System review - Krell-biamped Nautilus 801s

[m10]

In conjunction with my good friend Alf (talisman2) I'd like to share with you our thoughts on a rather special system, which has recently undergone an important change. Alf’s thoughts first:

I was invited round to the house of my good friend Richard to listen to his latest purchase of a Krell 250A power amp that he had bought with the purpose of bi-amping his (already impressive ) system . this was to compliment his Krell 300 power amp.

The system is as follows:
VPI Super Scoutmaster Turntable
VPI unipivot arm
Koetsu Urushi
Trichord Diablo Phono Stage / NC PSU DC Power Supply
ATC SC2 Pre-amp
Krell Power amps
B&W Nautilus 801
Kimber Speaker cables and Chord Chorus 2 Interconnects.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/626/21098511372_331907aec5_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y9pons)image (https://flic.kr/p/y9pons) by Malcolm (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7813426@N04/), on Flickr
The VPI Super Scoutmaster

We started off listening to Dire Straits debut album and the track ‘Water Of Life’ and I have to admit I was mighty impressed at the amount of detail that I was hearing using the smaller Krell to drive the mid/treble units of the ‘mighty’ 801s and leaving the ‘big sod’ to deal with the bass units.

We listened to Leonard Cohen (Popular a Problems), Jennifer Warnes (The Hunter), Stacey Kent (The Changing Lights) and Depeche Mode (Violator) in that order and on every track I could hear the benefits of bi-ampimg and I could understand Richard’s enthusiasm for doing so , but - personally I don’t think I could be bothered with the expense and ‘faffing’ about that is involved with bi-amping so my advice to Richard is: if you enjoy it and you find that it increases your enjoyment of your listening to music (and also if you can afford the extra expense) then , by all means go ahead with it.

Sorry about the shortness of this review , but if anybody would like anymore details about anything in the review , by all means get in touch with me.

If this sounds like an anti-bi-amping review, then it’s not. I have just got to reiterate and say that personally, I would not ‘go along that path’ (I would spend the money on all that expensive vinyl I cannot afford !!!)

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5718/20920719498_98c289ec4c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xSGa3j)image (https://flic.kr/p/xSGa3j) by Malcolm (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7813426@N04/), on Flickr
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5804/21116321911_e4d511d961_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yaYEPH)image (https://flic.kr/p/yaYEPH) by Malcolm (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7813426@N04/), on Flickr
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/697/21098508692_2a44403837_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y9pnzf)image (https://flic.kr/p/y9pnzf) by Malcolm (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7813426@N04/), on Flickr
A mighty pair of Krells.

My thoughts:

I can really echo some of what Alf said here, although I hung around after to hear some really impressive sounds from Nina Simone (Sings the Blues), a rather lovely Decca digital LP of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, Fluke (Six Wheels on my Wagon) some Frank Sinatra (Songs for Swingin’ Lovers) and a side of Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon). Actually I think we flipped it and played the whole LP. There may have been more besides.

There was certainly nothing wrong with Richard’s system when single-amped with the big Krell. I have never felt (and this is a system I'm quite familiar with) that anything was lacking in any area. “Like being there” was my reaction at hearing something like a small jazz group the first time, so lifelike, so vivid but so easy are the 801s. This is a speaker I could spend my life listening to Sinatra on, let alone the Mahler symphonies, the operas, the rock, the jazz, that they take in their considerable stride.

Easy I think is a key word here – without being remotely smoothed off or warmed, the 801s with the extra amplification seem to have acquired an ease about them that only heightens their drama and realism, but doesn't add any brightness, fierceness or forwardness.

Their very chameleon-like character where they transform based on the music you feed them is improved. They do a canny imitation of nightclub bass-bins when you put some classic disco or dance music through them! But, they never lose their grace and composure. They will certainly boom you into oblivion if you get enthusiastic with the volume control and exceed the volume sweet-spot for the room and recording. Operate them within the limits of your environment, and the results are spellbinding. The room gives up before the speakers do.

Where I differ with Alf is that I think this was well worth doing. There is some expense in buying the second amp, true. The expense is mitigated, of course, in true Art of Sound fashion, by this being a true reference system of classic components – everything here is a well preserved classic given a new home. There is some faff, fuss and fluster in cabling and setting it up, also true. But I think this is a true set-and-forget solution. Once installed, you turn on one more amp. Big whoop! But every time you get a thrilling view of the music you play. Even-handed, never wrong-footed and always entertaining. This may have turned into a paean to the mighty 801s and I think that's probably fitting. Properly partnered, they are a wonder.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/726/20920718748_eb3fe1de87_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xSG9Po)image (https://flic.kr/p/xSG9Po) by Malcolm (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7813426@N04/), on Flickr
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/589/20487532413_271cbfc07e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xdpXBt)image (https://flic.kr/p/xdpXBt) by Malcolm (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7813426@N04/), on Flickr
For me, the star of the show.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5750/20920713588_6815df2f55_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xSG8hq)image (https://flic.kr/p/xSG8hq) by Malcolm (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7813426@N04/), on Flickr
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/726/20920509600_f561e3856d_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xSF5Do)image (https://flic.kr/p/xSF5Do) by Malcolm (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7813426@N04/), on Flickr

I seem to have lost the photo of the ATC pre-amp. Photos were quickies by me on my Nokia Lumia 1520.

