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Model: | KRC-2 |
Category: | Preamplifier (SS) |
Suggested Retail Price: | $3700.00 |
Description: | line-level preamplifier |
Manufacturer URL: | Krell |
Review by Luminator on February 10, 2009 at 12:36:13 IP Address: 66.47.253.226 | Add Your Review for the KRC-2 |
Think back 15 years, to early 1994. Though grunge itself died, it made every rock band want to down tune and distort their notes. Bleh. At the other end, music went completely electronic, as Hi-NRG took over. The NFL's salary cap had not yet neutered football, so play was still at a very high level. In fact, those 1993 Dallas Cowboys arguably were the best ever. The New York Rangers were awesome, and were on their way to winning the Cup. MLB did not yet go on strike, and the Expos (!) were among the league's elite. The NBA (or was it NBC, which was a major NBA broadcaster?) used, among others, The Outfield's "Winning It All" in promotions.
The economy was pulling itself out of a recession. Consequently for audiophiles, more products, both new and used, were in reach.
I was fresh out of college. I was still working in education, not accounting. I had long saved up my birthday, holiday, and paper route monies. So what did I blow it on? Dining out? Nope. Traveling? Nope. Prostitutes? Nope. Drugs? Nope. Gambling? Nope. Clothes? Nope. Jewelry? Nope.
So what did I spend my monies on? Why, I spent in on Krell, baby! Yes, the Krell KRC-2 was my first truly way-above-middle-class audio component. As such, I've always wanted to review it. 15 years later, here it is:
Part 1 history, innards
Part 2 front
Part 3 rear
Part 4 cables
Part 5 remote
Part 6 volume control
If you read the above, you'll learn that, with my initial system, the KRC-2 was okay. With those 2V single-ended sources, the KRC-2's volume was at the second LED dot. It should be noted that in the June 1994 issue of Stereophile, Martin Colloms did warn about high-output sources. Personally, I did not acquire balanced sources (and their high outputs) until early 1995. The KRC-2's mute or full off position, of course, yields no sound. But as soon as I turned the knob to the first step, or hit the volume up button on the remote, the sound was too loud. The KRC-2 had to go.
Now, now, blame shouldn't be assigned all to the preamp. The chief culprit, of course, lies in sources having way too high outputs. Number 2, power amps often have too much gain. And 3, speakers, especially those nowadays, have way too high sensitivity. Still, any intelligently-designed preamp should accommodate for these real-world problems. Instead of gong down to -50dB, where most listening is done, preamps really need to go down to -80dB.
So for all these years, my KRC-2 was in the hands of other audiophiles. After more than 12 years, the KRC-2 made it back to me. 'Cept this time, I lived in a different home, and had completely different audio gear. Nevertheless, isn't it interesting to bring back a product which is years old?
No, the KRC-2 isn't as transparent as, say, today's Jeff Rowland Capri. With the KRC-2 in the system, you cannot "see" through the soundstage as clearly. Furthermore, the KRC-2 has this filtering effect in the upper mids and lower treble. You lose texture, breath, nuance, and timbre.
Where the KRC-2 shines is in that critical upper bass/lower midrange transition. It sounds turbo-charged there. This is where kick drum, bass, and synth lines often meet. Assuming your sources are capable, the KRC-2 does not lose sight of bass players' fingers on the strings. The KRC-2 does not muddle, soften, or blunt the snap of drums.
I no longer have Krell's KPE Standard, but via a quality phonostage, the KRC-2's firm grip helps the Koetsu Black tremendously. If you are tired of speakers bloating the upper bass, the KRC-2 won't lessen the quantity of bass, but it will help firm things up.
No, there is a sure-footedness, a sense of purpose and determination, the KRC-2 still possesses. Is it as neutral or transparent as today's similarly-priced preamps? Probably not. But the KRC-2 has a grip, punch, and no-BS personality which, sadly, are hard to find in typical high-end audio products. If you love to dance, if you enjoy moshing, if you like playing along with your music, the KRC-2 is an oldie but goodie.
Most of you think of Roberta Flack as slow and sleepy. The KRC-2 can't change that overnight, but it does allow you to hear, for a change, the bass which underlies "Killing Me Softly." Most of you never knew that the bass has size, movement, direction, and purpose.
Motley Crue's "Wild Side" doesn't move air, but you'll thrill to the way the KRC-2 allows you to thumb along to Nikki Sixx's bassline runs.
In the early 90s, I saw Cannibal Corpse several times in Bay Area clubs. I pulled out their Butchered At Birth CD, and popped it into the Krell KAV-250cd. Producer Scott Burns compressed the drums too much, and did not allow for much soundstage depth. While other systems crumple this recording into a soft little ball in between the speakers, not so the Krell combo. The sound is spread from speaker to speaker. You can hear the down-tuned guitars, which are de rigueur for the genre, so there is a bit of softness. No, you can't make out lead singer Chris Barnes' Cookie Monster words. But the whole musical landscape is like turning on your garbage disposal, and seeing everything flow nicely down the drain. And that's how it's supposed to be. It isn't harsh, sharp, or bright. It's like grindcore. After the CD finishes, you go, "Wow, I can't believe we sat through the whole thing," and that's a testament to the Krells. Makes you want to see Cannibal Corpse in concert.
The KRC-2 leaves intact the side-to-side jump of Linear's "Sending All My Love." And when the piano takes the lead above the driving rhythms, such as on Bruce Hornsby's "The Valley Road," the KRC-2 will have you tickling your imaginary ivories. And if your speakers are begging you to clean up the semiquaver kick drum intro on New Order's "Blue Monday," the KRC-2 will oblige.
