While continuing to assault the state of the art with its $15,000 Evolution 555 Blu-ray player, Krell is also opening up its brand to a new type customer: those who want the elegance and performance of high-end gear, but without the excessively high price tag. On display at Krell's booth at CEDIA Expo last month, the s-300i integrated amp and s-350a CD player each sell for the relatively affordable prices of $2500. The s-350 will be offered as the s-350av which adds DVD playback option for $4500.
The s-300i integrated amp is strictly a two-channel affair, for "stereo purists" who believe that anything more than two channels is just a gimmick. The manufacturer does embrace modern technology however, as the s-300i is the company's first amplifier to offer iPod connectivity, for those who have moved away from physical media and toward digital, transportable media. With an iPod connected, the amplifier's remote control can operate the iPod's song selection and playback. But it's the amplifier that's the real star here: a 150 Watt/Channel Class A stereo amp which can double its output into 4 ohms. The fully balanced on-board preamp offers low noise and a custom-machined level control adjusts volume.
In addition to its iPod interface, the unit offers both RCA and balanced XLR line level inputs. Not present is a phono input so if you want to use it with a turntable, you will need an outboard phono preamp. The s300i also lacks any digital inputs, so you'll want to pair it with a CD, DVD or SACD player with high quality analog outputs.
Speaking of which, the company now offers a matched CD player, the s-350a which not only plays back CDs but can can also be used as an outboard DAC (Digital Analog Converter) with both fiberoptic and coax digital inputs for attaching external digital sources. The company offers a USB to coax converter for use with a PC or other USB-based digital media player. The unit is upgradeable to the s-350av, which adds DVD video playback support to the unit with 1080p upconversion over an HDMI output. The video upgrade adds $2,000 to the price of the unit.
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