[Macca]

Certainly a classic combination of kit that many of us would aspire to. I'm guessing the bi-amping was just icing on the cake.

[m10]

Certainly a classic combination of kit that many of us would aspire to. I'm guessing the bi-amping was just icing on the cake.

That's very much the way I see it.

[Barry]

Excellent review Guys.

Richard has a superb audio system and one to be envied. Bi-amping is always worth trying IMO, even if it is 'passive horizontal' bi-amping as is the case here. I would readily do it myself were my speakers capable of being bi- or tri- amped.

Were the connections between preamp and power amps balanced? Oh, and what was the plastic jug used for? :D

(Is the Quad gear: the 22 preamp and FM2 used, or kept as objets d'art ?)

[m10]

All balanced connections. Jug us not part of the hi-fi, it is a water delivery system for a Saturday afternoon libation.

[m10]

Not sure on the Quad. Don't think they're in regular use.

[hifinutt]

looks awesome . the 801 still look marvellous despite the many recent upgrades

[jandl100]

Interesting.

I assume the Krell FPB 300 is the usual amp in the system? ... and the KAV250a is the one being introduced for bi-amp duties?

I'd be very interested in a sonic comparison of the 2 amps in 'full range mode'. Was that done?

(I'm very familiar with the 250a).

Thanks. :)

[m10]

Interesting.

I assume the Krell FPB 300 is the usual amp in the system? ... and the KAV250a is the one being introduced for bi-amp duties?

I'd be very interested in a sonic comparison of the 2 amps in 'full range mode'. Was that done?

(I'm very familiar with the 250a).

Thanks. :)

That's an interesting question, and the comparison was done albeit briefly. This is very unscientific! We thought the 250a was very fine - I felt it was a setup you could live with easily if you hadn't heard the big 300 or the bi-amp system. As usual when a 'smaller' amp is hooked up to the 801s the main difference was noted in the bass. My analogy was that with the big amp in place everything is taut and controlled, but with the smaller amp it's like the athlete's stopped hitting the gym and things are a little looser, if that makes any sense. Introduces an ever-so slight bloom in the bass that really isn't needed with the 801. The effect with the Krell 250 was slight - much less noticeable than with some of the less well endowed amps that have been auditioned.

[m10]

Yes the 300 was the incumbent amp in the system. The 300/250 bi-amp system is now the permanent setup.

[jandl100]

Thanks for that comparison, Malcolm. :thumbsup: Quite enlightening.


Yes the 300 was the incumbent amp in the system. The 300/250 bi-amp system is now the permanent setup.

So the 250a retains the midrange and treble duties in the system? :eek: - Blimey, now that is interesting!
Whilst I do enjoy a bit of taut bass, especially when some music/hifi friends are visiting, it's not something I obsess over for my personal listening. Sounds like the 250a is 'good enough' for me rather than pay x3 the price for a 300.
I may well get another (which will be my 3rd!) some day. :)

[User211]

Not such a bad idea Jerry. Better than the A21 in your system according to my ears. Vice versa in mine, where for me the 250a sucked a bit. Good - just not the best match.

[m10]

Thanks for that comparison, Malcolm. :thumbsup: Quite enlightening.



So the 250a retains the midrange and treble duties in the system? :eek: - Blimey, now that is interesting!
Whilst I do enjoy a bit of taut bass, especially when some music/hifi friends are visiting, it's not something I obsess over for my personal listening. Sounds like the 250a is 'good enough' for me rather than pay x3 the price for a 300.
I may well get another (which will be my 3rd!) some day. :)

I don't know if the 801s are a special case - I think they might be - but there was a clear progression from 250 to 300 to the 250/300 bi-amp system. Each step was a worthwhile improvement when we did the comparison. Questions of value are perhaps moot, at least for me as it's not my system and it's not my money. I imagine that for most real world speakers the 250 would be 'fabulously adequate' and the 300 would be moreso if not slight overkill.

The bi-amped 801s represent, for me, one version of the ultimate hi-fi system. It never runs out of breath, but it can display fabulous delicacy with small-scale music. On the turn of sixpence it gives crushing weight to Berlioz and Wagner. Grand pianos seem to have a palpable sense of reality, a physical presence in the room. But a solo violin, or Joni Mitchell, or other seemingly simple stuff is presented with all the grace and detail you could wish for. Always fascinating and musical - never merely analytical. If I owned this system I would spend a lifetime loving it and exploring music. I would never feel the need to look at anything else. I would probably rarely leave the house.

[Floyddroid]

Yes the 300 was the incumbent amp in the system. The 300/250 bi-amp system is now the permanent setup.

Simply the best system I have heard. And that was many years ago before the upgrades. Hats off.

[Jimbo]

Superb system Malcolm and nice to see another VPI fronting it up!

[m10]

The VPI is a thing of wonder indeed (although I'm very fond of my Technics) -- I love the way, with its hefty record weights (spindle clamp and record ring weight) the record just gets strapped down and has the sh*t played put of it!

[Jimbo]

The VPI is a thing of wonder indeed (although I'm very fond of my Technics) -- I love the way, with its hefty record weights (spindle clamp and record ring weight) the record just gets strapped down and has the sh*t played put of it!

Yep - superbly engineered beasts - built like a battle tank :)