From: apctrc!znpt01@uunet.UU.NET (Norman P. Tracy)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end
Subject: Opinion of Krell. Was: Vandersteens 2Ce versus Definitive Technology BP10 ???
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 22:24:05 GMT
Organization: Amoco Production Company, Tulsa Research
	(queueing-rmail) id 181754.7771; Tue, 5 Jan 1993 18:17:54 EST
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Originator: znpt01@gpss43
Originator: tjk@csd4.csd.uwm.edu


Thanks Kelly for the review and recounting of your experiences.  I hope
most of rec.audio.high-end readers have also experienced the enjoyment
that comes as you described when a set of components work well together.
A comment in her posting triggered this post, its not in any way to flame
her or discount her story; it just brought to mind an opinion I wish to
share.

The quote:
In article <1ic5ebINNmpl@uwm.edu>, kcalica@pyrman2.mis.pyramid.com (Kelly Calica) writes:
> When we talk upgrade at home, my husband, the real shopper in the house, never
> talks about speakers, just da converter.  When I ask about improving the sound-
> stage, we talk about upgrading from the Classe Audio, which I don't want to 
> sell, to the Krell.
           ---------

Ah, The Mighty Krell.  We will now all observe a moment of reverent silence.
Its this convential audiophile wisdom that Krell is the height of the hi-end
I wish to call into question.  The following is of course my opinions and
experience.

I. Things I really like about Krell.
Fit and finish of the casework is beyond reproach.

II. Things I like about Krell.
Nice smoooooth easy to listen to sound.

III. Things I do not like about Krell.
The KSL pre and KSA amps I am most familiar with seem to lack the dynamic
ease of the best solid state (like Spectral) or lots of tube gear.  Its like
in their zeal to get a super clean sound they stripped off the music's fire
and life.

IV. Things I really really do not like about Krell.
Their attitude when you have a problem.  It can't be The Krell's fault, YOU must
have a problem.  A local dealer/friend sent a KSA-150 home with a customer,
this guy was gonna buy it when it passed the home system test.  Instead in
his system it had a audible HUMMMMMM. This was in balanced mode and persisted
after all the standard checks were made for ground loops and such.  Krell
blamed his power and suggested a line condintioner.  Back at the shop with
its inputs grounded a hum could be heard through the Stages, it measured
20 mV RMS.  Krell still wouldn't be convinced the amp had a problem.  We hauled
a o`scope over there (remember the good ol`days when audio shops had their own?)
and sure enough with the inputs shorted it was putting out 120 Hz AC with a
nice crossover spike on every zero crossing thrown in for good measure.  A
sketch of the waveform faxed to Krell finally convinced them to allow the amp
back for service.  Of course its over UPS' weight limit so its costing my
dealer friend $60 to ship it in addition to the possible lost sale.

My point isn't to damn Krell because they had one amp go bad, everybody has
failures.  The thing that ticked me off was their attitude (make that ATTITUDE).
Really good companies in every field jump into action when their customer
has a problem, they don't make excuses or pass the blame off on the customer.

Norman Tracy
znpt01@trc.amoco.com