how much does a smaller krell differ from a hi end sansui 907

Another agreement with botrytis--as an owner of four Krell KMA 160 monoblocks--any Sansui couldn't even touch them. They run in pure class A mode and are only rated at 160w each @ 8 ohms but double down (as per factory manual) to 320w @ 4 ohms, 640w @ 2 ohms, 1280W @ 1 ohm, and the protection can be tweaked (again, as per factory manual) to operate below 1 ohm--and each one weighs in at ~90lbs and draws 8A current at idle.


:beerchug:
 
What a lot of people don't look at past wattage and sound is the capability of the amp. When you want take advantage of the advancements in demanding speakers that might have been built in the late 80s, 90s and up you need equipment that can handle them. Well unless you like to watch a puff of blue smoke emanate from a 80s Sansui amp on your rack.
 
Krells don't have special parts. Just typical. Even caps are typical industrial design , not even audio oriented. As for the power supply capacity to supply endless currents , well they are famous for that. As for the sound quality each to his own. Some like it some don't.
Also it is not very wise to compare amps with such a different power , and especially such a different price.
If one wants to compare KAV 150 it has to be done with a 907 MR , which is at the same power. There you go in a straight comparison. At least at 8 ohms.
 
jomark911.....

If one wants to compare KAV 150 it has to be done with a 907 MR , which is at the same power. There you go in a straight comparison. At least at 8 ohms.....

so who wins here ?:dunno:
 
The pre- is a big deal.

This is certainly true. In a perfect world, all an amplifier should do is take a small signal and bring it up to a large output signal with no "artifacts". But we all know that this is not a "perfect world", and there are "artifacts" introduced into the signal chain at all levels--whether it be source, preamplifier, or amplifier (with inherent pre-driver stages), and then the ability of the speakers to reproduce that signal in a given environment. Many manufacturers "tune" their amps to a "house" or "signature" sound--is it 100% "accurate"--NO--but it is what it is, and it is their "signature".
 
I'm SORRY, I thought KAV 150 was a integrated model. My mistake. In this case you can compare KAV150 with lets say B2201. 2201 is at 2x200w/8ohms. Or a BA -F1 which is at 110w/8ohms. Or a BA 3000 at 170w/8ohms.
Or even with a AU-X1 as a power amp only. There you can draw conclusions.
 
The krell kav 150s transformer only looks tiny compared to a 907 model. Looks boring as hell to. A 907dr should do the job. I use a 707dr daily and have used it on some big pmc bb5 clones and they powered them effortlessly. 707dr to me sounds better than than a b-2301 from the 80's as i have compared and any of the 1970s definition series. The 907dr should give more musical enjoyment instead of what i imagine a cold clinical lifeless but detailed krell amplifier. i have owned a mark levinson 334 beast and that was the same. Full of detail but lifeless.
 
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There is a huge difference between a regular transformer and toroidal transformers used in modern equipment. Size comparison like that means nothing.

I find Sansui's not very good. That is my choice. I mean I am using a modern integrated because I want to add nothing to my music. People choose what they like and there is nothing wrong with that. There is a reason why Krell, etc have their reputation - good design, good engineering, and a company that still stands behind them.

Well actually , the company does not stand behind anyone anymore. Dan D'agostino has been kicked out his own company. KRELL has been sold to Chinese. There is still a KRELL company , but the support is limited.
All the others you said about reputation etc is still on.
 
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Personally, I think the only Sansui kit that could match the Krell would be their limited run high end kit like their BA-5000 and their big integrated/big receiver... They did make some very nice kit with relatively low production runs like the majority of the Krell....

I think he had it right... Take your amp and see if you can do a side by side comparison, same speakers...same track... let your ears decide.

Well there is no KIT . Only hand assembled amplifiers and the rest.
As for the BA 5000 the biggest power amp SANSUI ever made , it was not the only one. B2301 B2302 G33000 had the same power rank. They all sounded a bit different compared to BA 5000, actually better. The one and only B2301 , B2301L , B2302 actually sounded a lot better than the good old BA 5000.
 
Personally... I'd rather have the Sansui AU-a907i MOS Limited.

Absolutely.
 
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I never liked the Krell gear too much. When it was my time to buy a big amp that doubles down (power with halving of impedance), I went for another brand amp (pictured in my avatar at time of writing), which to me sounded much sweeter. Then I sold that amp to get back to Sansui. Go with your heart/ears!
 
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i will ask that friend of mine here for the return of the 907 imos i gave him a year ago ..maybe the speakers i had were not upto the mark back then
 
Or maybe you just didn't like the sound of the Sansui on your speakers. It does happen.

but then i had the 9500 at the same time which was in dire need of TLC and recapping. which i got a year later and it blew me away . Im a sansui man now ......
 
I personally would rather have this....

momentum_integrated_7.jpg

If it's as good as it is unattractive, then that is the worlds best amp.

I'm sure it's sonic-ally very nice.
 
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An amazing piece of kit, by the man from Krell.

It should amaze at $56,000.00 dollars.

That thing is the Krell Momentum, and it is an integrated amp.

The Krell KAV-150a seems to sell today for 1,500 bucks on a low-ball average, but that is without a pre-amp.
It was first made in 1999(?)...18 years ago.

It seem here are a lot of considerations that make Sansui more comparable than you assert.

But its fun to promote one's preference to doubters.

Here is a review
https://www.whathifi.com/dan-dagostino/momentum-integrated-amplifier/review




 
as an owner of a kav 250 I would like to say that there's no way around a krell amp having an objectively better ability to drive speakers than a sansui.

I've owned g7000, and 9900z alongside other sought after Japanese power amps from that era- onkyo m504, denon poa 2400 etc. These aren't exactly the same as OP's amp but they were all crushed by the SQ that the krell provided

Do some research, even though the kav series aren't the behemoth class A amps the ksa were, they have significant praise and are an excellent value on the 2nd hand market.

I have always been on a quest for high end sound at a reasonable price and the krell truly delivers. I plan on getting another and running them as 1kw monos

If you have hard speakers to drive krell will always win out, otherwise its on your ears to decide which house sound you like
 
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