Pre-amplifier upgrade (Krell vs Classe)

Hi there,

Does anyone have any experience of either the Krell KAV-250p or Classe CP-35 pre-amplifiers?

I'm looking for a remote controlled pre with balanced outputs to go with a proposed power amp upgrade (Lyngdorf SDA2175 or Sugden A21P) which has balance inputs. Budget is around £750 including the £250 I hope to get for the sale of my current pre.

Any thoughts? Does balanced between pre- and power really make a large difference, and if so what balanced cable manufacturers should I check out?

Thanks all.

Neil

 

Hi i don't have any experience of those pre amps but i have run my system both balanced and single ended and ime balanced is the way to go if you can - all upside. Chord do a good range of well thought out and built balanced cables at various price points from sensible to silly. For your money or maybe a touch more you should be able to pick up a music first pre - i can recommend these highly albeit without remote control unless you spend considerably more.

 

Personally I would look at getting a matching pre and power suited to your system.

Are any of your sources balanced?

Is your power amp some distance away from your speakers?

Why do you feel the need to go balanced?

Regarding the Classe, is it the very old all silver model or, or the later model with a bit of black billet on the fascia?

 

Meridian 502 is worth looking at... fully balanced in and out... remote control, and you can get them for about £500 these days.

Bel Canto Pre3!!! fully balanced, remote control, and possibly one of the most neutral and transparent preamps ive ever heard. Also within your budget on the used market

 

sastusbulbas, brings up some good questions. IMO balanced connections are only needed when the power amp(s) is further than 2m away from the source.

 

Recently I was looking for a new pre-amp and received some advice from a Krell 250p owner .... don't buy one - one of the very worst pieces of kit he had ever heard!

I have no personal experience of one, however, and was interested as I had previously owned the matching Krell 250a power amp and had been very impressed by its ability to drive the ML CLS2z full range stats I had at the time.

 

i used to have krell 250p at the beginning of my odissey with ATC 20A (i bought it as a pair s/h), i hate it to the bits! very sharp, unmusical and cold. true forensic device with no talent for reproducing the music, just cold & relentless disjointed sounds.