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Krell recalls select amplifiers to cool off the sound
Deep-pocketed audiophiles sporting Krell gear in their equipment racks love to gloat about the sound pouring from their amplifiers biased towards Class A, but that sonic bliss comes with a huge thermal pricetag. So much so, that Krell has issued a recall for its KAV-250a, KAV-250a/3, KAV-500i and KAV-1500 amps due to overheating concerns. For their trouble, affected owners will get certification of a fuse replacement and a $100 check. Mere mortals like us who aren't in the Krell club might chortle about money and sense, but on the other hand, we can't remember the last time our more mass-market receivers were ever offered this kind of service -- and some of them have run awfully hot; we're looking at you, Onkyo.
Krell's S-300i integrated amplifier is iPod / iPhone-friendly
Like it or not, the iPod has become a de facto standard for portable media, and it's only logical that even high-end audio manufacturers cater to the demands of the market. To that end, Krell Industries has baked in native iPod / iPhone support into its latest integrated amplifier, the S-300i. Said amp features a fully balanced, Class A preamplifier circuit with a stereo amplifier rated at 150-watts per channel into 8-ohms and 300-watts per channel into 4-ohms along with a 750 VA toroidal transformer and 38,000 microfarads of storage capacitance. The iPod / iPhone interface taps audio from the fully differential output included in the devices, and the bundled remote is made of solid aluminum. You'll also find three unbalanced RCA inputs, a balanced XLR input, a jack for the iPod / iPhone cable and WBT speaker cable terminals -- 'tis a shame it'll cost you $2,500, huh?[Via CEPro]
Krell intros the KID -- another expensive iPod dock you'll never buy
"Hey man, check out my $4000 combo iPod dock / Class A amp playing a 128kbps MP3 file! Listen to that brittle high-end... it's like you're in the room with the computer that compressed this file!"[Via Crave; Image courtesy Audio Junkies]
Krell unleashes its Evolution 707 preamp/processor
The Krell name has always been synonymous with glorious overdesign, and its new Evolution 707 preamp/processor won't spoil that rep. Inputs (including four HDMI 1.3) are routed through to 12 outputs, each with single-ended and balanced taps. Sounds like a lot, but once you factor in the two center channel and four subwoofer outputs, it somehow doesn't sound as extreme as 8.4-channels might otherwise. Naturally, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA are supported, and there's a processing bypass mode for those who want to do the "straight wire with gain" thing. Video specs aren't skimpy, either -- a maximum color depth of 48 bits, 340 MHz bandwidth, and upconverting to 1080p are all onboard. The linked post indicates the unit is nearly 10-feet tall. Sounds like a typo to us, but this is Krell we're dealing with! Tipping the scales at 50-pounds, you'll pay $600 per pound to take this beast home.
Krell, MartinLogan ElectroKID bundle takes iPod docks to new levels of excess
We've seen extravagant iPod docks before, but this Krell and MartinLogan "ElectroKID" bundle put together by the folks at Absolute Sounds makes just about all those other pretenders pale in comparison. At the heart of things here is the Krell KID iPod dock, which boasts " top-quality preamp circuitry" and is also available separately for a mere £1,350 (or about $2,700). That gets teamed up with a pair of MartinLogan Purity floorstanding speakers (£2,390, or $4,800 on their own), which each pack their own 200W power amp and, as you can see, make quite the statement in any room you place 'me in. If that's sounds like the missing piece to your iPod puzzle, you can get the complete system now for £3,740, or just over $7,500 (that's right, not even a discount to entice you).