Coupling legendary Krell preamplifier technology, state of the art digital processing, and the latest in HDMI 1.3 surround formats, the S-1200 is an ideal centerpiece for any high performance music and home theater system. Based on award-winning preamplifier technology, all eight S-1200U analog output stages are built to the same exacting standard and feature balanced and single-ended cable connections. Only Krell designed preamplifier circuitry is employed within every channel utilizing discrete current based Class A, direct coupled circuitry for the greatest signal purity and highest bandwidth. Performance robbing op amps or integrated circuits are not used anywhere in the audio path. Preamp mode bypasses all digital circuitry and routes analog stereo inputs directly to a balanced resistor ladder volume control for ultimate music reproduction.
The heart of a Krell surround sound preamp/processors is sound quality. We start with a great sounding preamplifier and then pair that to the latest in surround processing technology. The S-1200 includes our finest audio and video engineering plus the latest in connectivity technology, HDMI 1.3, to insure the ultimate home theater experience for our customers. The audio signal path is a direct descendant of our Evolution 707 Reference Surround preamp/processor. The S-1200 also uses the same DSP engine and 1080p video stage from the Evolution 707.

At the hub of the S-1200 digital signal processing is a pair of dual core 32 bit Cirrus CS497004 DSP's performing 1.8 giga operations per second. Digital signals are then routed to 24 bit ESS Sabre DACS.

The video content is treated to the same high performance engineering as the audio signals. Video circuitry takes full advantage of the new Deep Color HDMI 1.3 specifications. Maximum color depth has been increased from 24 bits to 48 bits and bandwidth from 165MHz to 340 MHz. Full video transcoding converts composite, S-Video, or component inputs to HDMI signals. Furthermore, the S-1200U model includes upconversion to a maximum of 1080p resolution. The S-1200 is a true "one connection solution" with on-screen display, configuration menus, and status messages available from all active video outputs including HDMI.

HDMI 1.3 is at the cutting edge of today's technology and Krell is the first company to offer solutions for both reference and high performance home theaters. Like its bigger brother, the Evolution 707, the new S-1200 combines peerless audio and video performance with the convenience features our customers demand.

Finished in classic Krell brushed silver or black anodized Aluminum, the S-1200 begs to be seen but can be easily integrated into modern rack mount based systems.