As it turned out, no. True, the…
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How times have changed. When Krell first debuted its KAV-300i, in 1996, it risked having people question its high-end credibility simply for having considered producing an integrated amplifier, much less an affordable one. After all, Krell was the company best known for massively overbuilt—and, many claimed, overpriced—power amplifiers that were uniquely capable of driving speakers of ridiculously low impedance. In Martin Colloms' review of the 300i in the July 1996 Stereophile, he asked the question on everyone's minds: "Is Krell risking its reputation?"
The 400xi's top end, however, was the real revelation, exhibiting the sort of air and unhyped detail that I've heard from only a few other solid-state designs (most notably, some Krells with breathtaking price tags). What was apparent from the get-go, however, was that the Krell was uncommonly uncolored. Spanish Legends, guitarist David Russell's new CD of works by Llobet, Segovia, Pujol, and de la Maza (Telarc CD-80633), was impressive in its combination of delicacy and authority. Recorded in the somewhat dry acoustic of the Peggy and Yale Gordon Center for the Performing Arts at Owings…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid-state, remote-controlled, stereo integrated amplifier with 5 line-level inputs (1 balanced, 3 single-ended, 1 single-ended tape loop) and 1 set of single-ended preamplifier outputs. Power output: 200Wpc into 8 ohms (23dBW), 400Wpc into 4 ohms (23dBW). Output impedance: 0.17 ohm. THD: 1kHz <0.04%; 20kHz <0.25%. Input impedance: 47k ohms. Input sensitivity: 644mV RMS. Power consumption at idle/standby: 20W.
Dimensions: 17.3" (444mm) W by 3.5" (90mm) H by 17" (436mm) D. Weight: 36 lbs (16.4kg).
Serial number of unit reviewed:…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Sources: Krell DVD Standard DVD player, Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 3D CD player, Polk XRt12 Reference XM satellite radio tuner (w/Musical Fidelity X-DACV3).
Integrated Amplifier: Portal Audio Panache.
Loudspeakers: Krell Resolution 2, PSB Platinum T6.
Cables: Interconnect: Audience Au24 SE, Shunyata Research Aries balanced & SE. Speaker: Audience Au24, Shunyata Research Lyra. AC: Shunyata Research Anaconda.
Accessories: Shunyata Research Hydra AC Power Distribution System; Solid-Tech Rack of Silence equipment stand, Feet of Silence…
Sidebar 2: Measurements
To precondition an amplifier before testing, I run it at one-third power into 8 ohms for an hour. For an amplifier with a class-B output stage, this thermally stresses the amplifier to the maximum extent. To my alarm, after 15 minutes of driving 67Wpc into 8 ohms, the top panel of the KAV-400xi above the internal heatsinks was way too hot to touch, implying a temperature well above 60ºC; the chassis was also too hot to touch and smelled of hot insulation. More alarming, the distortion level, a good 0.05% when the amplifier was cold, had risen to 0.15% and was…
"A newspaper can flout an advertiser...but if it alienates the buying public, it loses the one indispensable asset of its existence."—Walter Lippmann, 1922, reprinted in Public Opinion, New York: Free Press, 1965.
I recently relaxed with a book that is essential reading for anyone involved in magazine publishing: Thomas Maier's biography of publishing magnate Si Newhouse (Newhouse, St Martin's Press, 1994). As well as Random House Books and a slew of cash-making local newspapers, the billionaire Newhouse family owns Condé Nast, which built its fortune with Vogue, its journalistic…
Sidebar: The letters that triggered this "As We See It" essay:
All change
Editor: From time to time you mention with respect to Stereophile's "Recommended Components" listings that J. Gordon Holt objects to the inclusion of such a large number of components. I have read Stereophile since the early days of irregular publication and no advertising (and have actually borrowed, at the time of publication, several of the original large-sized issues of the first two volumes of the publication).
Nearly every review these days is a "rave" or at least a "qualified rave" that…
What're they all about, these so-called Products of the Year? Why do we put so much time and energy into the voting? Why compile a list of all the products we've reported on in Stereophile over the last 12 months, putting little checkmarks and stars and numbers and other irreverent doodles and dashes beside their already silly names? Certainly all this hullabaloo isn't for our health. It's not even fun. It doesn't promote that strange, weird, and wonderful tingling feeling way down in the toes. It doesn't taste good. And chicks don't really dig it. So: Why?
I was mulling all this over a…
2005 Joint Loudspeakers
Innersound Kaya ($20,000/pair; reviewed by Paul Bolin, Vol.27 No.12 & Vol.28 No.5, December 2004 & May 2005 review)
Peak Consult Empress ($25,000/pair; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.28 No.10, October 2005 review)
Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage ($40,000/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.28 No.1, January 2005 review)
Wilson Audio Specialties MAXX Series 2 ($44,900/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.28 No.8, August 2005 review)
Innersound Kaya ($20,000/pair; reviewed by Paul Bolin, Vol.27 No.12 & Vol.28 No.5, December 2004 & May 2005 review)
Peak Consult Empress ($25,000/pair; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.28 No.10, October 2005 review)
Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage ($40,000/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.28 No.1, January 2005 review)
Wilson Audio Specialties MAXX Series 2 ($44,900/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.28 No.8, August 2005 review)
Runners-up (in alphabetical order)
Harbeth Super HL5 ($3995/pair; reviewed by Sam Tellig, Vol.28 No.2,…
2005 Amplification Component
DarTZeel NHB-108 Model One power amplifier ($18,181; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.28 No.4, April 2005 review)
DarTZeel NHB-108 Model One power amplifier ($18,181; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.28 No.4, April 2005 review)
Runners-up (in alphabetical order)
Aesthetix Calypso preamplifier ($4500; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.28 No.7, July 2005 review)
Burmester 001 preamplifier ($14,995; reviewed by Brian Damkroger, Vol.28 No.7, July 2005 review)
Channel Islands Audio D-100 monoblock amplifier ($1599/pair; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.28 Nos.8 & 9, August & September 2005 review)
Classé Omega Omicron power amplifier ($20,000/pair…