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Kraken

Music-Quality 5-Channel Amp

Forkbeard
Finish
Voltage (?)
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$999.00

Ships 1-3 days

Description

Specs

FAQ

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Music quality, home theater flexibility—Kraken is the answer to exceptional sound in surround. Pair up with a Syn for surround from any source, from vintage LPs to the latest blockbuster films.

Bringing Audiophile Quality to Surround
Kraken is a no-compromises, audiophile-quality power amp—that just happens to have 5 channels of output. You won’t find Class D, switching supplies, or chip amps here. Kraken is an exotic current-feedback, fully discrete, DC-coupled, Class AB amp with a 100% linear power supply, including a 600VA toroidal transformer and 66,000uF of filter capacitance. 
 
Power and Dynamics to Spare
Kraken delivers 100W total into 8 ohms, all channels driven. Doesn’t sound like a lot? Well, consider that Kraken can also deliver peaks of 20 amps per channel, to control the most intense loads. 100W from Kraken is more than enough for lease-breaking home theater levels, while also delivering the ultimate detail and delicacy for high-end stereo.
 
Create a Complete System
Tired of upgrading every time some new wacky surround standard comes out? Pair Kraken with Syn, and experience surround set free. Syn decodes actual surround content from any source, whether it’s an LP on your turntable or the digital outputs from your TV, computer, or streamer. Get off the standards treadmill with Syn and Kraken!
 
Forkbeard™: Power Output and System Health
Kraken supports Forkbeard, the only multi-product, multi-stack, unified control system. One iOS app gives you complete visibility of instant power output, amp health, remote control of Standby mode, and integrates with many other Schiit products.
 
Designed and Built in the USA
By “designed and built in the USA" this is what we mean: the vast majority of the total production cost of Kraken—chassis, boards, assembly, etc—goes to US companies manufacturing in the US. Our chassis and transformers are made in California. Our PCBs are made in California or Nevada, and it all comes together in our San Antonio facility.

5-Year Warranty, Easy Returns
Kraken is covered by a 5-year limited warranty that covers parts and labor. And if you don’t like your Kraken, you can send it back for a refund, minus 5% restocking fee, within 15 days of receiving it.

Power Output:

2 channels, 8 Ohms: 30W RMS per channel
2 channels, 4 Ohms: 50W RMS per channel
5 channels, 8 ohms: 20W RMS per channel
5 channels, 4 ohms: 30W RMS per channel 
 
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, +/-0.03db, 3Hz-250KHz, +/-3dB
 
THD: <0.008%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 100W RMS into 8 ohms 
IMD: <0.009%, CCIR, at 100W RMS into 8 ohms
 
SNR: >118dB, A-weighted, referenced to full output 
 
Damping Factor: >100 into 8 ohms, 20-20kHz
 
Gain: 10 (20dB)
 
Input Sensitivity: AKA Rated Output (Vrms)/Rated Gain. Or, 14.3V/10. You do the math.
 
Input Impedance: 22k ohms SE
 
Crosstalk: >85dB, 20-20kHz
 
Inputs: RCA jacks x 5
 
12V trigger: yes
 
Topology: current feedback, fully complementary, all 2SC/2SA BJT, no capacitors in the signal path
 
Oversight: microprocessor-controlled monitoring and management of critical operational points, with with relay shut-down for overcurrent, thermal, and other faults
 
Power Supply: 600VA toroidal transformer with 66,000uF filter capacitance, plus boosted, regulated supply to input, voltage gain and driver stages, plus separate, isolated and regulated rails for microprocessor management
 
Power Consumption: 300W maximum 
 
Size: 9” x 13” x 3.875”
 
Weight: 22 lbs
 
 

Why should I get this rather than something that claims 1000 watts and weighs the same as carton of cigarettes?
Because you’re smart, and you know there ain’t any such thing as a free lunch.

Are you saying designs like that are compromised?
No. You’re saying that.
 
So by inference—
Easy, Mr. High School Debate Champion 2003! Sounds like you want to put words in our mouth. So let’s get it out here:
  • Kraken is a real no-compromise design. As in, it’s a fully discrete, Class AB, current-feedback, DC-coupled, linear-supply power amp. It’s an amp you’d be happy to hook to multi-thousand-dollar speakers and play music through. And, in that way, it’s not your typical home theater amp.
  • Kraken is also super-overbuilt. Find another 20W per channel amp that can also do 20A/100mS peaks. You probably won’t find it. At least not at $200/channel.
  • Finally, Kraken has a ton of modern, smart protection. As in, it’s the recipient of nearly a decade of our refinement of intelligent amp designs. A microprocessor continually reviews and assesses every operational parameter, and ensures amp and speaker safety

What does Forkbeard™ do?

