Krell Evolution One Owners manual

EVOLUTION

EVOLUTION ONE

MONAURAL POWER AMPLIFIER

OWNER’S REFERENCE

Evolution One Monaural Power Amplifier Owner’s Reference, v05.0

Kr

ell Industries, Inc.
45 Connair Road
Orange, CT 06477-3650 USA

TEL [phone]
FAX [phone]
E-MAIL [e-mail]
WEBSITE http://www.krellonline.com

This product complies with the EMC directive (89/336/EEC) and the low-voltage directive
(73/23/EEC).

WARNINGS

The amplifier must be placed on a firm, level surface where it is not exposed to dripping or splash­ing.

The ventilation grids on the top of the amplifier and the space underneath the amplifier must be
unobstr

ucted at all times during operation. Do not place flammable

material above or beneath the

amplifier.

Specifications

Frequency response

20 Hz to 20 kHz ±0.05 dB

0.6 Hz to 220 kHz +0, –3 dB

Signal-to-noise ratio

118 dB, “A”-weighted

Gain

25.8 dB

Total harmonic distortion

<0.01% at 1 kHz, at 450 W, 8 Ohms
<0.1% at 20 kHz, at 450 W, 8 Ohms

Input impedance
Balanced:
CAST: 50 Hz

Input sensitivity
Balanced:
CAST: 3.08 mA RMS

Output power

450 W RMS at 8 Ohms
900 W RMS at 4 Ohms
1800 W RMS at 2 Ohms

Output voltage

170 V peak-to-peak
60 V RMS

Output current

57 A peak

100 kHz

3.08 V RMS

Inputs

1 balanced via XLR connector
1 CAST via 4-pin bayonet connector

Outputs

1 pair Krell binding posts

Dimensions
Amplifier chassis:

15.8 in. W x 6.2 in. H x 21.5 in. D
40 cm W x 15.8 cm H x 54.7 cm D

Power supply chassis:

15.8 in. W x 6.4 in. H x 20.5 in. D
40 cm W x 16.1 cm H x 52.2 cm D

Amplifier channel:

15.8 in. W x 12.5 in. H x 21.5 in. D
40 cm W x 31.6 cm H x 54.7 cm D

Weight
Amplifier chassis:

Shipped:

70 lbs., 31.7 kg

Unit Only: 55 lbs., 24.9 kg
Power supply chassis:

Shipped:

110 lbs., 49.8 kg

Unit Only: 95 lbs., 43 kg

Before making connections to the amplifier, ensure that the back panel power switch is down.
Make sur

e all cable ter

minations ar

e of the highest quality

, free from frayed ends, short circuits,

or cold solder joints.

The differential circuitry employed with an Evolution One Monaural Power Amplifier requires special
attention when connecting speakers. Do not connect the negative speaker terminals together. Do
not connect the negative speaker terminals to ground.

Do not connect an Evolution One Monaural Power Amplifier to a loudspeaker selector device that
employs a common gr

ound scheme, as it may short-circuit the amplifier output.

THERE ARE NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE AN EVOLUTION ONE MONAURAL POWER
AMPLIFIER.

Please contact Krell if you have questions not addressed in this guide.

®

oduct is manufactur

This pr
by Krell Industries, Inc., its subsidiaries, and authorized agents. Evolution Bias
based on U.S. Patent No. 5,331,291. CAST
trademarks ar

© 2005 by Krell Industries, Inc. All rights reserved P/N 307772

e r

ed in the United States of America. Kr

egister

ed to their r

espective companies.

™, Evolution CAST™, and Kr

ell

is a r

ed trademark of Kr

egister

™ is a trademark of Krell Industries, Inc. and is a Krell technology

ell Current Mode

ell Industries, Inc., and is r

e trademarks of Krell Industries, Inc. All other

™ ar

estricted for use

Slew rate

100 V/us

Power consumption
Standby:

225 W

Idle: 300 W
Maximum: 3600 W

31

Return Authorization Procedure

Contents

If you believe there is a problem with your component, please contact your dealer,
distributor, or the Krell factory to discuss the problem before you return the component
for repair. To expedite service, you may wish to complete and e-mail the Service
Request Form in the Service Section of our website at:

http://www.krellonline.com

To contact the Krell Service Department

TEL [phone], Monday-Friday

9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST
FAX [phone]
E-MAIL [e-mail]
WEBSITE http://www.krellonline.com

Evolution One

PRODUCT MODEL NUMBER SERIAL NUMBER

To return a product to Krell, please follow this procedure
so that we may serve you better:

1. Obtain a Return Authorization Number (R/A number) and shipping address from

the Krell Service Department.

