All things being equal sound is more important, but all things are rarely equal. If the choice is between a top of the line Conrad-Johnson preamp and a slightly better sounding preamp hand made in their spare time by someone in his garage, then the C-J is the better choice for most people. Quality control, cosmetics, build quality and service will all be better with the established manufacturer. Five years down the road the guy in the garage may or may not still be manufacturing audio products.
BTW, the Sony is an excellent speaker which I suspect mates quite well with the Krell amp.
BTW, the Sony is an excellent speaker which I suspect mates quite well with the Krell amp.