Amps for Sasha W/P?

[Masterlu]

Indeed!

[psjl]

Mike,

Yes, the Sashas are quite efficient other than when it dips to 1.8ohm minimum impedance at 92Hz. However, you're right that it would not pose a problem for either the Krell Evo 600e (600W) or Krell Evo One (450W).

Admittedly, I loved the sound of the Ayre MX-R Monoblocks, but just felt it was missing that bit much more of presence & density when compared to the Krell Evo 600e's. Then again the Ayre's liquid/fluid sound definitely edged out the Krell Evo 600e's.

Surprisingly, the Krell Evo 600e's made for quite a musical combo with the Sashas, which makes me wonder how the Krell Evo One's would sound.

[psjl]

Originally Posted by chessman

Phillip ... welcome aboard!! You are blessed with some great gear. I have not heard the Krell amps in question so cannot add anything substantive. Let us know what you end up with and how it turns out.

Chessman,

Great to be aboard (finally)!

I am very happy with the gear I have, so I've been really careful/deliberate in matching my gear.

I've effectively been in 'no mans land' for the past 7 months since I sold my Classé Omega Omicron Monoblocks, and have tirelessly tried to get auditions with various amps with my Sashas, which in Hong Kong, is like trying to swim against the tide.

I know the type of sound I want, and I'm trying my best to not screw up the synergy in my current system.

[psjl]

Originally Posted by dcvibe

Hi and Welcome....

You should try and audition Electrocompaniet Nemo Amps. The synergy with Wilson Audio is kind of a "best kept secret" IMHO. I've heard that the pairing with Sasha's is very good. If I remember correctly these are around $18 to 19K for a pair.

dcvibe,

Thanks for the suggestion.

I've seen the Electrocompaniet amps pop up in discussions several times in AA, and certainly it is an intriguing thought. Maybe I try to pop by the dealer here and see if he is willing to allow me to have a home demo, or for him agree to lug his amps over to my Wilson Audio dealer's showroom which I believe is nearby. Actually that's what I've been doing these past few months trying to convince dealers to do just that.

[psjl]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

Indeed!

Thanks Ivan!

Just added it to my collection!

[Kippyy]

Welcome aboard:
I'm a forum newbie,but have had the Sashas since late 2009;first had the Ayre V5xe amp, and upgraded to the MXR's a few months ago. In demoing the MXR's I was also biased by some postings that the MXR's did not provide enough "oomph". I also demoed the Electrocompaniet AW 400 monos, and I was very impressed with their sound as well.
I went with the MXR due to space issues. I should add that my first day with the MXR;'s I was not impressed because I didnt give them ample time to warm up. They really came to life when my dealer applied upgraded active shielding cables to both of the MXR's...SOLD! I told the dealer"Come Together never sounded so good...the MXR's kicked ass. Best of luck..I;m sure your choice will provide lots of similar revelations.

[psjl]

Originally Posted by Kippyy

Welcome aboard:
I'm a forum newbie,but have had the Sashas since late 2009;first had the Ayre V5xe amp, and upgraded to the MXR's a few months ago. In demoing the MXR's I was also biased by some postings that the MXR's did not provide enough "oomph". I also demoed the Electrocompaniet AW 400 monos, and I was very impressed with their sound as well.
I went with the MXR due to space issues. I should add that my first day with the MXR;'s I was not impressed because I didnt give them ample time to warm up. They really came to life when my dealer applied upgraded active shielding cables to both of the MXR's...SOLD! I told the dealer"Come Together never sounded so good...the MXR's kicked ass. Best of luck..I;m sure your choice will provide lots of similar revelations.

Kippyy,

I agree with you that the Ayre MX-R monoblocks are something special (especially when paired with the Ayre KX-R pre-amp).

In fact I was vacillating between the Ayre MX-R monoblocks and the Krell 600e monoblocks for quite a while. Reluctantly, I tore myself away from the MX-R's as I felt that while the MX-R absolutely shone on Jazz vocals, it just didn't manage to be 'punchy'/'crisp' enough as compared to the 600e's when playing electronica/trip-hop/deep beat/downtempo music which I listening to a lot as well. The 600e's just catered better overall to my varied music tastes, although admittedly I still yearned for the MX-R sound deep down when listening to Jazz-related pieces. Also, I'm a sucker for 'density' as well as bottom-end frequencies which are solid, crisp & punchy, and the MX-R's just came away a tad 'wishy-washy' for me in that area, unlike the 600e's.

Then again, it could be a change in cabling (as was in your case) might change the dynamics more to my liking, but I'ed already invested in Transparent Reference XL (MM2) cabling throughout so, kind of stuck there right now.

That being said, if Ayre decided to come out with a 'beefier' amp with a little more evident bottom-end, I'ed certainly be the first in line to audition it. I love Ayre products, and there's always that feeling that an all-Ayre electronics set-up would be the preferred way to go for me.

As for your demo of the Electrocompaniet AW 400 monoblocks, if you were impressed by them, then what was the deal breaker for you in deciding to ultimately go for the MX-R's? Did you try the active shielding cables on the AW 400's as well?

Also what genre of music do you predominantly listen to?

Many thanks for your feedback.

[daveneumann]

Hi Philip and welcome.

I can't help you with your specific question about the Krells, although Martim Colloms at Hi Fi Critic used a Krell 402 when he reviewed the Sashas and raved about them. Hi Fi Critic does not take advertising, so I tend to trust their reviews over others.

Based on my research I went with Lamm M1.2 Reference amps for my Sashas. My listening room is quite large at 20 X 36 X 9 and the Lamms never run out of power, although they are masters of finesse at low level listening as well. You can do a search of some of PC1 and my threads to get our listening impressions of the combination.

If you can work an audition locally, I would highly recommend it before you make your final purchase of the Krells. Ultimately you might like the Krells but when spending that kind of money it's good to explore options by listening in your system, so that you know you have made the right decision for you.

[Cellindo]

Dear psjl,

I realize you want a KRELL!
And I know HKG a bit (having visited your city a dozen of times). So, you can find any brand out there.

I would encourage you to audition the class-A PASS (like a pair of XA160.5) or the big VIOLA monoblocks. I own myself a pair of CELLO ENCORE 150 (designed by Paul Jayson in his Cello times, and now the boss of VIOLA comapny) with SASHA.

VIOLA / CELLO are very good for low level listening with details and density, like you describe it.
The right cables also play a significant role in these conditions. ;-)

[Kippyy]

Philip,
I really liked the sound of the EC AW 400 monoblocks with the Sashas...they also played very cool...
I went with the MXR's primarily based on size limitations....they fit in my cabinet...
Hope that helps...