Dan is a jerk. I can say that from extreme first hand experience backed up by my best friend who was with me at the time. The input selector of my Krell Ref 2 preamp had two dead contacts and the others were very scratchy. The unit was 11 years old. My friend and I bumped into Dan at the New York Hi Fi show. Must have been 1995 or so. Dan told us it was a custom part, there were none left and he was not going to have any more made. And I quote, " Go to radio shack and get a selector switch and just mount on top." Last a lifetime? My backside. Fortunately, nature saved the day and hit my house with lightening about a month later sending me into TacT land. One year later one of my Krell KMA 100s blew it's output stage. I traded them for a new set of ribbons for my Divas.
D'agostino amplifiers: where's the beef?
So I've owned two of the classic monster Krell amplifiers from the distant past, the KSA 50 and later the KSA 250. Both great amplifiers in their time and both collectible for those interested in that kind of stuff. I'm generally a fan of D'agostino as a consequence.
I'm currently shopping for a new solid state amplifier to pair with potentially new speakers (Wilson or YG or Von Schweikert or Magico or Joseph - long story for another day).
So recently while auditioning at my local dealer the system was powered by the current D'agostino M400 mono amplifiers. While the sound was good I couldn't help but notice how TINY the $65K amplifiers were sitting on stands near the speakers. OK they had nice metal work and were shiny but I couldn't help wonder WHY are these things so expensive?! Later at home photo's of the insides of these amps on Google led me to wonder even more!! The power supplies and interior construction in these things are nothing like the monster supplies and parts in the classic Krell's
Plus while the Krell's were expensive in their day (with great sound) the current D'agostino's have absurd pricing, far exceeding inflation.
Are people spending this kind of money for fancy heat sinks? Really?
I'd rather have an old Krell and a new Porsche Boxster or C8 Corvette for the same money.
Any one else have similar impressions?
I'm currently shopping for a new solid state amplifier to pair with potentially new speakers (Wilson or YG or Von Schweikert or Magico or Joseph - long story for another day).
So recently while auditioning at my local dealer the system was powered by the current D'agostino M400 mono amplifiers. While the sound was good I couldn't help but notice how TINY the $65K amplifiers were sitting on stands near the speakers. OK they had nice metal work and were shiny but I couldn't help wonder WHY are these things so expensive?! Later at home photo's of the insides of these amps on Google led me to wonder even more!! The power supplies and interior construction in these things are nothing like the monster supplies and parts in the classic Krell's
Plus while the Krell's were expensive in their day (with great sound) the current D'agostino's have absurd pricing, far exceeding inflation.
Are people spending this kind of money for fancy heat sinks? Really?
I'd rather have an old Krell and a new Porsche Boxster or C8 Corvette for the same money.
Any one else have similar impressions?
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- 77 posts total
- 77 posts total