List of Illustrations, page iv

A Letter from Dan D’Agostino, page 1

SECTION ONE: About Krell, page 3

The Krell Legacy, Revolutionary Krell CAST Technology,
Ensuring Maximum Per

formance, and Definition of Terms

SECTION TWO: Unpacking and Placement, page 12

Opening the Evolution One Shipping Cartons

SECTION THREE: Anatomy of an Amplifier, page 15

Features and Benefits of the Evolution One Design

SECTION FOUR: Connecting an Evolution One Amplifier to Your System, page 19

CAST and Voltage Connections, Connection Steps,
DC Protection Circuitry, and Remote Control Options

SECTION FIVE: Amplifier Operation, page 22

Powering Up, Adjusting Power Meter Modes,
Switching between CAST and Voltage Connections,
Amplifier Care

2. Insure and accept all liability for loss or damage to the product during shipment

to the Krell factory and ensure all freight (shipping) charges are prepaid.

The product may also be hand delivered if arrangements with the Service Department
have been made in advance. Proof of purchase will be required for warranty validation
at the time of hand delivery

IMPORTANT

Use the original packaging to ensure the safe transit of the product to the factory, dealer,
or distributor. Krell may, at its discretion, return a product in new packaging and bill the
owner for such packaging if the product received by Krell was boxed in nonstandard pack­aging or if the original packaging was so damaged that it was
mines that new packaging is required, the owner will be notified before the product is

ned.

etur

r

o purchase additional packaging, please contact your authorized Krell dealer,

T
distributor, or the Krell Service Department for assistance.

.

-

30

unusable. If Kr

ell deter

SECTION SIX: Amplifier Troubleshooting, page 26

WARRANTY, page 28

RETURN AUTHORIZATION PROCEDURE, page 30

SPECIFICATIONS, page 31

iii

1

List of Illustrations

Figure 1, page 15

Evolution One Amplifier and
Power Supply Chassis Front Panels

Inset Evolution One Amplifier Channel: Front Panel View

Krell will pay return freight to the U.S.A.-based freight forwarder of your choice.
Freight and other charges to ship the unit from the freight forwarder to you are also
your responsibility.

Krell is not responsible for any damage incurred in transit. Krell will file claims
for damages as necessary for units damaged in transit to the factory. You are
responsible for filing claims for shipping damages during the return shipment.

Figure 2, page 16

Evolution One Amplifier and
Power Supply Chassis Back Panels

Figure 3, page 17

Evolution One Amplifier Chassis Top

Figure 4, page 18

Evolution One Power Supply Chassis Top

Krell does not supply replacement parts and/or products to the owner of the unit.
Replacement parts and/or products will be furnished only to the distributor perform­ing service on this unit on an exchange basis only; any parts and/or products
returned to Krell for exchange become the property of Krell.

No expressed or implied warranty is made for any Krell product damaged by
accident, abuse, misuse, natural or personal disaster, or unauthorized modification.

Any unauthorized voltage conversion, disassembly, component replacement,
perforation of chassis, updates, or modifications performed to the unit will
void the warranty.

In the event that Krell receives a product for warranty service that has been modified
in any way without Krell authorization, all warranties on that product will be void.
The product will be returned to original factory layout specifications at the owner’s
expense before it is repaired. All repairs required after the product has been returned
to original factory specifications will be charged to the customer, at current parts
and labor rates.

All operational features, functions, specifications, and policies are subject to change
without notification.

To register your product for warranty benefits, please complete and
return the Warranty Registration Card enclosed in the shipping box within

chase. Thank you.

5 days

1

iv

of pur

29

Warranty

Each Evolution Series amplifier has a limited warranty of five years for parts and
labor on circuitry. Should this product fail to perform at any time during the warran­ty, Krell will repair it at no cost to the owner, except as set forth in this warranty.

This warranty does not apply to damage caused by acts of God or nature.

The war
or implied, including, but not limited to, any implied warranty of merchantability or
fitness for a par
those described in this document. If this product does not perform as warranted
herein, the owner’s sole remedy shall be repair. In no event will Krell be liable for
incidental or consequential damages arising from purchase, use, or inability to use
this product, even if Krell has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Proof of purchase in the form of a bill of sale or receipted invoice substantiating
that the unit is within the warranty period must be presented to obtain warranty
service. The warranty begins on the date of the original retail purchase, as noted
on the bill of sale or receipted invoice from an authorized Krell dealer or distribu­tor. Previously owned equipment, when re-purchased from an authorized Krell
dealer or distributor, has the balance of the original warranty, based on the origi­nal date of manufacture.

