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Review: Krell KAV-300cd CD Player

Category: Digital

I like Jazz, Classical, Rock, Blues. Patricia Barber "Cafe Blue" is one of my favorite test discs. Diana Krall is another fine female vocal to test your system out.

Detail, smoothness, imaging, and sound stage are what I look for. Harshness in the upper end is the worst. Boomy bass in the second worst offense a system can make.

The Krell 300 CD has been in my system for about one year. It replaced a CAL Tercet MKIII player. The krell has better micro detail, more prominent upper end while at the same time being smoother. The bass was deeper with much better difinition. The midrange is so smooth. Female vocals sound very real. Piano even seems right which is a difficult instrument to get right. I can listen for many hours without listener fatigue. I was suprised that a CD player can make this much difference.

It seems to get every bit of info off of the CD. It's built like a tank. Smooth quiet operation. One of the best players I have heard. A great bargain on the used market!

No frills. The display is small so it is hard to read from accross the room. The remote is a little on the cheap side.

If money was no object, I'm not sure what I'd end up with. Maybe a higher-end Krell player. I'm not sure more money spent will get much improvement.

Associated gear
Kinergetics Chiro 802 pre/pro, Parasound HCA-3500 & HCA-2003 power amps, Art of Sound tower speakers and powered subwoofers.

Similar products
CAL, Arcam, Mark Levinson, Proceed, Wadia, etc
art_of_sound

Showing 1 response by spiro

spiro
115 posts
 
Hi,
I've had Krell 250's and now have the 280CD. There's only one flaw. The 280 seems to give a near field experience that is less intense. having said that, "step back!" The Bass is deeper and clearer, mids are slightly more sweet, and the highs take th ceiling off. Not take the paint off, but they raise the height of your room's sound scape.
The sound is more forward, and goes back farther and also widens. My point, the player can make even more of a diff than you've noticed and you'll have to see the forest for the trees to observe this next step. I do alot of near field, and like the 280 in that, but when ever i am past the 6 foot mark I'm swimming in image.
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