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Heavier fare was game, too, say Alfred Schnittke’s 9th Symphony with the Dresden Philharmonic under Dennis Russel Davies. Once again the old chestnut applied that a good system (and amplifier) make accessible more difficult music. Thus far, I'd always had participatory issues getting into Schnittke's stuff.


I thought it nice but it could have been penned 200 years ago. The Krell taught me differently, teasing out subtle dissonances which would have been unthinkable two centuries earlier. Hence this excellent amp moved me closer to appreciating the musical language of Schnittke.
The S-300i’s spatial abilities left nothing to be desired and integrated smoothly with its many other qualities. Unlike other amps do over my Geithain ME 150 transducers, the stage did not move forward. A pleasing distance remained which nonetheless was not abstractly removed. Even though there was the sense, during Indigo Swing’s "Swing Lovers", of being able to navigate around the tables of the chatty audience, the perspective was not forward but properly set back. Ditto for depth and width on large orchestral fare. Surprisingly, this did not merely concern itself with the lateral and front-back axis but included the height dimension which otherwise is not any strength of my speakers. I routinely enjoy the quiet interludes of classical recordings, particularly during breaks when the myriad of tiny noises embedded in the background din telegraph a discrete impression of the concert venue. Equally impressive then are fortissimo passages which seem to fully energize a cavernous hall. And the Krell managed both to perfection.


Conclusion
  • In general, this Krell is more pleasure than dissection machine.
  • Though enormously dense of detail, the musical context remains close. Particularly over my highly resolved Geithain ME 150 speakers with their extreme image focus, many analytical amps make a mess. Instead of playing together, they dissolve the musical action to where individual instruments compete for attention like enemies. The Krell walked the balance between neglecting nothing while remaining focused on the big picture.
  • The perspective remains true to a holistic presentation but it's also possible to hone in and move up closer to never feel that anything is missing. The listener gets to decide on the mode of consumption since the Krell accommodates both.

Facts:
• Concept: Integrated amplifier
• Dimensions and weight: 102 x 438 x 445mm (HxWxD), 19.5kg
• Circuit topology: Class A fully balanced preamp section, current mode class AB output stage
• Output power: 2 x 150 W/8 Ohm, 2 x300W/4 Ohm
• Idle power consumption: ca. 60 watts (40 in standby)
• Socketry: Inputs 3 x RCA, 1 x XLR; 1 x RCA pre-out; dedicated iPod port; RS 232 PC input; single speaker terminals
• Other: Defeatable display, remote control
• Website

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