There may be not be any audiophile product more sought after by hardcore audiophiles than a Krell power amplifier. Owning one of Dan D'agostino's powerhouses means that you have reached the holy land of the hobby, yet in today's increasing home theater-driven market, the idea that you can plunk down $20,000-per-channel monoblocks for all seven channels of your surround sound system will make even the most braggadocio billionaire blush a little. This is where the $7,500 Krell Theater Amplifier Standard comes in.

The Krell Theater Amplifier Standard is all Krell, packing 200 watts of power for five channels. For the 7.1 system, use the Krell TAS for the center, side and rear speakers and use a Krell stereo or a pair of Evolution monoblock amps for a truly over-the-top experience. The Krell Amplifier Standard is built to insane tolerances and boasts a massive 4000 va toroidal transformer. There are both balanced and unbalanced inputs. Sonically, this amp is all Krell. Incredible bass. Power and headroom are a forgone conclusion and the overall control you will have on your speakers with the Krell Theater Amplifier Standard is simply sensational.

High Points
• Power, power and more power over five channels makes the Krell TAS truly lust-worthy.
• The bass on Krell amps is the best in the business. Low, fast and tight only start to describe the sound.
• The looks of the Krell TAS befit an amp that costs this much. Consider plunking a Krell TAS on a chunk of marble in the middle of your living room, because it looks just that nice.
• You can bridge some of the channels to make the amp even more powerful, say, as a three-channel amp.

Low Points
• Weight is always a consideration with an amp at this level.
• Compared to the trendy digital amps, heat can also be an issue, but if you compare the sound - especially on the low end - there is no comparison to even the best Class-D amps out there.

Conclusion
If you have always dreamed of owning a Krell amp, the Krell Theater Amplifier Standard is one the best ways to get into the game. Its flexibility to be used as a bridged stereo (or three-channel) amp makes it a perfect starter piece. For 7.1 systems with Krell Evolution monoblocks, you have the potential of an all-world power system that can be as dynamic as any movie soundtrack out there, while at the same time able to resolve the finest detail from a 5.1 SACD with glistening beauty and total control.