Kr Audio Kronzilla vs Atma-sphere MA1?

I have been working with Eunice at KR and speak with her several times a week for a couple months now.  I was introduced to them via Renaissance Audio in Ann Arbor who I am using as my approved service center and is an outstanding company.  

KR Makes excellent amps and the reputation they have for the quality of tubes and amplifiers is outstanding.  Anybody can have good and bad experiences with a distributor, and yes, they are sticklers for the warranty card being returned.   The quality is excellent.  Return the warranty card and they will honor the warranties without question via a US Service center (Renaissance) that is outstanding.

No one is perfect but KR has been around a long time.  I sell their tubes and will include them as upgrades with Art Audio amps.  I also offer KR Amps to my customers when Art Audio's products don't meet their needs.  For instance, Art Audio offers nothing that can deliver 140w of power like the MA-1.  

How much power do you actually need?  Why these two amps?  What Kronzilla model are you looking at?  Please know there are trustworthy KR Dealers out there and we will stick by you!

Atma-Sphere For sure.

I echo Trelja's thoughs and warnings, having owned a pair of KR 6000 monoblocks. I went through several of their VHD842 tubes which I bough new and they turned out to be faulty after about 100 to 200 hours of play. If you do go the KR route, and if you get new tubes, make sure you send in the warranty card immediately, or they will never want to know you if you run into trouble later. Also, I recommend biasing the amp(s) lower than recommended - they will last much longer. don't kid yuorself into believing the tubes will last 10k hours - I think it's nonesense and a loose rumour/promise. If the stars align, the KR amps sound great (I miss them in many ways), but I cannot recommend them, alas.

I would like to add one facet to your list of pros/cons - the companies themselves. After all, when you buy a product, you are buying the company. Oftentimes, down the road you will need to interact with the distributor and/or manufacturer for repairs, service, upgrades, or even just for information or recommendations.

To me, there is a monumental gap between the two companies. On the one hand, Ralph Karsten has spent nearly 30 years building an impressive track record of customer service, and being there for his owners after the sale regardless of whether they purchased the component new or used. There has also always been a definable and affordable upgrade path available to owners as the circuit evolves and improves.

I don't want to say too much about KR Audio in this particular post, but the erratic/eccentric reputation of Dr. (Mrs) Kron precedes her, and if you put some research into it, their US distribution will also raise a lot of questions in your mind.

Hello,

I have made a choise between the Kronzilla DM and VAC PHI 300.1, which both are great amps. Only the VAC has a lot of valves, that need changing every one or two years, which costs about 800 euro's and the Kronzilla have very expensive valves, but need changing once in 10 years (all depending on how often you play). This may be something to take into accaunt as well?
Gaston

Emailists, I can't speak for the Kronzilla, but have owned MA1 MkIII Silver Editions for several years now and find them to be fantastic. IMHO the Atma’s are the end of the road and my search. Sylvania 6SN7 GT's are well worth adding, balanced is definitely the way to run them, and less than an 8 ohm load from speakers could cause trouble, Otherwise the Atma-Spheres are dream amps. As said ahead of me, the balance is neutral, very fast, a lot of low-end punch, outstanding low level detail and air. Consider your power needs because the M60’s sound equally good in the proper application and create about half the heat and half the power consumption. And should you need, Ralph Karsten is one of this hobbies most friendly and helpful, a consummate gentlemen.

Curious, what speakers do you plan to drive with them?

Happy Listening!

Hi Richard- You should know that the Atma amps perform much better with a balanced signal or at least through the XLR inputs and are subject to hum when used single ended, although shorting pins do help substantially. Never heard the Kronzillas.

Greetings from Australia...
I have had the pleasure of owning both amplifiers ,the Kronzilla SD,stereo and the Atmasphere S-30 MK2(incl. Zero boxes)...driving the Horning Alkibiades ....they are both excellent amplifiers !!! I found both to be very neutral sounding,the Atma ,with NOS tubes, removed ,as you say it,all veils...it is more user friendly ,being lighter in weight than the Kronzilla,but sucks more power...I am on Solar power and that is why I sold the Atma's and bought a Berning,the Kronzilla is still here,but will also be sold ...the sound of the Kronzilla is very close to the Atma,but it has,on my speakers,much better,deeper bass control...the clarity,neutrality is the same as the Atma ,maybe a bit faster and a touch more air around the instruments...they are both not the "typical" coloured valve sound amplifiers...they both tell the truth,being sensitive to cables and what ever one uses on the input... and Atmasphere,in my book ,are exceptional value !!! Any question or help I needed, was promptly answered by Atma!!!...I also had the pleasure to go to Prague and see the mighty Kronzilla 1610 tube being manufactured...it is a piece of art,IMO,and to own a Kronzilla was the peak of my amplifier search...it is a beast,heavy,built like a tank,also, not too bad on the power consumption,it still draws about 200 watts,not as hot as the Atma and not an amplifier to shift in and out of a system !!! Would I be on "normal"power,it would be my top choice of amplifier,simply because ,to my ears,it has the right synergy in sound...it might have something to do with the hybird combination and that great 1610 tube,I am not sure...the 1610 tube has been very reliable,also a bit dear,it last's...the Atma is,of course,cheaper to re-tube,but you need good NOS inputs...Sonically they are BOTH great !!!
Hope this helps a bit...
Regards to all
Helmut

Why is the weight of the Atma's an issue for you? Do you want a heavier or lighter amp and why? FWIW, I agree with your comments about the sound of the MA1s. In fact, I'd go further and say that these amps have many sonic attributes beyond the ability to remove veils. First and foremost, accurate timbre. Second, an uncanny ability to unravel complex orchestral passages without strain; and third, a superior ability to project the soundstage better than most of the competition. Cheers,
Spencer