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New amp? Thiel...

Bought a pair of Thiel CS2.4's about 6 months ago and they are just as amazing as the reviews say. I'm driving them with a Krell KAV-250a, which has plenty of power but somehow I'm wondering if there's not a better amp for the Thiels...

The rest of the system includes a Krell HTS7.1 (need to maintain the HT/2-ch in one room, so not much of an option there... besides the analog pre of the HTS7.1 is pretty darn good), a Clearaudio Champion with Benz Silver MC, Graham Slee phono stage, Oppo BDP-95 (xlr analog) and all Cardas cables. The room is pretty much a concrete bunker... basement with carpeted concrete floor, concrete walls with drapes on the walls (basically thickish cotton/synthetic blackout curtains), so it's a pretty bright room. I know I need to add some acoustic panels to it, that's on the list.

I've heard the Thiel CS2.4's with a very large (and out of my price range) McIntosh (MC1.2k) and that's an amazing combination.

I would sell my Krell (seems to go for $1100-1600 depending on condition lately) and I would add another $500-1000 to that...

Any recommendations where to start looking?
128x128audiojan
audiojan's avatar
audiojan OP
390 posts
 
Ok... The Mark Levinson No334 is a major step forward. Mind you, the Krell isn't bad, just a little too forward for the Thiels. The biggest difference is really how relaxed the Thiels now are.

Used to have Magnepans and I would bet that the roles would be reversed with those speakers... the KAV-250a's are really magnificent with Maggie's!

Will sell the Krell.
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
If you read some of my recent threads (which are all really about this same issue), you'll see me engaging in a similar hunt (although my budget was more around 4k for an amp). So far I've heard the following on my 2.4s:

Classe CAP-151 (leftover from before the upgrade)
Pass Labs XA-30.5
McIntosh MC-402
Pass Labs X-250.5

I'm still in the middle of comparing the two Pass amps, but so far my favorite has been the XA-30.5. It runs out of steam a bit on bass, but I've addressed that by adding a subwoofer. It may be the lowest powered of the bunch, but it has the best imaging, soundstaging, and the most natural vocals of the bunch. Although others (including the previous owners of my 2.4s) have loved the Mac, I did not... and honestly don't know how anyone else could if comparing it to the Pass models. It obscured details in the music and added grain and harshness.
cmalak
681 posts
 
Audiojan...if you went with a Class A Krell, I think the sound will not be as forward as the more modern Krell sound is, which is why I included that link above. I think Class A biased amps will give you that more liquid less edgy sound (so look for older Threshhold, Pass Labs, Krell, and even Accuphase amps biased in Class A). The main thing though is having an overbuilt power supply that can push through a lot of current given the dips below 4ohms that Unsound points out happens for much of the frequency band with the 2.4s. The Thiels are sensitive enough that you don't really need much more than 100wpc to play them loud, as long as the amp has an overspec'd power supply and can also deliver a lot of current. If the amp is not capable of pushing a lot of current, you will then have tonal aberrations, because the tough load points happen especially in the lower registers, and then the 2.4s will sound tipped up and thin.
audiojan's avatar
audiojan OP
390 posts
 
Second day of trying out the Mark Levinson 334 and I think I've found a real gem. The slightly dark (yet detailed) sound of the ML meshes nicely with the extremely neutral Thiel's.

Best way to describe it calmness. It just sounds right.

Ok... so now I need to sell off the Krell. It has served me well.
dtc's avatar
dtc
1,047 posts
 
Check into the issues with the caps on the 3xx amps. They are known to fail and require replacement. If they have not been replaced there is a good chance they may need to be and the repair is expensive through the Levinson repair services. Great amp - just be careful you don't have to put another $1,000+ into it. They are often priced low because of the cap issue. If you really want it and the repair has not been done, get an estimate for replacing the caps and see if you can find a non-Levinson place to do the repair, just in case.
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