Beautiful Bottles

There’s a great “How it’s made” episode on KR Audio and their valves,

If you love what the Krell does, I doubt you’ll be able to find a valve amp to equal or better that. They do have different strengths when you have them at hand to compare though, I’m in a minority’s because I like what both do. I don’t subscribe to the view that the best SS and the best valve amps sound very close. Chalk and cheese IME.

That’s how I hear it too. The thing is, I’m not a rock music fan on any level so for my tastes it’s probably more even between valves and SS.

IME if you pair valves with Snell, Audionote, Klipschn or even Impulse, the overhang disappears and the things valves aren’t supposed to do well are suddenly a whole lot more coherent.

I've had a listen to a few full Audionote systems with the speakers in the corners as recommended and the worst part of it was the bass. Shockingly bad. Just a generic bass sound, no sign of the true tone of the instrument coming through. Reminds me of the sound of the old valve radiograms. Pleasant to listen to but no fidelity to the recording at all. 

Everytime, and I mean everytime I have heard Audionote at shows, it's walk in and walk straight out again. I also detest the looks of their speakers. I am gobsmacked when folk on other forums rant and rave about how good the brand is, they really need to get out more.

I have one and I rate it. Was using it as a power amp for several years until I got the Krell in. It doesn't give much away to the Krell.

Ha! No pressure then......

XTZ Do get very good feedback from the few nuggets I've read. When I went through my bulk buying of Amplifiers, there was one on my radar but I plumped for the Luxman Avance instead, mainly because it was a little cheaper.

Dont worry, a guy asked for for a cartridge recommendation in his budget. I'd spotted a AT33PTG well in his budget and told him to buy it. A few weeks later, he came to have a listen to the system and put a face to the name. He was very polite all through and pointed out a couple of bits I could do to improve the speakers performance.

At the end of the session, I walked him down the drive and he said, "by the way, that AT33PTG is Sh#t!" 😆😆😆

Luckily, he took my next piece of advice and constantly raves about the very same cartridge. Just goes to show, you never can tell what's gonna happen when you plumb anything into your system.

Haha, indeed!

I'd have to disagree there  To me the problem is that people talk about valve V SS etc but things such as how much negative feedback, how much class A bias etc etc are VASTLY more relevant and responsible for more of the differences than the type of devices used...

Both the Cornscalas and the Klipsch KG 4's sound far better in the corners or against a wall, as do some Wharfedales I have - sealed boxes with a passive bass driver.  All are 2 ways.
Wharfedales work okay out in the room, the other two sound just average.

I would never put the Vandersteens any where near a wall or a corner, they like lots of free space around them.  People often comment they sound like a blanket is thrown over them, and that is exactly how they sound anywhere near a wall or corner, and badly set up.
Very picky about set up, get he tilt wrong, the toe in wrong, the same distance from the side and back walls wrong on both, even if the two are slightly not the same height, they will not sound as good as they can. Get it right and they will sound as good as it gets, with the openness, detail, resolution and clarity of the best panel speakers, without all the drawbacks of panels, like the beaming, back waves, head locked in a vise sweet spot, mediocre bass, etc. etc.

Excellent. So i am safe......for now lol