Wow...great question. Stretching memory, I would say a high current, high quality Class A amp perhaps.
I have only read about Bully Sound, but it is designed by Bret D'Agostino (Dan D'Agostino's son), and shares some of his father's philosophies...built like a tank, high current/reserves, it is Class A I think, and even looks like the old Krells.
If you can find HifiCritic (Martin Colloms), they did at least 2 reviews and highly recommended them.
Good luck. |
Duke,
If you like the sound of the MCX monoblocks, why would you try something else? I have a pair of MCX 350 and just replaced all caps for about $1,500. They now sound better and produce less heat than when I purchased them used on the Audiogon for about $5K. I knew that I had to bite the cap rebuild cost at one point in time and just did it in February. My 'total' cost of acquisition is $6.5K and will have a pair of killer amps for the next 15 years.
You have to do your own math. If you want the equivalent of the Krell sound but want to purchase a recent model, you are in for a lot extra dollars IMHO. Why not settle to what you already like at reasonable used price level (used MCX amp). Some of them are offered on the Audiogon as already re-capped. If not re-capped and did not overpay to acquire them, why not have the seller have them shipped directly to Krell? You will then save a shipping segment and have amps good for the next 15 years.
I have had a few Krell amps and they are very reliable. Only need to recap them to have them back singing again. Class A amps are tough to beat.
Dasign |
I have heard and own many amps in the last 25 years, yet I have not heard anything that sounds like those Krell mcx. I have owned many: Levinson, Mcintosh, Accuphase, Sim Audio, Ayre, Gamut. My 450mcx is running strong so you should not hesitate. And even if you do need new caps, they will be good for another 10 yrs at least after that. |
You'll never find anything that sounds exactly like it but the first thing that comes to mind is Bryston. Also, the high end Parasound amps. |
why not get another Krell mcx model and send it off to be renewed, cosmetially, and the total inside done, I did, The 700 cx stereo amp, with 2014 capacitors, done at krell factory, essentially, I have a brand new amp, sounds alot better than the original 2005 capacitor model they made for capacitors when manufactored, cheers. |
I did not know that Krell did more than repairs on their legacy amps. |
"I have had a few Krell amps and they are very reliable. Only need to recap them to have them back singing again. Class A amps are tough to beat."
Is it really necessary to have an older Krell recapped? I'm kind of surprised that everyone is recommending this like its a given. Krell's build quality is one of the very best. |
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The big mcx Krells don't show up on Audiogon for sale as often as they used to. Since Krell has stopped making big iron, it seems the older big Krells are becoming collector's items.
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Hi Nickt, I bought some Aurios from you in 2002 and you mentioned Krell to me. Thanks for the AWESOME tip. I will keep looking for a used pair from a trustworthy source. |
Dasign, wow!, you got off easy, However, I had alot more done to the krell 700cx amp I have than what you did to your MCX amps, I now have $11,000.00 in my amp, this includes shipping across the country, I also had to send the amp back right now, Krell had to do some proccesor adjustments on the amp, the left channel was over heating, however, Krell paid all shipping this time, and all repairs free of charge, I paid $3,150.00 for the modds and renewl of my amp, but the cost of shipping brought the total of the cost higher to $3,800.00 give or take, you know, buying a brand new skidd, all the rachett straps, etc..., I bought my amp used in 2012 for $7,600.00 the begin with, so do the math, anyway, I have NO regrets, BTW, That is exactly why I wanted this amp, The last big Iron, most powerfull stereo amp krell has ever made, Happy listening. |
also, I will add, krell promply got to the amp and fixed the problem in one day, and is under testing and sound check, and testing for heat, took a 4 days to get there, so they have had the amp a week now, talked to patrick, likly I will have it back before the end of the month or sooner, Bill Mckeagan pushed my amp to be done a.s.a.p., Thankyou Bill! |
Yada, what happened was that krell asked me, Do you mind us inserting newer type capacitors?, I said, By no means, go for it, later their explaination was that the caps in the model 700cx that I have that were in the amp in 2005 were not available anymore, I do not know if that is true, The caps are 2014, likly what they use in their brand new models?, they do sound better to me, the most noticeable sound was the most incredible treble sound I have heard at any cost!, No grain, No brittlenes, very, very uncanny realistic and resolving, and the other parts of the sound etc... hope this helps. |
Zd542,
Agreed that Krell build quality is one of the best. However, since they are true Class A amps, the transistors stages are always biased, thus generating heat. It is the heat that eventually kills the capacitors. This is true for all class A amps and not specific to Krell. |
I found my last pair of 350mcx. I had a pair of supreme fast blow fuses installed in each of them and I am very happy with the amps now.
I agree that the capacitors in general have made great strides forward these past few years and if mine start to fail, I will not hesitate to replace them.
I replaced the capacitors in my speakers and after a few days, they are just glorious. |
@Yada, and others,
"I agree that the capacitors in general have made great strides forward these past few years and if mine start to fail, I will not hesitate to replace them."
As someone who just bought a FPB 400cx, I'd be interested in what are the signs the capacitors are starting to fail? |
Jump on Pass Mono amps asap. |
Hi mtrot, If you can manage to take the top plate off your Krell 400cx with the amp unplugged, you can see some of the caps, if the top of the caps are bulgeing out at all, you need them, I still recommend getting it done though, just from pure age of our cx line, the new caps will bring you 15 to 20 years of joy, the best part about it, new caps would improve the sound no matter what, likly you would get the newer caps like mine that are better than the OEM caps from when they manufactured the amp, it will become modded like mine, make sure you get ALL the caps replaced, this means the biggest ones to, Krell does not manatory replace the big caps if not needed, I done all of mine, I had 16 of the big caps in my 700cx, you would have less, and your entire cap job cost would be substantialy cheaper than mine, I believe that my amp has two times the caps as your amps does, cheers. |
Hi Yada, how did you find out what type of fuses are in your amp?, I am waiting on krell's response now as to what type, they are 250 volts 1-amp fuses for my Krell 700cx amp, I do not know if they are fast blow or slow blow, and I need four of them, I am going to get the synergestic research Reds, they are recommended as the Best out there currently, they are new to the market, cheers. |
