Krell vs Levinson vs Pass vs Rowland

I think I should clarify my system: The speakers I am running are power hungry Platinum Solos-these will not change. I have a temporary preamp (classe cp-35) which I intend on replacing with a tubed preamp such as a hovland hp-100, or sonic frontiers line 3. I also have a temporary cd player which I will replace probably with a levinson 39.

What I am doing is building my system from the speakers, then to the amp, then preamp and source. I want to make sure my amp will run well with tubed preamp, and I will tweak the system with cables etc to add warmth etc. I just want to make sure I have the best amp for those listed attributes. I feel I can always add warmth with tweaks. Thanks!!

First let me state that I am a Pass dealer so there is already a preconceived bias since that is the line I chose to carry.

I have had all the amps that you are considering in house. They all have strengths and all of them work fine with tube
preamps. In the Reference room in our showroom we use the X 600's and the X 250 with either a First Sound Paramount or a Red Rose signature preamp. We of course also have tube mono blocks in the room.

My opinion would be Rowland or Pass but realize you will pay more for Rowland because they start at a higher price to begin with. There have been a few threads that the Rowland amps maybe a touch more musical than the Pass. I would use the term a touch more delicate and because of that I personally find that with the tube preamps that I have in house that the Pass is a better match than the Rowland. Now with different tube preamps that may not be the case I can only offer what I have heard.

The best thing of any of these lines is that any of these amps should last you as long as you desire to keep them. Which in the audiophile world is usually not very long!

Good luck.

Lev335 Sonic differences between 200 and 200 cast,
and are they speaker dependent?

Jadis, have you heard the Krell plus Hovland combination?

I have not heard krell and any tube pre. I have heard the krell fpb300 (and an all krell set-up) through my speakers and loved the sound, as well as I heard the 334 through my speakers and loved the sound also. The problem is I heard both set-ups a long long time ago and cannot really make a decision based on that.

I do feel the krell is a little harsh, thus a nice tubey preamp might make it a special combo? Or is this combo just a levinson??? See my dilemma?

I love the attack and dynamics of the krell and Levinsons, but have not heard the new Pass gear or the rowland with my speakers.

I guess if I had tons of dispensible cash laying around I could buy all 4 and decide at home, then just sell the ones I don't want. But who has this kind of cash??