Need a a preamp recommendation for my Krell 300cx

I'm upgrading my system. I currently have a 60wpc rotel integrated amp hooked up to a pair of B&W CDM9NT speakers. I managed to get a good price on a Krell 300cx amp and I could really use some recommendations on what preamp to pair it with.

I figure I'll buy used and my budget is about 2k. Some names that have been thrown out to me so far are Audio Research LS16, KAV 280p and the Adcom GFP 750.

I listen to 50% rock music, 50% classical.

Thanks for your help,
-Teeka

No, no. Do not buy an Adcom preamp they are not in the same league as your Krell amp. Do you even realize what you have? Do not buy the LS16, it sucks. I auditioned one in my home with the ARC 150.2 power amp.

The best thing is to buy a Krell preamp like the 280p or a KRC-3. www.audiogon.com has both from $1200.00 to $1,600.00. I think both would be better than the 250p but I haven't compared the 280p and krc3 side by side. Use a XLR connectors. If you want a sweeter sound www.spearitsound.com has a Conrad-Johnson PV14L2 demo with warranty for $1,749.00. I have this preamp and cannot believe it retails for $2,500.00, it is an awesome tube preamp. No XLR connections though. At some point you should consider a Krell CD player as well. Krell seems to sound best with it's own components. Although I did add an Audio Note DAC that I liked better than my Krell 280cd internal DAC.

I actually have a pair of Transparent Musiclink XLR's I'd sell for $150.00 if you are interested. I used them between a Krell cdp and my 500i. The only other preamps I'd consider would be maybe Bryston or Mark Levinson.

Have you hooked the 300cx up yet? It is so many steps up from the Rotel you are using you will be blown away. But you want to get the amps full potential by buying a quality preamp. If you do decide to look at tube preamps it is important to get one with low output impedance in order to mix with solid state, 500 ohms or less.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kane457

I'm upgrading my system. I currently have a 60wpc rotel integrated amp hooked up to a pair of B&W CDM9NT speakers. I managed to get a good price on a Krell 300cx amp and I could really use some recommendations on what preamp to pair it with.

I figure I'll buy used and my budget is about 2k. Some names that have been thrown out to me so far are Audio Research LS16, KAV 280p and the Adcom GFP 750.

I listen to 50% rock music, 50% classical.

Thanks for your help,
-Teeka

---

The only pre-amp for any of this series amps, is the KCT, a total world beater, when used with the CAST cabling. I promise you will never want to listen to anything else. PSUpton