It was more than 20 years ago when the Krell KAV-300i first debut and has garnered plenty of praise ever since. Riding the success, Krell made an upgraded version, the K-300i which has a slightly better overall sonic performance. The Krell KAV-300i is a high-end entry-level integrated amplifier and with the right pair of speakers, we can certainly expect excellent sound quality from them. Are you in the midst of finding a pair of speakers for your KAV-300i? If it’s a yes then please read on.
We are preparing a list of the best speakers which you can go for and match them with the Krell KAV-300i but first, we need to learn more about the sonic characteristics and prowess of this integrated amplifier. With enough data and information, we will then be able to find the right loudspeakers to partner up with this incredible HiFi classic. You can also use this data to look for speakers on your own so let us start now.
Table of Contents
Sonic Characteristics and Important Specifications of Krell KAV-300i
It has a stylish and sleek design that holds up even to this day, along with the amp’s coveted reputation, the Krell KAV-300i will look mighty fine in most listening rooms. It should also aesthetically match with most modern speakers without an issue. This is a really powerful entry-level amplifier, it has a power output of 150 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms and doubles into 300 Watts per channel into 4 Ohms which is a telltale sign of power. The frequency response is extremely wide, it is at 1Hz-100kHz. The Krell KAV-300i is more than capable of driving both bookshelf and floor-standing speakers with efficiency.
With such high power outputs, this gives us plenty of speaker options to go for. You can also use the Krell KAV-300i as a stereo power amplifier (via the S3 input) by using the Theater Throughput feature. When compared to today’s standard, the KAV-300i does lack features such as wireless music streaming, built-in DAC with USB inputs, Phono stage, etc. There is a balance control and also comes with a remote control which we find it pretty neat. Still, what’s really important will be how good the sound quality is and the overall sonic performance of the Krell KAV-300i integrated amplifier.
The Krell KAV-300i is capable of projecting a large and spacious soundstage. It is wide and has ample depth, the height is not as satisfying as we thought it would be though, still, this integrated amp easily fills the room with a nice musical presence. The stereo imaging is precise, musicians are correctly placed, and are highly defined. It seems to sound even better when the volume is higher as we unknowingly kept cranking up the volume. There is that energy in the atmosphere and music details are also clearer. The level of clarity at low volume is lacking but we will suggest just playing your favorite music at high volumes.
The power of the Krell KAV-300i is truly magnificent, as it effortlessly reproduces very deep bass frequencies with prominence. The weight of the bass helps to make the music presence feel more tangible, not to mention, shakes the room as well. It is not an outright entertainer, but it does provide us with satisfying enough impacts and has the agility to confidently pace through the music. The Krell KAV-300i is not a fast or speedy integrated amplifier and can be a bit dark-sounding at times. Vocal reproductions are superb with nice timbre and subtle nuances, they are also distinctively clear which is sweet when you have multiple singers singing simultaneously.
It has a smooth music delivery and doesn’t sound cringe when pushed, remaining stable and well-focused at all times. The Krell KAV-300i has an accurate overall sound reproduction as well and it is neutral which slightly leans towards dark-sounding. At this price point, we can’t really nitpick much though and the KAV-300i is quite an affordable entry-level amplifier when you compared it to other Krell models. We have enough data to list out the best speakers that you can go for and pair them with the Krell KAV-300i integrated amplifier. We will take the speaker price points into account too.
Krell KAV-300i Specifications
- Power Outputs: 150 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms, 300 Watts per channel into 4 Ohms
- Frequency Response: 1Hz-100kHz
- Inputs: 5 Line inputs
- Dimensions: 475mm x 388mm x 93mm | 18.7″ x 15.3″ x 3.7″
- Weight: 11.4kg (25lbs)
Best Speakers to match with Krell KAV-300i
The MartinLogan SL3 is one of the best speakers to match with the Krell KAV-300i integrated amplifier. This is a pair of Electrostatic Hybrid loudspeakers that were made in the same time period as the KA-300i. Unlike traditional electrostatic speakers, the SL3 has a 10″ woofer, allowing it to dig deeper into the bass extension and deliver low frequencies with more weight. The MartinLogan SL3 speakers demand plenty of power and the Krell KAV-300i has the muscles to drive them efficiently. The SL3s are still well-loved today, thanks to their beautiful sound quality and incredible transparency.
The Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 will be one of the best floor-standing speakers to pair with your Krell KAV-300i. This classic Krell amplifier is powerful enough to really drive the 603 S2 floor-standers and make them sing. These are charismatic speakers which are musically refined and have powerful bass delivery. The highs are pristine and have high clarity, not to mention, it is highly accurate as well. Its overall bass performance is abundant and helps to create a musical presence that fills up the listening room with little effort. For a speaker with multiple drivers, the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 is very cohesive and gave us a seamless overall sound reproduction.
The KEF Q950 are powerful floor-standing speakers which will scale really well with power and the generous power output of the Krell KAV-300i is the right amplifier for the job. The bass reproduction of the Q950 speakers is clean and has a deep low end which will shake the floor. What’s really impressive is that the incredible bass performance doesn’t muddle the higher registers, allowing the overall sound reproduction to be clearly reproduced with ample weight. Music details are in abundance and the KEF Q950s deliver them with a high level of clarity. The Krell KAV-300i does add a bit more impact in the lower registers.
More Details at Amazon – KEF Q950 (Each, Black)
The MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL is another amazing electrostatic hybrid speaker to partner with your Krell KAV-300i integrated amplifier. MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL has an innate ability to project a large soundstage which is very wide and with ample depth, crossing the boundaries of the speakers. The overall accuracy is as impressive as the scale of the sound mustered by the electrostatic hybrid speakers. These are very transparent loudspeakers and at this price point, it is very well-suited to match with the Krell KAV-300i amplifier. The bass reproduction of the MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL is better than expected too.
More Details at Amazon – MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL Hybrid Electrostatic
If you require compact-sized speakers that will match well with your Krell KAV-300i then the Quad S-1 will be an excellent choice. These bookshelf speakers will require a lot of power and the KAV-300i is powerful enough to drive them to very high volume levels without much effort. The Quad S-1 uses a ribbon tweeter to produce very detailed high frequencies with exceptional clarity where even subtle details can be heard in crystal clear sound quality. The cohesion between the drivers is seamless and delivers a faithful music presentation. They are modestly priced as well and will be worth your time to check them out.
The Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 is another pair of bookshelf speakers which have a modest price tag and possess exceptional sonic performance for the money. This is an award-winning pair of stand-mounters worthy of your Krell KAV-300i integrated amplifier. The bass performance is punchy but it is tight and well-controlled which is pretty amazing for a bookshelf speaker at this price point. It has astounding clarity with a nice level of transparency, delivering a very detailed and clean music presentation. Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 has great dynamics and control, a brilliant speaker partner for the Krell KAV-300i.
More Details at Amazon – Bowers and Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition Oak (Pair)
To Sum It Up
The speakers listed here are a suitable match with the Krell KAV-300i integrated amplifier and are also solid performers which deserve your consideration. We will suggest selecting a few of these speakers for an audition as this is where you can test and see which one of them has the sound quality you really like. Doing a side-by-side comparison will be easier to tell the difference in sound quality. You might also want to check out other speaker models from MartinLogan and/or Bowers & Wilkins.
