Someone familiar with older KSA Krell amps


Someone familiar with older Krell amps...KSA 50-S I owned one of these many years agao, mated it with a Kell KRC-3 preamp....sound was fabulous, sounded like a tube amp, warm and smooth had alot of detail, people said it had no bass, yet it did in my system...this is the only amp of this series I have owned. Question: want to buy a used KSA amp now provided it is in good shape, cosmeitcally attractive, etc. etc. but I am looking to drive more difficult speaker loads, i.e., totme mani'2...are the larger Krell KSA 100-s, and then the KSA 200-s, can I expect the same sound I liked so much in the 50-S to be in these larger amps, only in a more powerful package?? Or are they different animals entirely wach with different characteristics, I believe that the 100-s should have enough power to drive the mani'2 but I dont know...I am sure the 200-s would have more than enough , but am I crazy to get such a large heavy Krell to drive these speakers when a 100 would probably do? I guess I have a feeling that the larger 200-s would have virtues of its own to be sure, but it might not have that warm tublike sound I enjoyed so much from the 50_S. Was hoping someone who has experience with these amps might help me... I am trying to decide between the 100-s and 200-s , I know I like the Krell KSA sound mated with a KRC-3 preamp, just dont knwo which is a better match for mani 2' with a 4 ohm, 84 db sensitivity load,,not sure if a 200-s is way overkill, or actually the better choice, and if it would have a warm like sound or be different sounding from the smaller Krell
mankeegan
I have a fully restored KSA-250. Krell charged me approximately $750 to do the restoration, mainly capacitor replacement. To my ears the KSA-250 sounds perfect. It will drive virtually any speaker to ridiculous levels and sound effortless. Compared to other power amps the sound is neutral albeit with extremely well controlled and deep bass. The only drawback I can think of (besides being ridiculously heavy) is, it will definitely heat up your listening room. This can be a problem with small rooms in the summer. This is an amp I will never part with, a keeper for me!
My take:

KSA 50/100- sweet and warm sounding Class A fan cooled see:
http://home.ca.inter.net/~lloyd.maclean/Krell/Krell.htm
JA still has his 50!!!

KMA 160s- Pure class A- heatsink cooled- AH those fins! Warm, and huge sounding- very realistic timbre.

KSA 80- same as above but less power and a little less magic.

KRS 200- cut form the same cloth as the two above but Elephant sized in both power (200 real class A watts) and sound.

KSA 200- more neutral than the former three, some say more "white sounding" I say more true to the recording.

KMA 400s- same as KSA 200 times two, rare and wonderful, less bias current than KSA 200 if set to factory spec. Bigger stage, more detailed.

KSA 250- take every amp Krell made to date, put in a blender and you have the sound of this magnificent amp.

All S series Krells- sliding bias, just a little more mechanical sounding than the prior Krells. These have many fanboys.

FPBs- big improvement on the S series amps. Warm plus big, plus detail, lots of power at all specs. Many people think these are the best.

Cast series--- I don't have data or listening notes on these. Fellow reviewers love them. I don't buy into the "cast" technology- it's too limiting on equip matching.

Peter
I owned a KSA 250 for quite a few years. I did have to send it to Krell after a flame came out the top.
I think the repair was about $500 including freight shipping. The unit was returned installed on a pallet and a new box.
I eventually sold the Krell for a Pass Labs X350.5 Still about the same weight and it also puts out heat, not quite as much as the Krell.
The Pass Labs is a much better sounding unit.
I don't think the KSA 50 and 100 Mk 1s had fans. I don't remember them. The 100 weighed over 100 lb. if I remember correctly. Had VERY large heat sinks.
A friend of mine had the 100s driving his Thiel 3.7's. He then borrowed a 200s and preferred it because he immediately noticed more bass and overall a more balanced sound because of the extra power. He bought the 200s.