It’s no secret that at the Poor Audiophile, we’re big fans of solid build quality and superior sounding equipment. One company that has consistently delivered both top notch sound, killer build quality, and solid innovation for decades is Krell.
Krell has just announced the introduction of their Vanguard Universal DAC and the Vanguard Digital Preamplifier. Both are now shipping and have retail prices of $4,500 and $5,000, respectively.
The Krell Vanguard Universal DAC and Vanguard Digital Preamplifier are built for the audiophile who demands the most from the digital music age. Standard connectivity includes USB, HDMI, coaxial and optical digital inputs; Ethernet music streaming controlled through dedicated iOS and Android apps; and aptX Bluetooth for wireless streaming from phones, tablets and computers.
A truly unique feature that Krell has made standard is the inclusion of HDMI connectivity in their components. The reason why HDMI is so important is because the advent of HDMI 2.0 promises even greater bandwidth and more audio channel support. Krell has you covered. There are dual HDMI 2.0 inputs that support DSD and UHD/4K content.
Krell’s implementation isn’t just for dedicated audiophile rooms. You can use the Vanguard units as the hub of all your media consumption. HDMI output includes Audio Return Channel for use with smart TV streaming services such as Netflix, Vudu, and Pandora.
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| Rear view of the Krell Vanguard Digital Preamplifier |
The coaxial and HDMI inputs support PCM up to 24-bit/192kHz. Optical input supports up to 24-bit/96kHz. USB and Network streaming support MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV(PCM), FLAC, ALAC up to 24b/192kHz. Not to be outdone, Krell has delivered the some of the best available digital to analog conversion. Digital to Analog output stage features 32 bit ESS Sabre DACs and feeds a classic Krell discrete balanced output stage.
The Vanguard Digital Preamplifier adds volume control capability to the discrete balanced output stage.
While certainly not cheap, Krell’s offerings have consistently offered cutting edge features, killer sound, and an upgrade path—the combination of which is pretty much unheard of in the world of ultra-high end audio. We’re looking forward to seeing these units up close. In the meantime, if you’re in the market for a top notch DAC or digital preamp, make your way over to your local Krell dealer for an audition.
