Over a 15 year stretch I have owned 2 KSA-50MKii's. This amp and it's 100 watt Mono version KMA-100mkii put Krell on the map and in the homes of reviewers. These amps set the bar back in the late 80's and early 90's. The follow on series took the cooling fan out and placed the output transistors on the convection fins. The KSA-80B, KSA-200B, KMA-160B, were some of the finest amps that Krell made. These units were raved about by reviewers. After that Krell was on a mission to take the labor costs out of the production of it's amps. This made good business sence for Krell, but after the 250, the lush trademark sound was removed, along with the cost of manufacture. The S series was not reviewed well at all. Within months of the introduction there were a few units for sale each month in the back of Sterophile (well before the A-gon days). That series of product cost Krell, as reviewers were then clamoring over the new Levinson 331-333 amps.
I have compaired the KSA-200b and the KMA-160b to the new 250MCX and I prefer the sweetness of the older amps. You dont see too many of the older units moving here on a-gon, So I can not be alone on my assessment.
The fan units always get knocked becuase people contend that they wear out. In the 8 years that I had owned fan units, I never had a problem with a fan. I would annually, carefully remove the cover and blow out any dust. These were not cheap fans that Dan choose to use, and they do not wear out like a $5 bearing-less motor. Krell still has replacement fans if you do have a problem. Bottom line is that I would not shy away from this technology at all, and for the price it is a bargin.
I have compaired the KSA-200b and the KMA-160b to the new 250MCX and I prefer the sweetness of the older amps. You dont see too many of the older units moving here on a-gon, So I can not be alone on my assessment.
The fan units always get knocked becuase people contend that they wear out. In the 8 years that I had owned fan units, I never had a problem with a fan. I would annually, carefully remove the cover and blow out any dust. These were not cheap fans that Dan choose to use, and they do not wear out like a $5 bearing-less motor. Krell still has replacement fans if you do have a problem. Bottom line is that I would not shy away from this technology at all, and for the price it is a bargin.