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Krell FPB vs Plinius SA-103 vs Pass Labs XA60.5

Hi,
Advise needed for power amp upgrade please. Current setup is Modwright 5400ES player; Aesthetix Calypso pre & Krell FPB300c power amp driving Von Schweikert VR-33s. I'm very happy with this setup; only minor gripes is a touch of hardness on a few older CDs, a bit of congestion on complex musical crescendoes and sometimes I can do with a bit more sparkle in the top-end at low volumes. Then the Krell went up in smoke! After repairs, it just wasn't the same.
I've narrowed replacement power amp options within my budget down to:-
1) Used Krell FPB400cx;
2) Plinius SA-103;
3) Or maybe I can stretch to a pair of Pass Labs XA60.5.
Grateful for advise, especially from members who have owned at least 2 of my above options. Many thanks.
solentgreen

Showing 1 response by nglazer

nglazer
842 posts
 
I have owned a Krell FPB 300cx for more than 10 years. I am astonished to hear it becomes congested on complex passages. This is something I never noticed, and I listen to a fair amount of claasical music. Also, whatever hardness may have been present in the "c" generation was eliminated with the "cx." So I would go with the Krell. Have not had anything but stellar performance from the day it was delivered and installed in my system.

Neal
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