Krell KAV-250a: good? vs. Bryston 4B ST at price?

I use the KAV-250a to power my fronts (Dynaudio Contour 3.0) and am very pleased with it. I'd consider a brand new one for $2000 an excellent purchase. It is somewhat "Krell Lite", but in a good way IMO - you get 99% of the Krell sound, including spectacular bass, but in a manageable package. It doesn't run as hot as the older class A Krells, one person can move it, it doesn't have the sharp heatsinks, you aren't required to install a dedicated circuit (though it always helps). You can always buy a full-blown Krell later. The KAV-250a was widely reviewed extremely positively.

I have no hands on experience with the Bryston, but you probably wouldn't go wrong with it either - built like a tank, 20 year warranty, etc. -Kirk

Danielk makes a good (and accurate) point - Krell changed their warranty policy such that it's not transferable unless you purchase through an authorized Krell dealer. The original post mentioned buying new and I assumed that meant from a Krell dealer, in which case you're fine. I see a lot of Krell gear advertised used that do not reflect this new policy. Having any piece of gear under warranty is worth some $$$. -Kirk

Two points that have been raised on the Krell. First, it is often cited that the older Krells were a bit more strident sounding than the current (or at least more recent crop), so I'm not sure I'd base my opinion of the KAV-250a on one of the older KSA models. I've never owned one of the older models, so I can't make the comparison, but I don't find the KAV-250a to be harsh. Many of the reviews I read on it also commented on how it didn't share some of the harsh characteristics of earlier Krell amps.

Second, the KAV-250a isn't that new a product, at least for Krell (who seems to specialize in rolling their product line every 2-3 years). I think the reason it's being discontinued is because they've come out with upgraded versions of both the 2-channel and 3-channel 250 w/ch amps that also have the new cosmetics. I believe it's been a very successful product for Krell and, as with many other Krell products, good prices are to be had with the model rollover. I agree that it won't help with the used prices, but if you're buying and take it into account, a Krell will definitely retain a fair amount of value over time.

I agree with Angela that the Krell is an excellent choice if you like rock music - I listen to a lot of rock music and watch a lot of movies, both of which naturally have a lot of in-your-face sound to them. I listen to a lot of jazz and vocals as well, and I think it does a great job with them as well, but I haven't compared a bunch of amps so I may really be missing out. I'm sure that at $2K, there's a LOT to choose from and many models that would be excellent choices. I also don't know how difficult a load the Mirages are - the Dynaudios really like their current which is one of Krell's major strong points. -Kirk