The warranty for Krell products is valid only in the country to which they were
originally shipped, through the authorized Krell distributor for that country, and at
the factory. There may be restrictions on or changes to Krell’s warranty because
of regulations within a specific country. Please check with your distributor for a
complete understanding of the war

ranty described on this page shall be in lieu of any other warranty, expressed

ticular purpose. There are no warranties which exceed beyond

ranty in your countr

y.

A Letter from Dan D’Agostino

Dear Audio Enthusiast,

Thank you for your purchase of the Evolution One.

The Evolution One Monaural Power Amplifier represents a watershed in my design
philosophy and in my quest for amplifiers that deliver absolute truth in music
reproduction. This new amplifier operates solely in the current domain, with only
one voltage gain stage at its output. I have always been fascinated by the artistry
inherent in great musical performances, and I believe that no component in an
audio system equates more closely to the full range of musical expression than
the power amplifier. The Evolution One reproduces real-life dynamics and trans­parency in a manner that I have not experienced prior to this design. It is my
pleasure to make it available to you.

Krell amplifiers are best known for their ability to drive any loudspeaker to sound
its best, without regard to impedance or efficiency. The Evolution One amplifier
joins this awesome current capability with a new, ultra-linear circuit topology. It is a
strong belief of mine that linearity, an amplifier’s ability to output an exact dupli­cate of the input signal, is the ultimate measure of that amplifiers worth. I drive
Krell amplifier designs toward the common goal of linearity; through the rigorous
application of Krell design principles that focus our efforts on four major perform­ance factors: distortion, bandwidth, output impedance and current capability. The
Evolution One excels in each of these areas, delivering absolute accuracy from

emely low levels of output, vir

extr
inspiring amounts of power.

tually at pr

eamplifier levels, to astounding, awe-

If a unit is serviced by a distributor who did not import the unit, there may be a
charge for service, even if the product is within the warranty period.

Freight to the factory is your responsibility. Return freight within the United States
(U.S.A.) is included in the warranty. If you have purchased your Krell product outside
the U.S.A. and wish to have it serviced at the factory, all freight and associated

ges to the factor

char

y are your responsibility.

28

As the foundation of my new Evolution Series, the Evolution One Monaural Power
Amplifier is designed to complement the Evolution T

eamplifier per

Pr
loudspeakers, and experience the extraordinary capabilities of the Evolution
System.

fectly. Combine the Evolution One and Two with my new LAT-1000

1

wo Monaural Power

continue

d

(A Letter from Dan D’Agostino continued)

I have some exciting news for you. Work on a new source component for the
Evolution Series is ongoing as of this writing. Possessed of the unique Evolution
technologies that power the amplifier and preamplifier, this Evolution source will
expose the real advantages of the latest recording formats while taking compact
disc playback to the next level. I encourage you to audition it as soon as it is
released.

ely,

Sincer

Daniel D’Agostino
Chief Executive Officer

Evolution One amplifiers report operational issues by flashing the power/stand-by
LEDs (4) in red, in a specific sequence, or by tripping the rear panel breaker (21),
as follows:

Diagnostic Codes Possible Condition Course of Action

1 flash, pause, 2 flashes, Amplifier is over Allow the amplifier
repeat; then the amplifier temperature to cool. When the LEDs
reverts to stand-by mode stop flashing, the ampli-

fier has cooled down.

flash, pause, 5 flashes, Short circuit Check all connections
repeat; then the amplifier on output at the amplifier and loud­reverts to stand-by mode speaker binding posts.

Cycle the power breaker
switch (21) on the power
supply and attempt to
power on the amplifier.
Call the factory if the
problem persists.

1 flash, pause, 7 flashes, Line frequency error: Contact your local
repeat; then the amplifier The amplifier is set for authorized Krell
reverts to stand-by mode 60 Hz, but is attempt- dealer or distributor.

ing to operate via a
50Hz system.

Output mutes while music DC detected at input Check source and
is playing, and then sound during playback. preamplifier for

esumes.

r

The power breaker switch Possible component Contact your local
(21) trips; then the amplifier failure. authorized Krell
powers of

epeats this action when

r
powered on. Department.

2

f. The amplifier

Input capacitors ar
automatically engaged. Once DC has been elimi-

27

e

excessive DC output.

nated, cycle the power
breaker switch (21) to
disengage the input
capacitors.

dealer or distributor

ell Ser

the Kr

, or

vice