Sad day....my Krells have to go.

jedi35 · « **on:** 6 Jun 2009, 05:37 am »

Hi guys,
After making it through a year that put me in 4 different cars, my lovely, zippy 2003 Volkswagen GTI 1.8T is now parked at a mechanic's shop. The timing belt broke, and it is confirmed that my valves were bent. I could be looking at a few thousand in repairs if my warranty coverage finks out. The timing belt is supposed to be covered for 2 years, 24K miles. Still, I must prepare for the worst, and figure out a way to pay for things, atleast in the short run.This is killing me, but my beloved Krell KMA-100 Class A Mono Blocks have to go. Here is the Agon link:

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1249339086&/Krell-KMA-100%27s-The-Classic-Cl

If you know of anyone looking for some awesome amps, please point them this way. They are being sold through Zaw at Alpha Tech. I just about cried when I saw the photos online...

Adrian

Scott F. · « **Reply #1 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 11:00 am »

Adrian,

That sucks. You have the worst luck with cars. Ever think about a Taurus? We've run through ~~four~~ five of them and gotten no less than 250k miles out of each. You just have to make sure you get the 3.0 liter V6. No other engine. Sure, they are ugly but once you get past that and the slip and slam transmission (it won't fail, it just annoys), those things run forever providing you change the oil and transmission fluid.

Do you need another amp? I've got a few more Spectro Acoustics laying around. Granted they aren't the big 250 watters but I've got a couple more 100's. I'd probably need to recap the power supplies but I think I've got some 10,000 uF caps around here still. They aren't pretty but they pump out music.

dangerbird · « **Reply #2 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 11:40 am »

Gorgeous amps,,sorry for your loss.

BPT · « **Reply #3 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 12:24 pm »

Scott:
I loaned Adrian my two 250/500 watt dual mono Ice amps to use on his bi-amped Martin Logans until he gets his auto problem (rotten luck) worked out. Hope the warranty company comes through.
Chris H.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #4 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 02:33 pm »

I've offered my services to Adrian on the VW repair if his service contract company weasels out. Could save him a bundle. Can't help ya' with the sale of the Krells though, too rich for my blood.
Good luck Sir. Let me know if I can help.

Ya'all have a good weekend.

Bob

Lyndon · « **Reply #5 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 03:40 pm »

Bob, you and all the G.A.S. guys are real stand up!
Didn't you help someone's daughter with their white Camry in Missouri last year?
Good luck on the Krell sale, Adrian.

Lyndon

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #6 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 03:45 pm »

Quote from: Lyndon on 6 Jun 2009, 03:40 pm

Bob, you and all the G.A.S. guys are real stand up!

Yea Lyndon... that's the way GAS guys roll.

I do feel very fortunate to be so close to a fantastic bunch of guys.

The white car you spoke of is a Pontiac that belongs to the daughter of Wayne from Bolder Cables. I did a little body work on it's hind end.

Bob

KenSeger · « **Reply #7 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 03:48 pm »

Adrian,

Good luck with the auto repairs and holding the warrenty people's feet to the fire.

I can't loan anything as nice or as big as what has been offered, but if for some reason those fall through or have to be gone for a period of time, let me know - I've a few modest amps that I could loan.

Ken

jedi35 · « **Reply #8 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 04:15 pm »

Scott,
What's really funny, although I'm not laughing these days, is that I had just picked up Chris' amps and was headed home when the timing belt broke. I got my GTI after a 4 month search in the middle of the credit crunch, so they have me locked away for quite awhile with a crazy high interest car payment. I'd just made the 6th month note, not to mention the front brake job that had been done a few days earlier in Rolla, and that my car insurance went sky high after the "one" accident on my record last year. I'm looking at another 3 and a half years of this. Way back when, a salesman wanted to put me in a Taurus for about $2500. It was a V8, but there wouldn't have been a good warranty, and something was wrong with the car. Chris' amps sound very musical in my system, and it's nice to have matched(or shall I say Balanced) power on the panels and the woofers of the Monoliths. I thought that my Threshold amp blew a couple of weeks ago. It turns out that a power surge blew the fuses in one channel, so the amp is saved, just replaced the fuses and I was good to go. It's now taking a break. I'm yet using the Quests in the system, so your Spectra Acoustics amp is powering those. Thanks for your kind offer. Heck, my two Parasound HCA 800 II amps do a surprisingly good job on the Monoliths. They sound pretty ballsy and vigorous, while Chris' amps have no harshness, more musicality, and a silkier top end that is fatigue-free. The Parasounds never did that well with the Quests, but I only had them on the woofers when some other amp went down. The bass sounded small then, I don't know what has happened to liven them up now.

Thanks Chris. You and Bob have saved the day. I'm completely torn up inside about letting the Krells go. I never actually planned on ever letting them get away from my cold, dead fingers. I figured that I would always use them somewhere in the system. Oh boy...

