Solid State Power Amp Reviews

Krell KMA-i800 monoblock power amplifier Associated Equipment

Sidebar 3: Associated Equipment

Digital sources: dCS Vivaldi Apex DAC, Vivaldi Upsampler Plus, and Vivaldi Master Clock; Innuos Statement Next-Gen Music Server; Small Green Computer Sonore Deluxe opticalModule; Uptone Audio EtherRegen with SOtM sCLK-OCX10 Master Clock and sPS-500 power supply; Nordost QNet switch and QSource linear power supplies (2); Sonore Audiophile Linear Power Supply; Synology 5-bay 1019+ NAS with Ferrum Hypsos linear/ switching hybrid power supply; Linksys MR9000 mesh router and Arris modem; Apple 2023 iPad Pro and 2017 MacBook Pro laptop with 2.8GHz Intel i7, SSD, 16GB RAM.
Preamplifier: Dan D'Agostino Momentum HD.
Power amplifiers: Dan D'Agostino Momentum M400 MxV monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio Specialties Alexia V with Wilson LōKē subwoofers.
Cables: Digital: Nordost Odin 1, Odin 2, and Valhalla 2 (USB and Ethernet), Frey 2 (USB adapter); AudioQuest WEL Signature; Wireworld Platinum Starlight Cat8 (Ethernet), OM1 62.5/125 multimode duplex (fiberoptic). Interconnect (XLR): Nordost Odin 2 and Blue Heaven subwoofer, AudioQuest Dragon, Canare (subwoofers). Speaker: Nordost Odin 2, AudioQuest Dragon. AC: Nordost Odin 2, Valhalla 2, Valhalla 1; AudioQuest Dragon and Firebird. Umbilical cords: Ghent Audio Canare on NAS; QSource Premium DC cables with Lemo terminations for QSources; SOtM sPS-500 umbilical cable for SOtM Master clock.
Accessories: Grand Prix Monza 8-shelf double rack and amp stands, 1.5" Formula platform; Symposium Ultra Platform; Nordost 20-amp QB8 Mark III, QKore 1 and 6; Titanium and Bronze Sort Kones, Sort Lifts; Stromtank S 2500 Quantum MK II power generator, SEQ-5 Audio Distribution Bar; AudioQuest Niagara 7000 and Niagara 5000 power conditioners, NRG Edison outlets, JitterBugs; Environmental Potentials EP2050EE surge protector/ filter; Wilson Audio Pedestals; A/V RoomService Polyflex Diffusers; Resolution Acoustics room treatment; Stillpoints Clouds (8); HRS DPX-14545 Damping Plates; Marigo Aida CD mat.
Listening room: 20' L × 16' W × 9'4" H.—Jason Victor Serinus

COMPANY INFO
Krell Industries LLC.
45 Connair Rd.
Orange
CT 06477-3650
info@krellhifi.com
(203) 298-4000
Krellhifi.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
georgehifi's picture
Submitted by georgehifi on March 1, 2024 - 12:24pm

Without any consideration for the environment, and for the filthy rich.

Bet the Alexia's didn't know what hit them, and never will again.

Nice review
Cheers George

Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on March 1, 2024 - 3:28pm

... one of 75 pairs of the McIntosh MC2.1KW 75th anniversary edition monoblock power amps.
2kW into 8, 4 or 2 ohms and $100,000 per pair.
https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/amplifiers/MC21KW

georgehifi's picture
Submitted by georgehifi on March 1, 2024 - 5:31pm

Only to the ones with no idea and that love the glitz and glamour of "McIntosh Blue/Satinchrome" and that have no knowledge that an output transformer is complete and utter BS when tacked onto the output of a "good solid state amp". Just ask the likes of the great solid state designers Pass, D'Agostino, Curl, Flemming etc etc

Cheers George

Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on March 1, 2024 - 6:37pm

... the output autoformer equipped McIntosh MC462, you may observe that SM stated that the amplifier "will bring the breath of life to your music" and that "the senses of ease and literally quiet power created by the MC462 are palpable and most welcome. A first-round vote pick for induction in Class A of the next edition of our "Recommended Components." Highly recommended—insisted on, even." JA1 concludes his technical report with "summing up the McIntosh MC462's measured performance is easy: It is an extraordinarily well-engineered, exceptionally powerful amplifier."