The KRC-2 also excels in the area where you need to chew out guitar lines. Paul McCartney is, obviously, a lousy songwriter. But every now and then, he'll find a killer melody, and he does so on "Live And Let Die." This recording (especially on 7" vinyl) is thin, and the KRC-2 can't mask that. But it chews out the guitar lines with such vigor, you start to question whether Guns N' Roses really needed to re-record this song.
Speaking of GNR, watch how the KRC-2 weaves through the Elton-John-esque "November Rain," then compare that to the runnin'-off-the-rails of "You Could Be Mine."
So where will the KRC-2 work? In large rooms, where the preamp is not asked to operate at levels lower than -50dB. Otherwise, forget it. And that's too bad, because the KRC-2 has an awesome, shoot-'em-up sound which others preamps just can't touch.
-Lummy The Seahorse
Product Weakness: | discontinued long ago; not enough volume control steps/range; no input offset; remote doesn't work that well |
Product Strengths: | still works after 15 years; low profile |
Amplifier: | Jeff Rowland 501; Krell KAV-150a; Muse Model 100; Simaudio W-7 |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Jeff Rowland Capri; Krell KRC-HR; Simaudio P-8 |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | EAR Acute; Krell KAV-250cd; Theta Data Basic, Cobalt 307, DS Pro Prime IIA; Wadia 581i SE |
Speakers: | Signet SL-280 B/U; Totem The One |
Cables/Interconnects: | Kimber PBJ & KCAG; Wireworld Platinum Eclipse; XLO Limited Edition |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Rock, pop, metal, TV |
Time Period/Length of Audition: | 15 years |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Are you claiming that Paul languishes as a lyricist or truly can't hack it as a song writer? Obviously? Good thing my older sister won't be reading this!
Hi Lummy -
I believe you once reviewed the KRC-HR and commented to me about how the KAV-280P is actually the better sounding preamp.
If the KRC-HR was "higher-end" than the KRC-2, and if you liked the KAV-280P better than the KRC-HR, I'm not so sure that the KRC-2 is much of a preamp by modern day standards.
Thanks for the review.
Um er........... Speakers are now too sensitive? Krell top flight back then ? All it takes for opinions to change is perception to change. All Krell is 'good' .......... well maybe I've said too much when I consider their DAC's. Whenever possible.......... insert an ML 7A preamp in your system {Incidentally, a good match for Jeff's amps}. I still regret not buying one for a mere thou ten years ago. Synergy is an elusive achievement. One goal that seems to keep all of us 'busy'. I posted here under Abe because he just threw out 3 models implying it's all relative. Relative to what? Our perception. Moreover, the gear outstrips those speakers. That is MY perception.
"The Sound of One Hand Clapping is Crashing by Design" HKM
You can find my posts about the Krell KRC-HR here:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
I'll have to search for my posts on the KAV-280p.
The KRC-HR was okay . I did not like that it ran warm. Sonically, it did some weird things with soundstaging. It was as though it sucked out the air and distance between performers. So you heard the decay of notes, but physically, performers were lined up like in P.E. The KRC-HR, in head-to-head comparisons with the KRC-2, will leave textures alone. The KRC-2 can come across as "old school solid state," a drier, harder texture.
I like the KAV-280p's sound, which is clean. However, it only has 1 balanced input, a dumb idea for a balanced preamp. But it shares that common preamp sin: not enough volume control steps/range. With balanced sources, the sound is too loud, even when the KAV-280p is at "003."
Sound-wise, the KRC-2 rocks! It's just that, you'll need to use it (a) in a big room, (b) with low-voltage [good luck with that!] sources, and low-sensitivity speakers.
I forgot to mention that my colleagues and I tried the KRC-2 with Conrad Johnson's MV-60SE and ET-250S. What is interesting is that even the KRC-2 cannot make the MV-60SE come alive. The ET-250S has about 3dB lower gain than most balanced power amps. As such, it affords one or two more clicks of the KRC-2's volume control. But sonically, the KRC-2/ET-250S pairing rocks.
I found it very interesting to see how the KRC-2 stands up with and against my current-production gear. It some ways, it falls short, but in others, I see its point. Someone with a large room can find a used KRC-2 for a fraction of its original price, scrape together complimentary cables and gear, and have fun rocking out. Hell, we had the KRC-2 in a San Francisco Sunset garage, with the KAV-150a, driving Sonus Faber Grand Piano Homes. That system rocked the house down! In some ways, I've never heard the GPH pull off such feats.
Hi Lummy,
I read through your review, very interesting.
For the high output single ended source, did you ever consider an attenuated RCA cable.
I know that Russ Andrews in the UK sells, Kimber interconnects with attenuators in the RCA plug, to solve similar problems with Naim and other equipment.
Just a thought that came to mind....
Thanks for your interesting review, for a great preamp, that others may now be able to acquire on the used market, hence the level of relevance of your review.
Thanks!
Because Conrad-Johnson's preamps have ridiculously, dangerously, and unusably high gain, they require the use of inline attenuators. CLick on the link below, and see what I mean.
However, with the Krell KRC-2, the problem lies not with single-ended use, but with balanced operation being 6dB higher. I haven't found any inline balanced attenuators :-(
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4c5pt/id2.html
Would these work?
John K.
Unless one uses triode tube amps designed to be extremely quiet for markedly efficient speakers ie. Khorns. I use a PV -5 and am usually playing @ 11 and 12 o'clock. Records run @ 12 and 1 o'clock. Synergy again or just basic math.
"The Sound of One Hand Clapping is Crashing by Design" HKM
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