In the conclusion to my K-300i review, I wrote, "The Krell ... has…
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Ever since I raved about Krell's K-300i integrated amplifier after it was released in early 2019, I've wanted to review other Krell products. After spending more than a year and a half (since its prerelease announcement) awaiting the opportunity to review Krell's new flagship mono power amplifier, the KMA-i800 ($73,000/pair), the time has come. Both Krell models utilize the company's proprietary iBias technology, albeit in different iterations, and both were designed by longtime Krell engineer Dave Goodman (footnote 1).
Setup and other considerations
With the invaluable assistance of my husband and my friend Scott Campbell, I positioned the 145lb Krell flagship monoblocks atop Grand Prix Monza amp stands, with Wilson Audio Pedestals as supports. The amps may be heavy, but their rear handles and lack of sharp external cooling fins makes them somewhat easier to handle than many amps of similar weight.
The KMA-i800s require 20A power cables. I used two Nordost Odin 2 cables with 20A connectors and drew power through AudioQuest wall outlets fed by a carefully optimized dedicated line. All front-…
Sidebar 1: Rondi D'Agostino Talks With Jason Victor Serinus
"Once I thought I had the best hi-fi system that I could get. But then I would listen to a new product andbe shocked to hear something that I hadn't heard before. It always gave me a thrill, and I was always sorry that my old system didn't sound as good." Lest anyone think Rondi D'Agostino is even a little bit new to hi-fi, she clarified in our chat how long she'd been pursuing audiophile bliss. "I got into audio through my love of music," she told me. "I grew up in the '50s and '60s just outside of San Francisco in Sausalito,…
Sidebar 2: Specifications
Description: Solid state iBias class-A mono power amplifier. Inputs: one each balanced (XLR) and single-ended (RCA). Output: 2 pairs gold-plated loudspeaker binding posts. Rated output power: 800W into 8 ohms (29dBW), 1600W into 4 ohms (29dBW), 3200W into 2 ohms (29dBW). Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz +0, –0.13dB. Bandwidth, –3dB: 147kHz (measured at 50W into 8 ohms). Input impedance: 28k ohms, balanced; 14k ohms single-ended. Gain: 26.5dB. Input sensitivity: 3.8V RMS. THD: <0.010%, at 1kHz, 800W with an 8 ohm load; <0.035% at 20kHz, 800W, with an 8 ohm…
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,…
Sidebar 4: Measurements
I performed a complete set of measurements on one of the Krell KMAi800s (serial number 32623090006) with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system. I preconditioned the amplifier by following the CEA's recommendation, running it at one-eighth the specified power into 8 ohms for 30 minutes. At the end of that time, the temperature of the top panel was 110.9°F (43.9°C) and that of the heatsinks on the side panels was 137.3°F (58.5°C). This amplifier needs plenty of room around it.
The KMA-i800's single-ended and balanced inputs preserved absolute polarity, ie, the…
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