Krell Digital Vanguard Integrated Stereo Amplifier

The Digital Vanguard incorporates a 200-watt-per channel amplifier and a Class A preamplifier, enclosed in a chassis that borrows its design and construction from the new Krell Foundation preamp/processor, Connect stream player, Illusion preamp and iBias amplifiers. Digital support has been included with USB, HDMI, coaxial, and optical inputs as well as Ethernet audio and Bluetooth streaming.

The Vanguard’s amplifier incorporates a massive power supply with a 750 VA toroidal transformer and 80,000 microfarads of storage capacitance. The tremendous amount of energy on tap provides 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 400 watts into 4 ohms. Two quiet, thermostatically controlled fans permit the use of a surprisingly compact chassis.

The preamplifier section of the Vanguard borrows its balanced, fully discrete Class A circuit concepts from Krell’s top-of-the-line Illusion preamplifiers. Krell’s Current Mode technology is employed to assure unequaled signal bandwidth, easily enough to handle the latest high-resolution PCM and DSD audio sources without impacting high-frequency response and detail.

Packed with many of Krell’s most musical-sounding technologies, the elegant chassis is living-room-friendly. Yet it has enough power to achieve incredible, lifelike dynamics with any speaker.

The front-panel menu system provides configuration features such as input naming and input trim. Theater Throughput mode lets the Vanguard serve as the core of a surround-sound system without sacrificing two-channel sound quality. Analog Inputs include three stereo RCA and one stereo balanced XLR. High-quality WBT speaker cable terminals provide a secure, electrically ideal connection.

The Digital Vanguard also offers features that make it perfect for custom installation, such as 3.5mm jacks for IR input and 12-volt trigger input and output, as well as optional rack-mount ears. Additionally, the unit can be controlled with home automation systems through its Ethernet connection.

A key feature for the Digital Vanguard is its digital module, which includes USB, HDMI inputs and output, coax and optical digital inputs; and Bluetooth wireless for convenient streaming from phones, tablets and computers. The digital module supports audio playback up to 24-bit/192kHz and uses an ESS Sabre DAC to get the most out of today’s hi-res audio formats.

The Digital Vanguard is Roon Ready* and Spotify Connect* compatible. Additionally, with the mconnect Control app (available in iOS and Android versions) the Digital Vanguard supports Tidal and Deezer music services and Internet radio. The app also provides playlist creation and extensive search features for music stored in the cloud, on the local network, or on a USB flash memory stick.

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Inputs
  1 pr. balanced via XLR connectors
  3 pr. single-ended via RCA connectors
  2 HDMI (4K)
  1 USB(Front Panel)
  1 RJ45 Network Port
• Outputs
  1 pr. speaker outputs via WBT gold-plated binding posts
  1 HDMI with ARC support
• Control inputs
  1 remote IR detector input via 3-conductor 3.5 mm connector
  1 12 VDC trigger input via 2-conductor 3.5 mm connector
• Control output
  1 programmable 12 VDC trigger output (300 mA maximum current) via 2-conductor 3.5 mm connector
• Input impedance
  Balanced: 95 kΩ
  Single-ended: 47.5 kΩ
• Frequency response
  20 Hz to 20 kHz +0, –0.01 dB
  <2 Hz to 150 kHz +0, –3 dB
• Signal-to-noise ratio
  >90 dB, wideband, unweighted, at maximum gain, referred to full power output
  >97 dB, “A”-weighted
• Gain
  48 dB
• Input sensitivity
  Single-ended or balanced: 160 mV RMS
• Total harmonic distortion
  <0.015% at 1 kHz, at 200 W, 8 Ω load
  <0.13% at 20 kHz, at 200 W, 8 Ω load
• Output power
  200 W RMS per channel at 8 Ω
  400 W RMS per channel at 4 Ω
•  Output voltage
  113 V peak to peak
  40 V RMS
• Output current
  16 A peak
• Slew rate
  50 V/μs
• Output impedance
  <0.066 Ω at 20 Hz
  <0.075 Ω, 20 Hz to 20 kHz
• Damping factor
  >121 at 20 Hz, referred to 8 Ω
  >106, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, referred to 8 Ω
• Power consumption
  Standby: 12 W
  Idle: 70 W
  Maximum: 1300 W
• Heat output
  Standby: 41 BTU/hr
  Idle: 239 BTU/hr
  Maximum: 4436 BTU/hr
• Dimensions
  17.1 in W x 4.15 in H x 17.5 in D
  434 mm W x 105 mm H x 445 mm D
• Digital Module Specs: Coaxial and HDMI inputs support PCM up to 24-bit/192kHz. Optical input up to 24-bit/96kHz
• HDMI inputs support DSD and 4K video content. HDMI output supports Audio Return Channel (ARC)
• USB and Network streaming support MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV(PCM), FLAC, ALAC up to 192kHz
• Bluetooth streaming supports A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP