Need an amplifier to "modify" my system's sound
 

Recently, I changed my speaker cables from 20-year old Transparent MusicWave Super (bi-wired) cables to new WireWorld Silver Eclipses. There is no question whether the result was worthwhile; the improved clarity is really rather remarkable. However, in one regard -- what I'll call "fullness" -- my new sound is less satisfying. I am not about to return my new speaker cables, so I am asking my fellow audiophiles about the likelihood of being able to "have my cake and eat it, too" by now updating my power amplifiers.

At present, I use two 20-year old Krell amplifiers (the FPB 200C for left/right; FPB 250MC for center channel) to drive my Revel Ultima Studio and Voice loudspeakers. I recognize that Krell, among others, have made significant technical improvements in their amplifier designs and performance. Would Krell's new XD amplifiers provide a "richer" sound than my current models? Are there other manufacturer's amplifiers I should consider as upgraded replacements?

If you can hear the difference with the new cables, specifically improved clarity and you heard fullness and richness with the older cables, then that tells you your amplifiers are capable of much more, in every aspect.

My suggestion would be give the new cables a few more weeks and everything will sound better. :yes: The ears/brain just needs to adapt.

Perhaps all that’s needed is to give your Krall amps a tune-up. New capacitors, if needed, might breathe some new life into your 20 year old equipment.

Need an amplifier to "modify" my system's sound
 

Good suggestions made already - certainly give the new cables some time to burn in. As for upgrading the Krells, yours are Dan D’Agostino designs, who is now of course Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems. You might consider his newer Progression amps.

+1 good choice for you!

and

As Serge has mentioned, give your new SPs some time to settle and burn-in...probably on the order of 150-200 hours, if not longer. Side note: Several years back, when I installed some Anti-Cables SPs, Paul Spelz specified 500 hours of burn-in.

You may well find you don't need new amps at all.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to respond to my original post. Also, I want to respond to a number of their suggestions and observations. First, both of my amplifiers were sent back to Krell in 2017 for complete restorations. Second, my Silver Eclipse speaker cables have had 300+ hours of listening level music played through them at this time, so maybe additional hours will help. Third, my Revel Ultimas all have aluminum-alloy dome tweeters and aluminum midrange woofers; aluminum is known to have a tendency to be somewhat bright and even at times a bit harsh sounding. My prior Transparent cables might have mitigated that brightness with their own "mellowness", though that is just a supposition on my part.

I live a long, long way away from any high-end audio dealer. It is not really practical for me to audition a number of candidate amplifiers, should I eventually conclude that would enjoy my listening more if I had amplifiers that complemented these speaker cables (which continue to impress me nearly daily). For that reason, I am eager to receive the thoughts, insights, and recommendations of other Audio Aficionado participants.

If you really want to change the sound, the biggest difference is when you replace your speakers, imho.

Perhaps it's not what you wanted to do/invest, but think about it.

+1. Each change you make, especially from an older equipment base, will tend to reveal the weaker remaining elements in your upgraded system. Although argumentative, a hierarchy of components' impact on sound quality, from most to least, is as follows (IMO of course):
1. Speakers
2. Source
3. Amplification
Many would put room and perhaps power subsystem (including cable) effects above these. YMMV.

I have two basic rules:
1) every time I make an audio system change, I expect to hear a significant difference, good or, let's call it less good.
2) Always work from the source through to the speakers, if upstream isn't right the downstream won't 'fix' it.
It's sometimes a game of 'wack a mole' as as an improvement in one thing reveals a weakness in another

Does your system sound "less full" when using it for two channel listening, multi-channel listening or both? Are you using subwoofer/s for your two channel listening? The reason I ask is that while also searching for that magic pill, I went through a similar period where I had trouble finding that sweet spot in my system's sound. The one addition that made the most significate and immediate improvement in my system sounding full and warmer was a REL sub-bass subwoofer for two-channel listening. It turned out to also be the most economical improvement to my system's overall sound quality. An easier tweak would be trying slightly different main speaker orientations. Try toeing your Revels out a little more. The result might be more subtle but it doesn't cost anything but a little time.

Of all the possibilities, this may be one of the most salient. These are, apparently, the original Studios (which I used to own) and the newer ones are significantly superior in almost every way. Consider a change here, if you insist "I am not about to return my new speaker cables....."

First off, really sorry to hear about your result. It is really frustrating to have a good result undercut with a bad one. Good old systems, change one thing and you get a cascade of changes. I can easily see myself telling someone, “yeah, I bought a new speaker cable, and it cost me $100K.”

I will say from a high level, the change you heard was what happens with greater transparency. I find an amplifier about ten years newer is typically a “wow” that sounds better and typically by being more natural with more lower midrange and bass. About fifteen years ago I replaced my 20 year old Threahold T2 and it sounded tinny and gutless in comparison with the Pass amp I replaced it with. I guess this points to a likely problem, replacement of any old piece of equipment is likely to result in a significant improvement in performance of that piece resulting in exposing a weakness elsewhere. I will say I agree with Kevin, ‘wack a mole’ is a very really likely outcome.

On the other hand, tremendous opportunity for a component upgrade cycle.

If you really liked the Krell, a newer Krell might be a good choice. I am partial to Pass designed solid state amps. But in my mind tube amps recently became a possibility with Audio Research adding microprocessor control for auto biasing and extending tube life.

After decades of reading reviews I can pretty much make a component decision without going to a dealer. But maybe read lots of reviews form your opinion. Then call up a dealer and have him set up a demo with defined equipment so you can hear 2 or 3 choices. When I fly across the country I’ll call a dealer a week before and explain my preferences and what I might want to hear. Then I show up at the appointed time.

I just found myself in the exact same situation. I wonder if I would improve the bottom end of the overall presentation going from a 85W amplifier (4 ohms) to 150W :scratch2:

Maybe.

Here's a crazy thought - call or write Transparent and let them know your experience. See if they offer a trade-in/refurb with a home trial.

And I think a vision of what your trying to create as far as sound is a critical first step so you can determine the alternatives and best options. Yes amps can make a difference in your system - I just upgraded from McIntosh to Moon and there is a difference. Yet sources and speakers also make a significant impact.

I have stated in the past that one way to get what you ant is 1) first find speakers that you like and will work well in your room 2) get a amp(s) that will get the most out of your speakers 3) tune the sound to "your desires" with cables.

All of the above assumes you room is properly set-up.