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Preamp for Krell 750mcx

Hi all,

Recent changes to my system have seen me acquiring some beautiful Krell 750mcx's - these are just wonderful amps driving my Maestro Utopias perfectly. The slightly dark tone and room filling ability is captivating and non fatiguing. The rest of my kit is a VPI classic 2 with various mods (sds power, stillpoints feet and clamp, PAB SE isolation platform) with a Benz Micro LP-S cartridge - this feeds BMC MCCI phono - I am getting a new cartridge as i know the high internal impedence is not good with the BMC. Digital is via jriver (DAC yet to be decided).

I am using a Rotel RC1570 preamp (the recent one) from my second system at the moment to tie me over and boy does it punch above its weight. Jriver via ifi ilink/iusb and BMC USB cable to stereolab reference spdif into the Rotel as the Rotel has onboard dac. Mains filtration is Isotek sigmas for phono and pre. Krells straight into wall. Speaker cabling from Tellurium q Ultra Black.

Now - I am wanting to acquire my final destination preamp as I feel like i am nearly there now. I am wanting increased depth of soundstage - it is already good in terms of width, but would like more depth. The Rotel is obviously also not allowing all the resolution through as proven when i borrowed a Mark Levinson the other day.

I want to keep the system fully balanced so fully balanced designs are only in consideration here. I am thinking of the following to audition:

1. Audio Research ref5se
2. Krell KCT or more recent
3. BMC DAC1 Pre

I would really appreciate any suggestions. I like resolution, speed, timbral accuracy, and deep/wide soundstaging. Not interested in overly rolled off / over warm stuff nor dry and clinical stuff either. For example, my old mcintosh c2300 was too syropy for me and Bryston bp26 was too clincal.

Many thanks,

Bill
c2300mc275
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
4,966 posts
 
Given the Kell has

-Input Impedance 100 kohms
-Input Sensitivity 3.71 Vrms

Hi Bill

Any preamp you like the sound of will run happily into this 100kohm load

Unfortunately passive pre are not on the list, while they would love the 100kohm input as well, the low sensitvity of 3.71v (normal is lower than 2v)is not as good and will only work if the source has 3.5v or higher output.

Cheers George
jafant
10,525 posts
 
Bill-

if the ARC REF5 SE is a sonic match for your Krell amp- I would say go for it w/o reservation. On many auditions I have spent time w/ the ARC REF5 SE on Bryston 3/4 B ST power amps- very nice combo, and will fit all of the listening factors in your original post. Keep me posted on the pre you purchase.
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,483 posts
 
Zormi, Hi, I talked to Ray mulchler there at krell, The service manager, In my disbelieve, Ray confirmed what you said, I was shocked, the Krell pre-amps, the evo 202, the phantom and the new Illusion is essentially the same pre-amps!, he also said that any one of the three would be a match for my 700cx amp if I wanted a krell pre-amp, so to you C2300mc275, These krell pre-amps may be worth looking into for your 750 mcx mono blocks, Happy Listening.
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,483 posts
 
C2300mc275, fellow cx owner, I have often thought how would our amps sound on a pair of JBL DD-67000 Everest speakers?, may be a great spectacular match?, check those speakers out, look at the specs, our amps would calm down the 40khz top end to sound intoxicating, you think?
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,483 posts
 
Zormi, Hi, Are you out there, I also talked to bill Mckeagan-president of krell, there was very slight changes to the power supply over the years between the evo 202, phantom, and Illusion pre-amps, what I am perplexed about is to why the huge used market price difference is between the Evo 202 and the Phantom preamp?, I found a Evo 202 for$6,000.00 in mint condition, I also found two Phantom preamps in mint condition, for a staggering $11,000.00 and $13,000.00, how do you explain this?, why would anyone buy a phantom at those prices if the Evo 202 is essentially the same rebranded pre-amp?
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