https://www.stereophile.com/content/mcintosh-laboratory-mc462-power-amplifier

Based upon the above, to what deleterious effect, if any, can you point that might serve to support your opinion that "an output transformer is complete and utter BS when tacked onto the output of a "good solid state amp"?"

georgehifi's picture
Submitted by georgehifi on March 1, 2024 - 8:46pm

The only time it "may" be advantageous on a solid state amp is if the amp is an inherently unstable design into low/capacitive speaker impedance's, otherwise if you were to put one on these Krell Mono amps every parameter that makes them great amps would take a hit because of the transformer.

Cheers George

JohnnyThunder2.0's picture
Submitted by JohnnyThunder2.0 on March 4, 2024 - 6:00pm

more sophisticated equipment than McIntosh. A silly comparison. Filthy rich people who like to have parties in their mansions all the time may crave McIntosh though.

bhkat's picture
Submitted by bhkat on March 2, 2024 - 8:04am

While I would never buy a pair, I'm glad audio equipment like this is being made.

georgehifi's picture
Submitted by georgehifi on March 2, 2024 - 12:59pm

. https://ibb.co/Btb1d9z

hiendmmoe's picture
Submitted by hiendmmoe on March 3, 2024 - 5:59pm

Every time I read a review on a new design they are alway accompanied by the same old troll's negative comments. Either they reinforce each other’s negative stance or they argue over B.S. They want to tell you their negative opinions because some how they believe you should think like they do. There’s an old saying: opinions are like….everyone has one, but nobody gives a …… about anybody’s else’s except their own!

cognoscente's picture
Submitted by cognoscente on March 4, 2024 - 8:51am

That's more than 2x the price of an Audi A1 and even 2x the price of an Audi A3. Also more expensive than the Audi A6, which is an expensive excellent hell of a car. And that for only a power amplifier, then you still need all the rest.

funambulistic's picture
Submitted by funambulistic on March 5, 2024 - 5:05am

... a quick browse of Autotrader shows they are 1/13 the price of a used 2023 Ferrari SF90 Spider in my area. Just putting it in perspective...

cognoscente's picture
Submitted by cognoscente on March 4, 2024 - 9:03am

I'm just putting thise prices into perspective, if you still don't find such prices absurd, then you don't find such prices absurd. Simple!

georgehifi's picture
Submitted by georgehifi on March 4, 2024 - 12:28pm

In anything the price goes up exponentially for what's seen as the very best

Cheers George

David Harper's picture
Submitted by David Harper on March 5, 2024 - 9:09am

"In anything the price goes up exponentially for the very best". In many things. But not high end audio.

LTig's picture
Submitted by LTig on March 5, 2024 - 3:55pm

Somehow the specs seem to be wrong:

- Output voltage: 245V peak–peak, 86V RMS.
- Output current: 56A peak (which is ~20A RMS)

86V * 20A = 1700W max power at 86V/20A = 4.4 Ohm load. This is clearly less than what JA measured: 2600W at a line voltage of 100V. At 110 V we could expect a power of 2600W * (110/100)² ~ 3150W which is very close to spec. Impressive.

I wonder though what kind of speaker would survive so much power.

Jason Victor Serinus's picture
Submitted by Jason Victor Serinus on March 8, 2024 - 3:41pm

Power of this nature, when instituted properly, shortens response time and allows super Ferrari amplifiers to turn on less than a dime.

windansea's picture
Submitted by windansea on March 15, 2024 - 12:06am

Perhaps the sliding bias will help extend the lives of these Krell amps versus the old Krells that often had to go back to Connecticut due to the extreme damaging the innards (shipping costs!). I had my Krell phase with Martin Logans and I won't go back to that. But I do miss the bottomless bass. I remember once running a frequency test CD and thought there was an earthquake rattling my windows.

neilgundel's picture
Submitted by neilgundel on May 17, 2024 - 9:34am

As listed on Krell web site, the idle heat dissipation is 890 btu/hr per channel - not 89.
So a pair of these will warm the room a bit, but much less than a normal class A amp would.

a.wayne's picture
Submitted by a.wayne on June 1, 2024 - 3:53am

Glad to see they still exist , :)

X