true and kind of funny! people here love to hate on krell. not sure why that is although i suspect it is the size of the company and how long they have been around. time tends to bring out haters....they also love to hate on wilson and funny how i ended up with both! |
mike i also have no intention of replacing it. i love the sound of it and would live with the subtle hiss before i moved to another amp. i do hate the size and weight and hope to never pick it up again. |
yes. i think it is a bit louder without it which seems to suggest power issue. |
it does bother me. i would describe it as a hiss, not a hum so by your post it is a gain issue? i don't see how i could adjust gain on this amplifier... |
thanks mike. it has always done this and i remember a few years ago i discussed it with some guys who are much more knowledgeable than i (they worked in a high end shop here) they said it was normal. i sort of let it go but as i started thinking about it again, i figured this would be a good topic. almost certain it is the amp as i have had different cables on both and it has always been there. i do think it is worth an email to krell. |
not on my current budget! the flip side mike, my stuff really sounds outstanding. it really troubles me that i often want better because it truly is amazing what my setup will do. i recently dove into sacd and it showed me once more how it will perform if fed properly. just special and gives me much gratitude...
thanks again for jumping in my thread and helping out. |
thanks mike.
surprised no one else has experienced this or knows what it may be...? |
although i say i wouldn't replace it...part is love but part is money and apathy as well. over time, it rises and falls in the scope of priority and we get those moments where we realize it all sounds good and we are just playing like kids in a sandbox. if i was making as much money as i had been 5 or 6 years ago i may be hanging out at the shops a bit more and taking it more seriously but, as many others have, i am simplifying life a bit and unfortunately the hobby was impacted. i suppose that is what led to some of the realization that it does sound amazing so just enjoy the music! there are also very few places to listen here (2) and they have not carried a wide variety of interesting manufacturers. for example, i have never listened to rowland although i always wanted too. all i have read is rave and they are beautiful pieces. ariels also. your stuff looks great and i assume sounds great but i have never listened. of all that i have heard and a change i do think about, i still have a lust for the revel salon's, yet another well known speaker!
i have a dolly also but my amp is hanging from my ceiling on a commercial hvac rack so it would be a chore to get it down. most on here would probably crucify me for the way it is configured but it sounds no different from when it was on an amp stand in my living room. i think you could put an amp of that size anywhere and it would sound the same. never understood that part of the obsession. |
i agree re used stuff. most of mine was purchased on here but i did know the guys really well at one shop so we used to play around with stuff quite a bit.
so what would you do to maximize what i have (value) and get some better sound...don't include the hiss in your assessment! one thing i have considered is selling the watch center and surrounds as i think i could pull some $ to use for improvement and replace with something that would fill nicely for less. i know some updates, change would improve but i suppose i am a bit scared to start playing with it...
wish i would have used this forum years ago. it is amazing how good people like yourself are so quick to help. gives me hope for the human race! |
just lost a long response...i hate that...anyway...
that is great stuff, appreciate your thoughts allot! the comments on the bat amp are very strong and i have heard good things about them previously. i have never owned tubes and know little about them to be honest so i have some reading to do. it would also be a smooth change $ wise as well. i have heard some of the audio research stuff but it has been many years. i do remember liking them and found them to be quite warm and detailed but also carried a nice punch. they are a bit more money then the bat but i think a fine suggestion. i really would like to avoid using a sub for 2 channel. i have played around with it and come to the conclusion it really works best with 2. it would be interesting to see how much of a bass dropoff i would have without the krell. you really think it is overdriving them? never heard that before.
i will need to do some figuring on how i could roll my watch center/surrounds into a complete theater but i have actually been looking at that anyway (new blu-ray interest, new panel technology...a long story, another obsession...)
wheels are spinning now.... |
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mike i am going to lose my audiogon privileges for asking these questions...i am really not an audiophile, i just love music and great sound. i know some but not much compared to allot of the guys on here...
how much different are tube amps? do they have the same ability i am used to as far as soundstage (it is huge and i suspect allot is the krell), depth, power etc? are they more delicate? how long do tubes last? are you constantly looking for better tubes or do you just use what comes with the amp? am i going to be banned for asking these ?'s? |
thanks macrojack. i'm sure there are better sounding for less but as we were discussing, not sure what direction to go. miss the days of getting stuff to demo, this can be somewhat of a gamble. the more i read, the audio research 110 sounds like a fantastic match though. i do think it would be tough to replace the wp7's and be satisfied at a fraction.
the sound you describe is the same as my hiss. i have to lean toward the watt to hear it but i know it's there. just like the sound of a sea shell. |
thanks tvad. that amp has won just about every award there is. interesting company and one that i think is going to do very very well. never heard the amp but would like too. quite a value. |
actually, no need to change the amps...if i put my ear to the rear tweeter, i get the same sound just faint. the description earlier in the thread is best, like putting your ear to a sea shell. i am beginning to think it is normal or some sort of power sound in my house. now i am just curious about how much different the 3250 would sound as 2 chan so i am going to switch them anyway. this could push me to let go of the big krell if i get the same punch from a smaller amp... |
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here is the response from krell (2 days later)...
Through Watts it doesnt surprise me to hear some background hiss through the tweeter. It is normal unless it is excessive..
so i guess it is normal! thanks for all your thoughts.
i did switch my amps today not just for trouble shooting, i really wanted to hear how the 3250 sounded alone anyway. it really reinforced how much control the fpb600c has, most notably in the mid and low bass as well as presenting a ton of air between instruments. actually very disappointed in the sound of the smaller (which really is not small) amp. a $6000 amp should sound much better in my opinion. the flip side, the big amp is a stellar old amp (not that old)...
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update,,,
after doing some reading in old threads re hiss, i went through and shut down one at a time and it seems the theta is the root. when powered off, the hiss is reduced and the only remaining noise is a very, very faint noise, more buzz than what i had, at the tweeter audible from about 4", significantly less. now i am thinking about shorting plugs on the theta unused inputs as a possible solution. |
