Blew up the Krell S-300i

[JohnMichael]

In these days of fewer audio stores many of us make our choices based on reviews, product reputations, looks and specs. Many of us live in communities where online shopping is all that is available to us. We look for 30 or 60 day return options.

I enjoyed a Rotel RA 970BX integrated amp for years. If I were more patient I might still be enjoying it. Sadly I thought a channel was cutting out but it turned out to be the Sony ES cd player. I in a panic of not having music ordered a Cambridge Audio 640A int. amp. The older Rotel was a better amp. Still thinking it was the Rotel that had the problem I lent it to a friend who melted it down by hooking up too many pairs of speakers. I should have given him the CA 640A to melt down.

The 640A became annoying with it's sound and I was anxious to replace it. I began to read raves for the Onkyo A-9555 and was curious. On a fluke I won $500 in the lottery and I thought what the hell so I ordered it. It was better than the 640A but it to became fatiguing quickly. I knew at the time I needed to shop for something better.

While owning the Onkyo A-9555 I bought a new pair of speakers. The speakers were the Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs and they were the Original Master Loudspeakers 1. The folks at Music Direct were concerned about the Onkyo being able to power the speakers. In my small room it did okay. Of course the seed was planted, did I need something better? Again I found myself not completely pleased with the sound.

About that time I inherited some money and I thought now was the time to upgrade. I was interested in the Exposure 2010S, LFD Zero, Simaudio and Portal Panache. Having been told the OML1's were tough to drive I wondered if the Exposure or LFD could supply enough power. Since I enjoy a lot of big music with wide dynamics I began to think about power reserves. It was then I learned of the Krell S-300i. I read some good reviews and liked that the amp had output at 150 watts into 8ohms but doubled into 4ohms. So home came the Krell.

Three years with the Krell and I still love the sound. Most components get on my nerves after a few months and they are given away or trashed. I believe what most reviewers are saying that this new integrated amp is the best of all the Krell integrated amps. This amp is worth a listen if you are curious about it.

[texlle]

Sounds like Krell has been very helpful to make the repair process pleasant enough, which is always relieving. I haven't blown up an amp yet (fingers crossed), but the remote activated motor on my Cambridge A500's potentiometer has stopped working this weekend, so now I have to get up to adjust the volume. It actually still receives power, but the gear or whatever mechanism that turns the potentiometer has broken or stripped out. I've emailed Cambridge to obtain the part number or even better, a supplier who carries the part I would need to get this working again. My friend did blow the amp section on his Yamaha receiver last weekend, so he's using my old Sony STR-DE845 while the Yamaha gets fixed. Hey, he gave me an old Sony analog tuner from 1982, so I can't complain.

Oh, and my Jolida is currently on ebay if anyone is interested. Stay tuned for updates.

[JohnMichael]

The Krell is in the safe hands of UPS. Of course I did insure it for $2,500 in case those hands were not so safe. The S-300i will arrive at Krell on Wednesday.

While at UPS today this woman was complaining about how difficult it was to get to UPS. I am glad that we actually have a UPS hub in town. I do not need to use the UPS stores or if I miss a delivery it is not far to pick up the package. As this woman was complaining for all to hear the clerk said Ma'm this was delivered by mail, the USPS, and we all grinned as she took her package and left.

Now the waiting begins.

[Florian]

Hi John,

i hope they fix your Krell. Dan is no longer with Krell, since they booted him and his son out of Krell. But i do want to drop a sentence or two about the sound quality. As you know i personally owned several Krells including their flagships. (4x KRS 200; KSA250; KSA150; KSA100MKII; KRC-HR; DAC32). The best of them all where the KRS200s. They are true balanced monoblocks with two transfers and fourty transistors per channel! They had 310 Watts @8ohm and could really drive any speaker. Even 1ohm Scintillas with no problems. They are robust, reliable and hard to kill. But, and dont take personal offence please, is in a very different league then any Krell integrated ever prodocuded and much better then their current flagships the EVO series.

I dropped them in a second for 60 Watt SET amplifiers. My experience goes hand in hand with RGAs. SET, Zero Feedback. The NAT SE2-SE are better in every aspect by leagues. If you get a change please try to hear a NAT Single. Here is some info on it. Click me

Another fantastic way to improve your sound over any Krell is a combination of Monarchy Audio NM24 and SE160 Hybrid amps.

All the best

Flo

[Feanor]

Hi John,

i hope they fix your Krell. Dan is no longer with Krell, since they booted him and his son out of Krell. But i do want to drop a sentence or two about the sound quality. As you know i personally owned several Krells including their flagships. (4x KRS 200; KSA250; KSA150; KSA100MKII; KRC-HR; DAC32). The best of them all where the KRS200s. They are true balanced monoblocks with two transfers and fourty transistors per channel! They had 310 Watts @8ohm and could really drive any speaker. Even 1ohm Scintillas with no problems. They are robust, reliable and hard to kill. But, and dont take personal offence please, is in a very different league then any Krell integrated ever prodocuded and much better then their current flagships the EVO series.

I dropped them in a second for 60 Watt SET amplifiers. My experience goes hand in hand with RGAs. SET, Zero Feedback. The NAT SE2-SE are better in every aspect by leagues. If you get a change please try to hear a NAT Single. Here is some info on it. Click me

Another fantastic way to improve your sound over any Krell is a combination of Monarchy Audio NM24 and SE160 Hybrid amps.

All the best

Flo

Flo, did I read that the NAT SE2-SE's are 115,000€ the pair? I'd love to hear 'em but sadly it's unlikely that I will

Of course, Poultrygeist well tell us that a Decware Zen SE84C+ for US$775 is approximately as good but it's 2 wpc. Meanwhile my $600, 300 wpc class D, $250 passive pre, and $75 DAC are the best system I've heard; it does some of the things SETs are supposed to do, viz. transparent, detailed, grain & etch-free.

[JohnMichael]

Flo that is a beautiful looking int. amp. I am sure it has a handsome price tag. I am not sure if Dan was involved with the design of the S-300i but I really like the amp. Reviews I have read comment that this is the best integrated amp compared to the previous 300 & 400 models.

Since I like the amp I am going to stick with it. My next large cash output will be a longer trip to Paris. Of course I will need another painting as a souvenir. I want to visit a friend in Amsterdam. I may even visit London to meet up with a friend and his wife stationed in England.

Stereos are nice but this poor boy has too many interests to spend my money on just one of them.

[Florian]

Flo, did I read that the NAT SE2-SE's are 115,000€ the pair? I'd love to hear 'em but sadly it's unlikely that I will

Of course, Poultrygeist well tell us that a Decware Zen SE84C+ for US$775 is approximately as good but it's 2 wpc. Meanwhile my $600, 300 wpc class D, $250 passive pre, and $75 DAC are the best system I've heard; it does some of the things SETs are supposed to do, viz. transparent, detailed, grain & etch-free.

Hi Bill,

the price is incorrect. One pair of NAT SE2's cost 11990€ a pair. Thats about 14500$ US.

Cheers

[Feanor]

Hi Bill,

the price is incorrect. One pair of NAT SE2's cost 11990€ a pair. Thats about 14500$ US.

Cheers

Wow, well that's a lot better. Still about 20x my budget, though.

[JohnMichael]

Hi Bill,

the price is incorrect. One pair of NAT SE2's cost 11990€ a pair. Thats about 14500$ US.

Cheers

$12,000 over the cost of my Krell, hell that's Mitt money. Besides I think I would upgrade my speakers first. A $14,500 amp with $1,000 Monitor Audio RS6's may not be a balanced system.