Krell fpb-200 advice

Juno,

I've owned a Krell FPB200 in my main system (Wilson speakers & Audio Research preamps / Linn TT / Wadia CD player) since about 1995. This combination is perfect, for MY ears. That leads me to believe you might like the Krell with your CJ piece. The FPB series is fine for me, and 200 w. also suited my needs (classical, single instrument and chamber works).

I'd shopped around a bit, and decided on the Krell over a Levinson amp of that era. The Krell had a delicacy that the Levinson gear lacked (ML was "dark" in my system).

In my system, the Krell added transparency, by means of a certain leanness that I like. [Comparing amps is really a comparison of apples and oranges, however. In another system, I have just moved to Jeff Rowland for amplification and love that, TOO. But it is nothing at ALL like Krell. The Rowland combines subtlety and weight in a very intriguing way.]

Component matching, with the further confusion of "room" factors, is an art more than it is a science (although impedance problems create scientific issues).

I, for one, am VERY happy with the Krell FPB200 in the system in which I use it. Different ears with different downstream and upstream equipment might have a different opinion. In MY system, the Krell is NOT "dull", nor is it muddy or lacking in focus.

However, I also have made some serious investments in power cords. There's a plain Elrod EPS-3 on the Krell right now, Shunyata cords elsewhere. The Elrod brought significant improvement.

People, thanks for the inputs!

I was scared by first Cmpromo post...a bit less by the second...but still not convinced...

Nrchy : "The FPB 200 can be had pretty reasonably now days so I would say it is worth a try. When a person buys used gear if it doesn't work out it can be sold at little or no loss."
Unfortunately not here in France and in Europe we don't have such market like yours, and the amp still cost around 4000/5000$ here and is not so easy to resale after if you missed it. (220V)

In fact I am not so sure now, maybe i'll give a look at bryston 4BSST or 14B SST...

Any more comments?

ps : about the PASS they're even not imported! at least in France :-(

I should have read your post a little closer. If all you are using it for is to drive the woofers it may not be a bad choice. I wouldnt use it for full range though.

It all comes down to mating with yor speakers as to why one amp works and another does not. As noted above, the FPB-200s are pretty cheap and will give you excellent bass as that is what you are interested in. If you were gonna run it full range, then I would say get the Hovland preamp with the Krell and that would be the best sound you could get from that Krell IMHO.

Happy Listening.

I wouldnt get a 200, my sunfire signature amps killled it in every way, very disappointed in it and glad to get rid of it .There wasnt any top end with the krell,all hoopla

I have had the FPB 200 for over a year now and I have no complaints with it. I certainly can't disagree with the experience of others but my Krell has never been bright or grainy. The bass has good slam. Not as good as the bigger amps. If you are only using it below 200 Hz most of the issues raised above will not be relevent.

The FPB 200 can be had pretty reasonably now days so I would say it is worth a try. When a person buys used gear if it doesn't work out it can be sold at little or no loss.

OTOH Pass Labs X series amps are very good and would not cost much more than an FPB 200. So you do have several options.

I'll give you my honest opinion. I owned that amp for a year. I had been using an Acurus a-200 with my Dunlavy 4A's and was looking to get into into a serious amp. The Dunlavys are pretty efficient (91db) and are easy to drive, but they are ruthlessly revealing. The high frequencies were piercing my ears and I couldnt listen very long. I figured a 200 watt Krell would be more than enough. I shucked out 3 grand and what I got was a little better bass. Nothing else changed. So im thinking room treatment, source, cableing. Cant be the Krell, they're great. Better speaker cables helped a bit but I wasnt anywhere near where I wanted to be. I finally came off of another grand and picked up a Pass X-350 and let me tell you everything changed. All I wanted to do was to tame the highs and I got that plus a lot more. Not only did the grain in the upper frequencies leave but they just sounded natrual. More air around the instruments, and the detail! I literally heard things on my cd's that I hadn't previously heard with the krell. And the bass still slams. It was funny, later down the road I purchased some acoustic zen cables from a guy who had Duntechs. He had just sold his fpb-200 and couldnt tell me in enough words how happy he was to get rid of it. I think he replaced his with an Edge M8M and was very happy with it. Im not advocating Pass here, Im just crazy about my amp and for where it took my system. I havent tried a million amps but I have had these and I know what I heard. Anyway, thats my story and im stickin to it. Good luck