Threshold, Levinson, Bryston, Krell, ?others? used amps

Of everything mentioned above, I would only consider the Krell.  I have heard most of them except the new Bryson amps but was never impressed by their products (MO).  Others to consider in the 200wpc range that are bang for the buck:  Counterpoint - they sound good in stock form but can be upgraded to sound as good as or better than mega buck power amplifiers.  Recently built one for a customer by replacing everything and the customer told me that it crushed his Rogue Zeus and bettered Plinius Reference Mono Blocks.  Others to consider  Harmon Kardon XX series power amp.  This is one of the best SS amplifiers I have heard period other that the FM Acoustic but much more expensive.  We have compared it to Mac, Krell, Levinson, older Bryston, Ayre, Rogue, McCormacks, etc.  You can also look at the HK Citation 16 power amp.  Very nice sounding especially for the money and you can upgrade the caps and resistors for not much money.  The HK will IMO sound better that what has been recommended above.

Happy Listening.

I have a Krell KSA 300S and I absolutely love it but there are some issues with owning a vintage Krell. I'm running a pair of Thiel CS6 speakers which dip below 3 ohms and have low sensitivity (87 db) so the robust power of the Krell is critical to driving these speakers. As much as I love this amp it's not easy to own one. Kinda like having a really hot, high-maintenance girlfriend.

Here are a few things to take into consideration:

These amps are big, heavy, and they put out a lot of heat. It should be on a sturdy stand up several inches from the floor. It should not be placed directly on carpet.

Has it been recapped recently by a reputable tech? If not, be prepared to spend well north of $1k on getting it done - and that's without shipping. Opinions vary but most Krell owners recap after about 20 years.

Research the location of the nearest shop that works on Krell. To my knowledge there are two in Connecticut, one in L.A., and one in Gig Harbor Washington. If you have to ship one of these amps to get it recapped or repaired It will add hundreds of dollars to the cost.

Make sure it has the original carton. If you have to buy one from Krell it's really expensive.

You should have a dedicated 20 amp outlet for the amp. If you plug a big Krell into a regular 15 amp outlet along with your other gear you can get some serious voltage sag.

If your speakers have a reasonable impedance curve and if they are of average sensitivity (90 db or higher) a vintage Krell may be overkill. There are lots of great sounding amps that will be easier to own. OTOH if you own speakers that are difficult to drive there is no better amp.

See what I mean If you look for a good McIntosh amp (there are many over the last 50 years) you dont have to go through any of this PURE class A nonsense, these older KRELL KSA amps ran hot as hell and burn out over time even if your careful with them. Not happening with a MAC even if its 30 years old! Reliability and longevity is why I only buy McIntosh amps. My last amp purchase was a MC352 one of the best sounding solid state amps they ever made and designed by Chief Engineer Charlie Randall, and that was in 2007! It has never been in the shop for anything. Not to mention the KSA looks like an engine block. Great sound though...


Matt M

"The PA-7 was a nice jump up from my old Adcom GFA-555ii’s "


I am wondering what preamp you were using with your GFA 555II amp??If it was one of Adcoms (even the GFP 565) then I see why you may think that PA7 was a lot better?? I have used a very special (not expensive) pre amp a fully tubed Modwright SWL 9.0 and I have to say the two together was magic driving a pair of original UK made EPOS ES22’s these of course had to be Tri-wired with Audioquest crystal cable. Beautiful highs and detail with excellent bass and great tone, really made me understand how nice this ADCOM amp really is.

I have a Bryston.  It is excellent, but a tiny bit neutered campared to my Audire's, which have much bigger power supllies.