Krell Illusions ii / Krell duo 300xd to a Gryphon Diablo 300 integrated an upgrade?

@mm1tt77 I tried a Schitt Freya+ (XLR) but I am not sure if it was hooked up to the KRELL. It worked nicely with the AHB2. I believe I tried the Freya+ with the CODA #8. I sold the Freya+ but I thought it was a very good preamp but I realized tubes in the pre are not for me.

I also tried a Topping pre90 ($700) on my Parasound 21+ and Benchmark AHB2. It sounds like the LA4 with ONLY those 2 amps (so good). With many other amps I tried the pre90 with, I hated the volume which was too loud and lacked granularity. There is a review in Stereophile on this unit. That preamp may work on the KRELL since the LA4 works so nicely on the KRELL. Something to try for a relatively low cost.

I find the CODA separates a jump up from the CSIB. My CSiB was from 2019 so not the latest design from 2020. I was relucent selling the CODA #8 but this new headphone amp I am getting will be replacing the CODA #8 and it is better suited for the headphones. The second best amp I have heard on the headphones is the KRELL 175XD, I actually got the KRELL just for the headphones and had my CODA #8 on my speakers, Thiel CS3.7. However, after some experiments the KRELL went to my speakers and the others sold. I am very happy long term with my gear now.

Audiotroy - thanks for the comments and recommendations - I’m in the North East, I’ll give you a call to talk through some options on a streamer / server.  
 

thanks, 

Thanks yyzsantabarbara - eery how similar our paths have been, similarities on what we’ve run for gear.

I love the Krell Amp - didn’t get a chance to compare the 300xd using the Krell Pre vs the CSiB as a pre with it.  My memory of the CSiB being used as a pre was I preferred it to the Krell but without being able to do a direct comparison, hard to tell if that would really be the case.  Called Coda and asked about the differences I would hear, jumping to the 07x - they said minimal if I was using the XLR inputs, that said, the 300xd sounds to my ears better using the XLR inputs - seems to be designed that way, had to use the rca output / inputs when I was using the CSiB as a pre.  
 

Have you tried any other Pre’s with the 175xd?  I’m toying with trying a tube pre but tougher to find balanced tube pre’s - some have them but not as common on tube gear. 

@mm1tt77 In the last 2 years, I sold my CODA CSiB, CODA #8, Parasound A21+, KRELL K-300i integrated and kept my KRELL Dou 175XD. So similar path as you

I liked the KRELL Dou 175XD over all of the above, by a lot actually. Though I like my Benchmark AHB2 the most. These 2 are not similar at all.

Gryphon has a blurb on their web site saying that you need a massive chassis and heat to get REAL Class A. I think that is directed at KRELL. I laughed at that.

KEEP YOUR KRELL and save the cash over Gryphon.

BTW - even though I use my CODA 07x preamp with the KRELL Duo 175XD, and it is really good. I like my Benchmark LA4 preamp ($2500) + KRELL 175XD even more. The clarity and silence of the LA4 just works for me.

I get a new headphone amp this weekend, a RAAL vm-1a, and that amp will determine if I keep the CODA or Benchmark preamp with the KRELL Dou 175XD.

Not out of the dacs class the better the server the better the sound  our servers start at 3500 we have a customer with the same dac he loves the sound

Thanks for the feedback Audio Intellect, appreciate it.

Would I need to upgrade my DAC as well?  The streamer you are recommending seems to be out of the DAC I have currently’s weight class.

We are a krell dealer not going to be any better the diablo is avery good integrated we have heard it at shows nice but Hardly better then those awesome awesome krellpieces

Get a better streamer

We just had another client compare to a much more expensive antipodes afain the Aeon was much more analog like

The Aeon is one of the biggest improvements you can make to a system

DAVE AND troy

AUDIO INTELLECT NJ

432EVO US IMPORTERS AND KRELL DEALERS