WATT3/Puppy2 - too bright.

You should audition a Bryston BP-25, a verrry smooth SS preamp. Closest thing to tubes that I've heard, with lots of useful features and a 20 year warranty.

Hi, I think if you can I would try Balanced Audio Technolgy amps and pre-amps in your system. I've compared the VT200 to the VK60 mono's and to my ears the Bats were by far the more transparent device. It has a midrange to die for, and the highs were more revealing and detailed and at the same time less forward and not in your face as the ARC. Ditto for the BAT pre-amps, I stongly suggest you try and audition them in your system. Good luck! Tom

You have great speakers and don't get into a speaker merry-go-round scenarios. Your time and mony can be best spent in sorting out the up steam electronics. The SS gear you have doesn't help, though I aggree that the pre-amp would be the 1st thing to upgarde. I am running the Wilson Watt3/Puppy2 in an all tube powered system. Koestu cartridge, Aesthetix phono directly to Audio Note Ankuro's which all have fantastic transparency, resolution and musicality without sounding edgy or bright. Wilson does demo with ARC so they should sound pretty good with them. If you are going to go all tube eventually then go for the best tube pre-amp you can get and forget trying matching the Krell amp's input characteristics (tube and SS are different). I see BAT, CAT, and ARC on the used market all the time, sometimes a Thor. I think the CAT III or IV pre-amp is a great used bargin, no remote. If remote is important then BAT, ARC, and C-J. I never see used Aestheix which I think is the best and new is $7K. There is lot more sound in those Watt/puppies.