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Old Krell vs new Krell amps...

Hello,
I actually have to choose between differents Krell amps, for roughly the same price :
a pair of Krell Audio Standard (KAS)
a Krell Evo 302
and for half the price a pair of KAS-2 amps

How do they compare, in terms of sound ?
The KAS is a legend, but is it actually still a good choice ? Its fiability is good ? The KAS is really better than the KAS-2 ?
And, what about the new Evo amps ? Are they better than the KAS or the FPB amps ?
My speakers are easy to drive : Tannoy GRF, but I may swap to big TAD or JBL...
I can't compare those amps directly because they are sold in different(and very far from each others) shops.
Thanks a lot for all informations and advices.
Best Regards,
nico_g
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,461 posts
 
I owned and enjoyed the Krell KSA 250 Amp for several years. I finally replaced it with the Pass Labs X350.5.
The Pass is much better in all things that matter.
The Krell was very good for its time.
Both run very hot, the Krell is the winner in this regard.
unsound
7,329 posts
 
I agree with Breuninger. These amps were very revealing though, they would pass on anything rough that preceded them.
nico_g OP
35 posts
 
Ozzy : do you have compared the Pass with some actual Krell amps like FPB or EVO series ?
Thanks for your help !
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,461 posts
 
I did try the FPB 600 when they first came out, I thought the KSA 250 sounded better.
The Evo, is that the present Krell ? If it is I heard it connected to Wilson Watt Puppy 8's .
I didnt like the sound, the bass seemed dis-jointed to the rest of the music. Perhaps it was the Watt Puppys.
glenn_garza
61 posts
 
If the Krell KAS are the huge two piece mono's connected by solid copper (or brass?) bus bars that went for around $35K back in the mid 90's, then I have heard them extensively in various setups along with the KAS-2's, various KSA amps and all the FPB series. I have not heard many of the latest amps, and certainly not the Krell Evo series, but the KAS mono's were easily better than any of the FPB amps and remain perhaps the finest amps I have ever heard...amazing.

I did not care for the KAS-2 as they were very much like the FPB-600's - flat and lifeless (the FPB-300 too). Just my opinion, of course. For reasons others have mentioned, unless the price were too good to pass up, I do not believe I would purchase the KAS mono's due to complexity, age, and likely astonomical cost associated with repairs. I really do not know, however, and am just speculating: for all I know the amps might last another 100 years...they sure looked like they could.
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