KrellPAM-5usedKrell PAM-5 Modernized & Upgraded PreamplifierThe PAM-5 sold for $1,550 (MSRP) back in 1986 (we’re talking about $3,500 in today’s dollars) and it was known by the weight and dynamics it provided. It is a full feature pre-amp with a phono st...1875.00

Krell PAM-5 Modernized & Upgraded Preamplifier

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Condition
9/10
Payment methods
Ships fromBaltimore, MD, 21234
Ships toUnited States
Package dimensions30.0" × 20.0" × 20.0" (30.0 lbs.)
Shipping carrierFedEx
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Original accessoriesManual
AverageResearch Pricing

The PAM-5 sold for $1,550 (MSRP) back in 1986 (we’re talking about $3,500 in today’s dollars) and it was known by the weight and dynamics it provided. It is a full feature pre-amp with a phono stage that takes moving magnet or moving coil cartridges and is fully adjustable for load with a choice of 10 load choices. It also offers specific phase correcting adjustments for CD players. I will entertain reasonable offers.

Somewhat understated, the PAM-5 has a separate, outboard power supply, which was a bit rare back in the mid ‘80s and seldom seen on much other than Mark Levinson components. The PAM-5 also features a great moving-coil/moving iron or magnet cartridge phono stage that was incredibly quiet and much more dynamic than typical transformers.

This preamplifier in factory stock form holds up the legacy quite well, with an extremely modern sound. Eyes closed, you would swear you are listening to a preamplifier in the 2-5,000 dollar range. Not only does it possess all of the dynamics it was known for, but the tonality is excellent and the upper registers are clean and tidy,

The Krell PAM-5 is a welcome blast from the past. It has stellar build quality and probably one of the last designs to use the highly regarded Penny & Giles volume control and the hermetic Roderstein long-life electrolytic capacitors utilized for the voltage regulators that were also highly regarded in terms of serving audio quality.

The Krell PAM-5, according to their service rep during an e-Mail exchange noted that it was the most reliable piece they ever manufactured.

SoundMods® modernization and upgrades included the raw power supply upgraded with 50-year expected useful life mil-spec Cornell Dublier Flat Pack capacitors and hermetic polycarbonate 10-ufd bypasses to improve power supply transient performance. The main board originally built with Roderstein long-life regulator capacitors remain as to replace them with what is available now would degrade the pre-amplifier’s performance and service life expectancy. All of the regulators’ capacitors are bypassed with mil-spec hermetic polycarbonate capacitors further improving power supply transient performance.

The SoundMods® Krell should last quite a long time without issue measured in decades rather than years. If something does come up it is a simple differential FET amplifier without computer circuits to cause heartburn. Krell service is still available.

Additionally, I replaced all of the silver-mica compensation and RIAA capacitors with WIMA film/foil polycarbonate pulse caps and the only inter-stage couplers, between the phono stage and line stage, were replaced with mil-spec hermetic polycarbonate and hermetic Teflon caps. The umbilical connecting the power supply to the pre-amp is a silver/copper Teflon cable and terminated at the preamplifier with 5-ufd Electronic Concepts polycarbonate capacitors. The original cable was hard-wired to the power supply with inexpensive PVC tinned-copper cables.

The SoundMods® Krell now has an aviation grade connector at the power supply end. The original power cord was also hard wired and is now retrofitted with an IEC connector with ferrite RFI/EMI noise suppressors so an audiophile can use the power cord of his/her choice.

The build quality of the stock unit was above reproach with Dale mil-spec metal-film resistors used throughout; however, some parts used in the modernization were not available in 1986 and others used in the modernization are very expensive and designed for critical military applications. Not something you would find in a consumer-grade product no matter how well it was made.

All-in-all -- 21 man-hours and 34 parts went into this SoundMods® Krell pre-amp. including upgrading the case cosmetics with an automobile-grade acrylic finish in a complimentary color.

The modernized and upgraded version of this pre-amp has turned out to be a gem. LP playback is as good as any LP, turntable, and cartridge connected to it. The pre-amp will step out the way of a quality front-end. It has become dynamic, silky, open, 3-D, and genuinely enjoyable over long term listening. The bass is not hindered by the line stage as it is D.C. coupled to the outside world. It can be teamed with tube power amplifiers without degrading the features most loved about tube electronics.

Why am I selling it? It was a “busy work” project to see how far I could take this pre-amp in the hopes that a music lover, who has a lot of experience attending live events without sound reinforcement, wishes to come home to a similar experience.

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