Japanese Audio???

[Mr Peabody]

RR6, it's common knowledge that Krell began going to China, I said that way back in JohnMichael's post when he was looking at the s300i. So much for your gotcha. All I can say is that I am disappointed they went that way and mine was built here. I suppose in order to compete with every one else you have to do as they do. Heaven forbid the profit line should shorten.

[RoadRunner6]

RR6, it's common knowledge that Krell began going to China, I said that way back in JohnMichael's post when he was looking at the s300i. So much for your gotcha.

Sorry, Mr. P, but that wasn't directed to you at all and it wasn't a gotcha. I simply was talking to all here in general about Krell and then asked you if you recognized the remote because I knew you owned the ERC-1. I figured someone would play down this by denying that the amp was made in the same factory as other brands.

[RGA]

i think with the issue of build quality one has to separate the internal from the external - plenty of amplifiers - and other gear - add a lot od superfluous weight to the case which has absolutely nothing to do with the internal parts of an amplifier - McIntosh makes a heavier amplifier than a given Audio Note but in terms of the quality of parts inside - it's not even remotely a close contest - Audio Note uses more expensive exotic materials from soldering materials to wiring, to transformers etc.

If you think about it the name badge on the front of any piece of gear is second to the internals. Audio Note does not waste money on the casing which is irrelevant and that is why in most cases the top of the line unit looks exactly the same as the entry level model - they simply have a few different cases and it's the inside that is changed.

I would agree that AN is not the best "built" stuff in their price bracket though - and that is because they don't seem to put a lot of their drving effort into things related to casework - so they are susceptable to transport damage and silver solder is a softer metal which does lead to separation more than other types. Moreover, their connectors while very high quality also build up dirt and need to be cleaned or they lose connectivity - more-so than others.

I am not really for the idea of buying an AN dac and sticking into a Krell Dynaudio system - it's just not what AN had in mind and frankly I don't think one can actually "hear" what AN sounds like in a system like that - that's not a knock on Dynaudio or Krell - it's reality - They were never designed with those kinds of speakers or amplifiers in mind and in some cases there is an audible mismatch of input impedances especially if the DAC was the previous generation to the new filterless varieties.

It's not that I dislike Krell - I just feel that way about virtually every expensive Solid State amplifier on the market. After certain price points regardless of the name on the front I find that you can get better sound from a tube amp. $500 - 4k on a SS amp ok - beyond that I'd buy a tube amp. If the speaker needs that much power - it's probably not a very good loudspeaker - or will be bettered by a speaker that does not require that much power.

[Feanor]

i think with the issue of build quality one has to separate the internal from the external - plenty of amplifiers - and other gear - add a lot od superfluous weight to the case which has absolutely nothing to do with the internal parts of an amplifier - McIntosh makes a heavier amplifier than a given Audio Note but in terms of the quality of parts inside - it's not even remotely a close contest - Audio Note uses more expensive exotic materials from soldering materials to wiring, to transformers etc.
....

I am not really for the idea of buying an AN dac and sticking into a Krell Dynaudio system - it's just not what AN had in mind and frankly I don't think one can actually "hear" what AN sounds like in a system like that - that's not a knock on Dynaudio or Krell - it's reality - They were never designed with those kinds of speakers or amplifiers in mind and in some cases there is an audible mismatch of input impedances especially if the DAC was the previous generation to the new filterless varieties.
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RGA, your relentless shilining for AN is getting old. As an aspiring semi-pro reviewer you at least ought to pretend to be objective.

"Impedance mismatches" are avoided by proper design, that is, high input impedance + low output impedance. Period.

[RGA]

Being objective is merely telling it like you hear it. As for McIntosh - I have looked inside compared to what's inside a competing AN unit - Seems objective to me - maybe you would agree if A) you ever bothered to listen and B you ever bothered to look. Assuming I am not being objective when I have heard both, seen both, and made an assessment. It seems like YOU are not being objective - just attacking without any actual experience.

[Feanor]

Being objective is merely telling it like you hear it. As for McIntosh - I have looked inside compared to what's inside a competing AN unit - Seems objective to me - maybe you would agree if A) you ever bothered to listen and B you ever bothered to look. Assuming I am not being objective when I have heard both, seen both, and made an assessment. It seems like YOU are not being objective - just attacking without any actual experience.

Yeah well, and to what extent is your judgement as the superiority of the AN's internal components anything more than subjective? Because a capacitor says "Audio Note" on it, does that make it better? Last I heard you were not an electrical engineer.