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Post by jandl100 on Jun 11, 2019 16:19:40 GMT
Yup.
One at 28wpc (8 ohm spec) and t'other at 290wpc (as measured by Stereophile).
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Post by MartinT on Jun 11, 2019 16:23:24 GMT
How do they compare?
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 11, 2019 16:33:24 GMT
The Krell's only been here an hour or so, the Crayon for about a week. I need to settle in with the Krell for a bit. They are both really good, though. Strangely enough, I was enjoying the Crayon so much that when I saw the Krell 400xi up for sale, which has been on my Want List for years, I just had to have a go with it. I'm sure that must make sense to someone!
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Post by ChrisB on Jun 11, 2019 17:12:05 GMT
Very nice Jerry. I wonder whether you have a type of component that you most like to swap and change with? Does the idea of a change of amp get you more excited than a source, for example? And do you have a grand plan for what category of gear you want to explore or is it all just driven by what's on the market and whether you fancy a go at it?
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 11, 2019 17:52:22 GMT
Very nice Jerry. I wonder whether you have a type of component that you most like to swap and change with? Does the idea of a change of amp get you more excited than a source, for example? And do you have a grand plan for what category of gear you want to explore or is it all just driven by what's on the market and whether you fancy a go at it? Good questions, Chris! I generally investigate a component type at any one time. A little while back it was DACs, and I settled then on a Benchmark DAC1 HDR, now I'm into amps having been with my old Trigon monoblocks and Herron preamp for a year or more. I had been very happy with the Vincent amp that came my way a couple of months ago [Vincent had been on my Want List for many years] but then I had a go with a £20 TPA3116 class D t-amp that was being enthused about on AOS and was stunned by its transparency. The poor old Vincent sounded rather bland after that even though the t-amp wasn't musically involving imo. So the search was on. The Crayon amp came from a friend, and we know each others tastes very well. It's an amazing amp, the best I have heard overall [there's a rave review on 6moons] but it doesn't quite have the power to really get hold of my MBL speakers, although it does fine on a lot of music. And then the advert for the Krell amp came to my notice, and the 400xi has been on my Want List for a decade or so. I might well hang on to both of them for a while, depending on how the listening goes. The Crayon is going to take some beating in terms of musical satisfaction. ... that might give you some idea of this box swapper's thought processses and modus operandi. Things just kind of happen in a stream of consciousness kind of way.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 11, 2019 18:12:42 GMT
I get the idea that the MBLs are here to stay, though.
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 11, 2019 18:32:18 GMT
I get the idea that the MBLs are here to stay, though. Oh yes, without a doubt. They are for me what your Ushers are for you.
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 11, 2019 18:39:30 GMT
... I just checked, the MBLs are in their 10th year.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 11, 2019 19:30:07 GMT
I think the Ushers are 10 years old too!
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Post by MikeMusic on Jun 12, 2019 9:47:13 GMT
I think the Ushers are 10 years old too! OLD ! You will both have to get rid of them
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 12, 2019 12:20:08 GMT
Inspired by Martin (and Mike) with their Townshend speaker stands I decided that my MBLs, now in their 10th year, deserved a bit of a treat. Rather than pay audiophile prices I looked at what the pro market had to offer, and that led me to Auralex speaker platforms, specifically their Propad XL, which just happens to be the right size. They're a 3 layer arrangement - foam/MDF/rubber and the mounted speaker wobbles around a bit when gently prodded. -- and I placed a sheet of cardboard underneath to allow them to be slid around without too much hassle (how's that for thinking ahead!). I wasn't looking forward to putting the 45Kg speakers on to them, but it turned out to be not much bother at all. Really pleased, obvious improvement immediately compared to the granite slabs they had previously stood on. I thought the sound was nicely detached from the speakers before. Well, this shows that there is always room for improvement! And everything is more vivid and present. And the soundstage / imaging. Woof! Happy 10th Year, to my MBLs.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 12, 2019 12:30:12 GMT
Fantastic out of the box solution, Jerry. So glad you're hearing similar benefits to the Podiums.
Happy 10th year indeed!
...meant to add, what a perfect size for your speakers, too.
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Post by John on Jun 12, 2019 12:52:09 GMT
They fit perfectly
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Post by petea on Jun 12, 2019 13:00:58 GMT
Excellent and, as Martin said, a perfect fit.
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 12, 2019 13:10:03 GMT
Yes, the fit is remarkable. They could have been designed specifically for the MBL 116f speakers. I shouldn't think they were, though.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jun 12, 2019 15:29:37 GMT
Wobbly base for the rack next Jerry !
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Post by brian2957 on Jun 12, 2019 15:54:05 GMT
I take it you weren't using spikes with the speakers Jerry , and the speakers are now sitting directly on the pads .
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 12, 2019 16:53:30 GMT
I take it you weren't using spikes with the speakers Jerry , and the speakers are now sitting directly on the pads . Correct x2.
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Post by brian2957 on Jun 12, 2019 17:28:00 GMT
Thanks Jerry
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 17, 2019 11:35:02 GMT
So, the Big Shootout between the Crayon CFA-1 & Krell 400xi solid state integrated amps. 28wpc vs 290wpc* of KrellPower. (* according to Stereophile, who measured one). And yes, you can hear that difference. The Krell just cruises through the biggest dynamic swings with my ~86dB/W speakers. The Crayon does surprisingly well up to about mezzo forte and then starts getting a bit confused, rough and squealy. although for momentary dynamic peaks the Crayon seems able to draw on an unexpected reservoir of power, but it can't maintain that. Apart from the high power presentation thing, it's fairly even stevens between them. Tonally very similar, I would call them neutral. Hi rez and fast. Good to very good at 3D soundstage, well focussed images, with tonal colouring well presented, taut well defined bass. Very transparent and open sounding. Both are a real pleasure to listen to. And then, after a few hours of being powered up, the Crayon starts to stretch its legs - and seemingly quite suddenly the Crayon opens up in both 3D imaging and tonal texture. The first few times I listened to the Crayon, well, I was about ready to prepare the eBay listing to sell the thing. It was good, but anything it could do was matched by the Krell, and then add in the unlimited dynamic power of the Krell and on balance there was no real contest tbh. Then came the day when it was pissing down with rain and we were staying in, so the Crayon stayed on all day. It was early afternoon, when I suddenly looked up and thought "wtf?!?". Transformation, big time. It was the texture of the sound that had suddenly deepened with a whole new layer of subtle resolution being presented. This in turn enhanced the soundstage/image presentation - my speakers are good at the disappearing act, but with the warmed up Crayon this improved even further, and not by a little. Both Krell and Crayon are very good "low-high-end" amps, if you know what I mean. Then the Crayon warms up, and steps up to another level of subtlety and deeply textured musical conviction with big dollops of palpable presence. No, it would need more efficient speakers than mine to do real justice to heavy metal or electronic dance, let alone big orchestral climaxes. I can easily imagine some other folks having different musical priorities and favouring the Krell, but for 95%+ of the music I listen to I suspect the Crayon is the best amp I have owned so far. I'll be keeping both amps for now, I guess I'm still just starting to discover what these can do. Listening to either amp is definitely not a hardship! Crayon do a double the power version of the CFA - 80wpc rather than 40 - but I suspect that it would need more than that with my speakers to make much headway against the Krell.
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