I am waiting for my updated/repaired MKIII version from krell..should arrive Thursday. Joeyboynj, what exactly are the changes between the MKII and III versions other than the transport?? |
My unit is working well and sounding phenomenal. It does take a few hundred hours for this puppy to open up and even out, but worth it for sure. Not bad sending in a broken unit I paid $3200 for and getting back a $6000 player at no charge...that's sweet! |
I just sent my SACD MKIII in for repair. My unit was purchased last spring and sounds like the mkII units. Hopefully mine will get an upgrade..I asked Patrick at krell about it..I am waiting for an answer!! |
Overhang, you can call Walt at Krell about your position and maybe get some satisfaction! |
Yes, I have no reason to believe krell will do anything to loose a very good, vocal customer! Walter is the customer complaint guy..readily available. |
Talked to patrick at krell and recieved the straight info. Krell offers no upgrade path for the sacd std, only repairs. Depending on the version (Gen 1, 2 or 3), a transport issue may only be resolved by replacing it with the only transport available to krell at this time which happens to be the 505 version. Only the transport is offered as needed and is not considered an upgrade, simply a necessary replacement! Which, if any, of the aforementioned scenarios have occurred and under which extraneous circumstances, I have no idea. If in the future an sacd standard needs a drive fixed, and it is under warranty, it will probably be replaced by the 505 drive out of sheer necessity. One cannot simply ask krell to replace your functioning drive with the 505 as an upgrade. A 505 drive may be used if a fix or replacement part is unavailable to rectify the situation. Of course being in or out of warranty will complicate matters as it regards a charge for service...perhaps this is where the figures of $2k-$3k come in?? Anyway, that's the official word as conveyed to and interpolated by me. I look forward to having my player back and functional, regardless of drive! As for sonic differences between a 505 equiped unit versus a standard drive, non should be apparent, as it is only the drive itself and no other audio parts variances...the 505 may be quieter but it is still the same basic design and not exotic like the teac VRDS. |
Overhang, I think the whole matter should be transparent and stated on the web site and or in a written release/statement from krell through the dealer network! In any event, best of luck..I like the unit alot and I've owned a Levinson 39 and 390s, BAT VK-D5, MF A5, Sony SACD-1, 505 (yeah I had one and sold it to pay some bills), Wadia 851 and some other bottom end stuff. |
Thanks Joeyboynj, I just fired mine up and all is well...quiet, fast and definately more resolution and immediacy plus more texture and that's cold out of the box!! I owned the 505 briefly and I must say that this mkIII version sounds spot on with the 505...I think we have a 505 in SACD standard clothes. |
My new MKIII upgraded unit skips...I just got it back and now it will be returned again! Frustrating to say theleast. Obviously the fix is not foolproof. |
Possible good news...I decided to keep playing the unit and it has not skipped a beat since..perhaps this was a case of a poorly manufactured disc? Will post if failure occurs again. On the upside, image specificity and bass definition is better! |
Joeyboynj, so the outside casing is re-used, but the internals are all new?? That may describe why the mkIII sounds very similiar to the 505 I had last year. Who gave you the info at krell? I will put mine thru it's paces tommorrow. |
Thanks, my unit is definately screwed up...again!!! |
Walter at Krell is pondering a remedy for my twice defective sacd standard...I'm praying for a new one! |
The standard is discontinued, but a few MKIII units were produced and are available from some dealers. I owned the 505 when it first came out..my first unit failed to read discs properly. The replacement worked fine. I sold it for financial reasons, along with my evo system. I have a 5 year warranty and alot of patience so I am confident krell will take care of me one way or another! |
The standard went missing over a month ago...no direct replacement in development. The MKIII is pretty much a 505 without cast connections. It is strange how the MKIII version was produced just as they decided to retire the player(of course two high priced/hiRez players in their lineup would be overkill). Krell is struggling to survive in the high end arena...I hope they can focus on what's important for their buyers, or else they will continue to decline. |
Joeyboynj, Peter Mackay at Krell has ok'd me to recieve a new SACD MKIII as well for all my troubles!! Can't wait...what have been your sonic hallmarks so far compared to the VII unit? |
Has anybody figured out what krell does for the MKIII upgrade?? I got mine back and it is the finest CD player I have ever heard...which is quite a bit! |
Sad that such a great sounding SACD player (finally) will be no more...except in my house baby!! |
Raymedia has a blue backlight wt white script, it is fast and it is silent....oh, and man is it worth the wait! Are you getting the MKIII update? |
My unit is breaking in nicely. The V3 version is definately a big plus...quiet, fast and more open sounding with greater power! I was lucky to have mine updated for no charge due to prior service issues. |
Mickey, the full upgrade is kind of a discretionary event. By that I mean Krell does not exactly offer an upgrade path for the SACD standard. Rather they replace and repair what is necessary for them to return to you a working unit. As with anything in life, negotiation is often the key to getting what you desire. My unit had blown something and went dead, plus I had prior drive failures (off and on). My unit was purchased within the last year and was under warranty of course. I also reminded krell that I had purchased about $100K worth of stuff over the years as well and would appreciate some consideration for the loyalty. The way you can tell when the unit is returned is by looking inside through the top vent slits....old circuitry used a green circuit board with mostly silver capacitors and such attached. The V3 guts use a blue tinted circuit board with alot of red capacitors? and such attached. The sound will be different as well...more detailed and forcefull with greater dynamic range and more vivid imaging. |
Mine will not play a new DECCA release of the Beethoven Sonatas Disc 1..Disc 2 is fine! Sometimes it also will play Disc 1, maybe 1 in 5 times. When it identifies the disc it will play it flawlessly on repeat..go figure. FYI, when I first got the player back from repair I had it linked via the 12 volt trigger to my 400xi and experienced a couple of data drops..instantaneous ones. I decided to disconnect the trigger and it has been flawless since? Maybe the connection opens it up for electrical hiccups that the 400xi may experience from the power line? |
I second the opinion that the old remote is better..the new one is quirky and unreliable. FYI, get some mapleshade heavyfeet and heavyhat weights for the SACD Standard and use them into wood (butcher block or maple)...your jaw will drop at how vastly improved an already great player can sound!! |
