450 mcx, a 350 mcx along with a kav 500 for the rears and sides.

The 450 mcx still sounds pretty but I wonder if the 400e is much better. I have always preferred monoblocks to stereo amps.

I agree, Krell monblocks definately sound better than their stereo amps. I have A-B'd the Krell 750mcx (stereo amp) with the Evo 400 (stereo - not the e series). They are very very close. They both sounded great. I had great difficulty picking one over the other. The Krell MCX amps are superb, especially the monoblocks and the big 750mcx. I think the MCX amps sound much better than the prior generation Krells. I love my Krell Evo 600e's, but I also loved the 450mcx. They are great, great amps.

I had an in-house demo of the Ayre MX-R monoblocks driving a pair of Revel Salon 2 and I was surprised that I preferred the 450MCX. The Ayre was more refined in the mids and highs but the 450 MCX had much better bass and had a fuller sound.

Do the EVO amps have better mids and highs than the MCX?

Two 450mcx's may be better than the 700cx, I haven't compared them. But I had a 600c and sold it to get the 350mc's and sent them back to get another 600c because I liked it better. The 600 was just smoother and more powerful in my system.