Forkbeard does everything a remote control does, but for multiple products in multiple stacks. For a preamp, it controls volume, selects inputs, picks output modes, etc. But it also does a lot more, like show you system health—temperature and current on an amp, for example, and tube heater status on a tube preamp. It can do even more when multiple products are brought together, like Visual Volume, an easy way to tell how much headroom you have left in your system. More info is available here: schiit.com/forkbeard
 
You know, 20 watts per channel doesn’t sound like a lot for home theater.
You know, 2 watts and 10 watts didn’t sound like much for the desktop until we introduced Gjallarhorn and Rekkr. Now people are shocked that these tiny amps can peel paint and break leases. Great amps don’t need huge power numbers to sound amazing.
 
Is this really good enough for music?
Absolutely. Kraken is fully capable of being used for the most critical music listening. Like all of our other amps, it’s a DC-coupled, high-bandwidth design, with very low noise. It’s not based on a module or a chip; it’s our own unique topology and design.
 
This tech stuff makes my head hurt. Why are you so into that?
Because, dear sir, it’s what matters. Do you really want the entire audio industry to collapse into a couple of purveyors of easy-to-use “modules” and “chips” with fancy names, to be used in dozens of same-o-same-o designs, maybe with a tweak here or there? We don’t. That’s why our designs are 100% original, discrete topologies, designed specifically for the needs of the amp. Even Kraken, though similar to amps like Vidar, has its own unique spin on our current-feedback architecture. We believe this bespoke design results in better performance. We hope you do too.
 
Gimme more details, but try to make it simple.
Oh boy. Sorry, this may hurt:
  1. A pair of massive 2SC/2SA Toshiba TO3P output transistors for each channel.
  2. 100% DC coupled throughout, no capacitors in the signal path.
  3. Separate discrete regulated high voltage rails improve efficiency and are ground-referenced (not stacked).
  4. 32-bit Microprocessor-based protection system uses a “least invasive methodology”—no active devices in signal path, no current limiting, no crowbars—just resistors and relays.  
  5. 4-layer, 0.093” thick PC board for optimal layout and current flow.
  6. Exotic, modern parts for higher performance—1% metal-strip output resistors eliminate inductance, MELF resistors for feedback, silicon and film capacitors for precision compensation, air-core output inductors.
  7. No fan, just a massive amount of heatsinking, for silent operation.
So no class D?
No.
 
No chip amps?
No.
 
No switching supplies?
No.
 
But I want to be nice to the environment.
Cool. That’s why we gave you a front-panel standby mode, which reduces power consumption to only 1-2 watts while it waits for you to use it. Kraken also has very low overall power consumption needs, running only 15-20W at idle.
 
Wait a sec, do I see a 12V trigger back there?
Yes.
 
OMGQTFBBQ. Is the world ending? You put a 12V trigger on one of your products?
We figured some people might want to use this in a home theater that has 12V triggers. Call us sensible.
 
How do I bridge this amp for more power?
You don’t. It’s a 5-channel amp. 5 sets of RCA in. 5 sets of binding post outs. Simple as that. But not bridgeable, not configurable in that way.
 
Is this amp happy with 4 ohm loads?
Absolutely no problem.
 
Does this work well with Syn?
Absolutely. Kraken is an ideal pair with Syn, for a never-obsolescent, works-with-everything surround system. Break free of the standards wars and enjoy real surround from your Netflix shows…and your 1960s LPs!

Does this work well with (insert other surround processor here)?
Does it have RCA outputs? Then yes, absolutely.
 
I need more channels, what do I do?
Stack a couple of Krakens (well, actually better to run them side by side, but you get what we’re saying, right?) or add more of our other amps. Heck, go crazy and run 11 Tyrs! Have fun! It’s OK to be a little nuts!
 
So what the heck is a Kraken? 
Kraken is the legendary sea monster in Norse mythology. 

Wait, that’s it? Did it have 5 necks or something? What’s the tie-in here?
Yes. Yes it had 5 necks. It was attested by Snorri Sturlson and his 17th granddaughter to be a scaly beast with 5 necks, toughly armored, fierce in battle and yet cool of head…no wait are you kidding? It’s a mythical beast. Maybe if it existed it would have five necks. But it doesn’t exist. So enjoy the cool name and take a break from trying to deconstruct everything. Unless you went from debate team champ to law. Then it’s your job, right? 

Kraken Owner's Manual