The "Dampening Factor" like most Amplifier specifications, is useless when evaluating high-end gear. For Marketing and Advertising Executives they're great, but for Audiophiles, the sound is by far the most important factor. The Consumer Electronics Industry is largely unregulated, outside of operating voltage/current requirements and power consumption, the manufacturers could claim whatever they want on spec.-sheets. As far as trusting Krell, that $2,500-Amp. that you're using, sounds awesome, and has more than enough power(290-wpc>8-ohms @ clipping/1% distortion)to effectively drive any normal Speaker System to realistic db levels. High-end Audio Consumers have trusted Krell to make amazing sounding gear for the past 2.5 decades, and have yet to be disappointed. Enjoy your Amp., not the specs.