Bob,
Yeah, buddy, I'm counting on your offer if things go south with the warranty company. So far, they've asked for the engine to be broken down so they can send out an inspector to survey the damage and determine the cause. The other day I went out to see the damaged belt, and the bent valves. I'm having to spend money(what little I have) on crappy "rent a wreck" type cars until they decide to cover me. At that point, my rental and towing coverages should kick in.

Anybody got a car I can use....LOL.

Thank you all for your concern in this horrible luck I'm having, and for the generous offers. You guys are the best!!

Adrian

thunderbrick · « **Reply #9 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 04:46 pm »

Adrian, I may have a car to loan, but I have to warn you it is BIG and the mileage is lousy and I'd have to have it back some weekends to pull a trailer.

Can also loan a Parasound amp if you need (1000? 1500?) I forget which one.

Bob

electricbear · « **Reply #10 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 08:34 pm »

That's some bad luck you've been having my friend. I can understand how bad you feel about having to let your Krells go. I felt exactly the same with my Avalons.

PMAT · « **Reply #11 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 09:42 pm »

Don't sell the amps. There is always another way if you think about it. Maybe borrow the money, lease out your amps for 2 years to pay it back. Anyone out there willing to pay $40 a month to use the Krells? Dumb idea? Selling them is perhaps dumber. Stupid cars!

jedi35 · « **Reply #12 on:** 6 Jun 2009, 10:04 pm »

Oh, believe me, I wish there were another way. I do NOT want to sell these amps. I just don't know anyone I could borrow the money from that I haven't already tapped out for something else. I owe Zaw another $400 for the Krells' repair bill, and he's going to take a 20 % commission off the sale, but it looks like I need money fast. I was hoping to drive the car to MI for my summer job, which starts on June 20. I may have to find another way up there. What's a guy to do?? Thunderbrick, I'll be sending you a PM.

Adrian

wedweb · « **Reply #13 on:** 7 Jun 2009, 12:24 am »

You could borrow the money from someone in here and let them use the amps as collateral until repayment has been made.

Bo

jedi35 · « **Reply #14 on:** 7 Jun 2009, 01:17 am »

Well, OK then. Bo, are you making the offer....??? LOL. I'm open to the idea if I have any takers.

Adrian

jedi35 · « **Reply #15 on:** 7 Jun 2009, 04:55 pm »

Zaw just lowered the price on my Krells. I think I feel sick.

Adrian

Joe_K · « **Reply #16 on:** 8 Jun 2009, 04:22 pm »

Adrian,
I hate to hear this, you have more than your share of bad luck with cars!
Why would he lower the price in just 3 days?
Wish I could do something to help. Let me know if I can help!
Joe

jedi35 · « **Reply #17 on:** 8 Jun 2009, 05:29 pm »

Yeah, I think it's crazy that he lowered the price so fast. I wish I knew why. I'm going to give him a call.

Adrian

jedi35 · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Jun 2009, 09:00 pm »

Hey guys,

Just wanting to pipe in and give you all an update on what's going on now. A great big public thank you goes out to Bob/thunderbrick for helping me in a major way with transportation for the next several days. He came to my house after flying in from Detroit, picked me up, drove me to Rolla on Monday night(he lives there, and I needed to be there to teach on Tuesday), and let me borrow one of his vehicles so that I can still get around whille I'm waiting on things to happen with my car. Thanks, Bob!! The real pleasure came in finding out that we both know a lot of the same people, one of whom Bob mentors in photography. Her daughter is one of my violin students in Rolla, and is she is one of my biggest successes, at 11 years old. How cool is that???

At this point, the car warranty people have requested that the engine be broken down even further than it has been so that the inspector can come out and take pictures for his report. That engine work is getting done today, and hopefully the pictures can be taken quickly. I hope that I'm not being too optimistic, but I'm hoping to have the car work completed in time for me to drive it to MI next weekend. The owner of the car lot where my car is right now(the place is called Slick Auto....yes, I know....but they actually have a great reputation, and have done well by me in the past) has agreed to do everything he can to make sure that the mechanic handles his part as quickly as can be expected. I am anticipating that the warranty company will say yes for the repair work. If this doesn't happen, then I have a backup plan in place with Bob in St. Louis doing the work, as you know. I think that all the bases look like they're covered.

I don't want to mention any specifics about my amps, other than the fact that it appears that I may not have to let them go. Great news for me!!! More later...

Adrian
Not that it matters know, but Zaw lowered the price on the Krells because he didn't get any offers at the asking price, so he was just trying to get them sold for me as quickly as possible. I am grateful for his efforts, but felt really badly about having to give the amps up, especially at an even lower price than $2400. I didn't mean to imply anything bad about him.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 Jun 2009, 12:09 am »

Awwww, shucks, ain't nuttin' that any other GAS guy wouldn't a done.