Krell KAV400 VS Musical Fidelity A300 A 3.2 A3.5

I've heard the Krell integrated with Cambridge 840c source, decent audioquest cables and with both larger Focal Profile and Martin Logan speaks on several occasions.

Liked it a lot with the Focals. Not so much with the MLs. The sound was too dark and clinical for me, though the transparency imaging and soundstage were excellent with both.

I recall the gain had to be set to high values but it had no trouble driving either speaks to realistic volume.

I liked it enough from what I heard that I would give it serious consideration for my system at its price point, pending further listening.

Popular things often draw a lot of critique,both good and bad, just because they are popular.

Seems like Krell does have a lot of strong competition these days.

Also I was under the impression that all amps produce a lot of heat when operating in class a mode? Nothing surprising there.

The music had a nice and I recall very distinctive energy to it regarding overall dynamics with the Krell on the Focals and even on the Martin Logans. Not sure I could equate it exactly to anything else I've heard...very unique. IS that the "Krell" Sound?

Would like to a/b it someday with some other amps in order to get a better handle on exactly what it was about it that sounded distinctive. I think it was resolution and good dynamics, but not certain.

Closest other system I've heard recently to compare was perhaps Avalon speakers with Boulder amplification, which also had a very unique and detailed sound to my ears.

Dkzzzz,

Surprises me from your description of what you are looking for that you did not care for the Krell at all. Maybe just lack of synergy...ie not a good fit with the rest of your system? No blown tweeters or anything like that right?

This is a just speculation. As I mentioned in the other thread, I think a trip to Sound By Singer which I am familiar with and/or even Stereo Exchange from what I've heard in lower Manhattan is the best solution. There has to be something there that can fit the bill. You should plan to spend time listening to the recordings you are not happy with on a system similar to yours, hear what you hear, and then determine where to go from there.

It sounded very fine indeed when I heard one a ways back driving Martin Logan and Focal Profile speakers at a local Tweeter.

If someone trashed it it was probably in a mismatched system somehow or else it was a defective unit. Quality control on some of the Krell stuff is not a slam sunk for me. There was also a Krell CD player in that system that was quite quirky. And I've heard other Krell setups that should have sounded good and did not.