Why not call Krell and ask them what it will cost? |
Well yeah! I was just looking for some input here. My question is a bit more involved than just a cost estimate. (I could have been a bit more clear though).
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Older amplifiers are almost always not serviced by the factory because the parts may be obsolete and they don't want to take the chance of damaging, say, a working transistor while in their care. The only option is use a substitute which may not sound as good in the circuit. So essentially you lose your amplifier and how is Krell going to compensate you?
If you are looking to get it recapped, ask Krell who they authorized or recommend (i.e., Levinson advises you contact Pyramid Audio; don't know who Krell recommends). |
gs5556Older amplifiers are almost always not serviced by the factory because ... That depends very much on the manufacturer. Audio Research, Threshold, Bryston, McIntosh and many others service their older equipment. I'd be surprised if Krell didn't offer that option. |
Just got off the phone with Krell tech support.
Great advice....."if it ain't broke. Don't fix it!"
They do refurbish repair all Krell units at the factory. He said they would be glad to "look" at it but unless there's a problem with the amp it is probably better to just leave it alone.
Also he recommended anyone in a three state radius of the CT factory, arrange to drop off their unit via car etc. (to avoid high shipping costs if the weight is substantial).
He said nominal repairs to my amp should run three or four hundred bucks but more expensive/sophisticated units could run into a thousand plus dollars.
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cleeds:
AR refused to service my 100.2 last year because they didn't have all the parts for the amplifier. All I wanted were the caps replaced, which are stocked by Mouser and Digikey. All they could say is they agreed that bulging caps could leak on the pcb and cause damage and should be replaced -- and wished me luck.
Had to do it myself.
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AR refused to service my 100.2 last year because they didn't have all the parts for the amplifier. Sorry, but I find this very, very difficult to believe.
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Its time to move on and upgrade unless this amp is so good there is nothing better out there which i doubt. |
To answer one of your questions:
I wonder if at the $2K to $3k range a new amp would surpass the performance of the older Krell?
Yes, in my opinion, especially so if you are buying used. Not knowing what you are using for speakers and pre and source, it would be hard to give recommendations. That is, if you want any. Bob |
I have a KST 100 and it still puts a smile on my face. I know there are better amps but I like to buy and forget about it. I've replaced the caps, set the bias every 10 years or so. Unless you feel your missing something or the quality has slipped you should be set. |
recapping every electrolytic caps is just necessary after 15 years and any competent tech can do it for very cheap.
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This is interesting. I tend to agree with the Krell advice. Re: older equipment that is working well probably is best left alone. I just had a water pump fail on an old Ford.
had it replaced with new factory pump which proceded to fail. Second new replacement is working fine now.
Caps new or old can fail. So can other parts. I had a tube fail in a CJ preamp one week after plugging it into my system.
Predicting part failure ...why stop at caps ? Is a personal decision.
There are no guarantees and apart from rebuilding an older piece of equipment.....(even then.....)
The KST 100 was a well reviewed unit...A comparable Krell (100 Watts) is app $5k.
i really like it . I realize there are less costly amps out there that may sound better
I am intrigued by the Audio Alchemy and a few others in the end they will have to beat the Krell.
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I would keep the Krell and do exactly nothing unless it obviously fails or something starts sounding not quite right. Krell people are correct, this is not the case of preventive approach. It may work just fine for another ten years.
There are always better amps until you reach the top - then just different. |
At 25 years old it's possible performance has been very slowly decaying for some years but it's hard to notice.. |
There can be a big gap between not broken and not at its best |
If the listener cannot hear possible slow decline - why bother? |
not sure if he should bother or not...but if it is a slow decline, while he might not have noticed, he may very well notice if all is made right...different ways to look at it...Odyssey encourages their owners to have their amps checked and it's free for original owner...I have had only good experience with having older amps refurbished |
I understand your logic and think it is just as legitimate. |
I just had my Sunfire Grand Cinema amp worked on by Flannery Vintage Audio in Washington state.He specializes in older Bob Carver equipment as he worked with Mr. Carver when Carver owned Sunfire the company. you could connect with him by googling Flannery Vintage Audio and see if he would repair your amp. Mr. Flannery was excellent! I can not give him enough praise. He was extremely thorough, detailed and in continued communication. If any of you members have older Sunfire products this IS the man to contact. |
Contact Steve at The Service Department in Bridgeport CT. Was 20 years service tech at Krell and knows them inside out and how to get them to sing their best. As well, he is the US authorized servicer for many world class brands. Upgraded the power regulation and refurbished a 25 yo amp of mine and it's better than new - so much so that it bumped my Goldmund to the second rig. Would have had to spend 5 to 10 times more than the cost of the rebuild to touch the performance. Your piece probably needs less. Good luck. |
Components drift over time. Most new parts have 5% tolerance. Everything has a sweet spot and at some point in time all components drift into (and out) this sweet spot. The first thing we do when we get a "sweet sounding" old amp is measure the components and document the values. If we do a one off build we use the schematic but with the "drift values" of that sweet old amp. You can get new components at a 1% tolerance to "dial it in" but they cost more. Heat and age take a toll on resistors-diodes and caps. I just recapped my Sonic Frontiers SFS-40 that's going up for sale. The dynamic range is back - it has serious punch. While I was in there I replaced the power transistor and now the bias is rock solid. Everything affects everything. If you love the circuit design it might be worth a going through. Capacitor design has come a long way in the last 20 years. A Rubycon 450v 10uf cap is smaller than the old design but most likely more robust. Transistors dry up as well. Room acoustics and one's hearing mechanism is probably more important. It never ends so don't worry :) |
cleeds is right. As a long term McIntosh owner, I have sent three vintage tuners back to the factory for complete overhauls. They were even able to replace front glass on a 40 year old MR77 tuner. If you have a good product and the manufacturer offers service, I would do it. |
Some good info here. An interesting discussion.
I have concluded that given the Krell has been in my system since I bought it new (way back when) the Krell factory guy was offering good advice.
If it ain't broke......
If I were buying this amp today (used) , I would have it "checked out" by a pro or buy from a dealer who bench tested before selling equipment.
The Krell to my "older ears" sounds as good as the day I bought it and is exhibiting no signs of any problems.
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