Pathos Kratos
Pathos Kratos blends valve-like warmth with commanding dynamics, delivering a three-dimensional soundstage, crisp articulation and the grip to make demanding loudspeakers feel effortless. Alan Sircom found its 200W hybrid architecture richly immersive yet naturally refined, while its potent headphone stage and generous balanced connectivity extend the appeal of this luxurious, high-powered integrated.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
94/100
Build Quality
82/100
Features Connectivity
87/100
Value for Money
88/100
Pros
Combines warm, refined valve-like tonality with powerful control and effortless drive for difficult loudspeakers.
Delivers outstanding transient performance, energetic dynamics and a spacious three-dimensional image with strong depth and separation.
Capable headphone amplifier offers both refinement and substantial power, driving a wide range of headphones.
Cons
Unlabelled front-panel controls and remote make initial operation less intuitive than many rivals.
Slightly forward presentation may be excessive with already forward-sounding partnering equipment.
Headphone output is tucked beneath the fascia and lacks a balanced connection.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 94/100
The Kratos combines the scale and grip expected of a 200Wpc amplifier with an unusually refined, valve-influenced presentation. Review listening found it energetic, spacious and deeply involving, with only a little top-end forwardness and a slight lightness on an extreme soundstage image noted as caveats.
Transparency Resolution
91/100
Reviewing found excellent articulation and fine microdynamic cues, with a natural, refreshing high end rather than an overtly analytical one. The reviewer notes it does not quite match the ultimate top-end sheen of far more costly amplification, but still considers it a highly refined performer.
Tonal Balance Musicality
94/100
The Kratos is described as warm without becoming soft or soggy, while retaining the refinement and elegance associated with small valve amplifiers. Its presentation is said to draw the listener deeply into music, though a touch of forwardness could be excessive with already forward-sounding partnering equipment.
Dynamics
96/100
Dynamics are a major strength: the review praises outstanding transient performance, energy and intensity across a wide range of material. It drove difficult loudspeakers easily and brought greater apparent scale and power even to more accommodating speaker loads.
Soundstage Imaging
95/100
The Kratos produces a notably dimensional presentation, with performers given distinct three-dimensional space beyond the loudspeakers. Review listening identified considerable depth, some height and strong spatial separation, although an extreme image placement slightly lightened one bass vocal.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
82/100
The review remarks on the amplifier's substantial heatsinks, which look elegant but are physically unforgiving if handled carelessly. Beyond that observation, reviewers say little about chassis construction, internal engineering or long-term durability.
Features Connectivity
87/100
Connectivity is generous for an analogue-focused integrated amplifier, including five RCA line inputs, two balanced XLR inputs, a direct balanced power-amp input, and both RCA and XLR pre-outs. Its capable headphone amplifier is a useful inclusion, but the unlabeled controls and remote reduce day-to-day friendliness, while the single-ended headphone socket lacks a balanced option.
Value for Money
88/100
At roughly $10,500–$10,995, the Kratos is a premium integrated amplifier, but the review says Pathos amplifiers can outperform considerably more expensive designs. That praise, alongside its high power, balanced connectivity and accomplished hybrid sound, supports a convincingly justified premium against higher-priced rivals, though the review does not identify specific competing models.
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Specifications
- Type
- Hybrid stereo amplifier, fully balanced. Preamplifier stage: tubes, class A, 2 x TungSol ECC803SFinal stage: Mosfet, bridge configuration, class AB
- Output Power
- 2 x 200WRMS @ 8 Ω, 2 x 350WRMS @ 4 Ω
- Max input voltage
- 5V RMS
- Input sensitivity
- 350mV
- Input impedance
- 20K balanced and unbalanced
- Pre out gain
- 15dB
- Gain
- 42dB balanced and unbalanced
- Analogue inputs
- 2 balanced XRL line, 5 unbalanced RCA line, 1 balanced XRL direct to the power amp
- Optional inputs
- (available only with HiDac Mk2 module installed)2x USB “B” type; px SPDIF RCA; 1x SPDIF optic
- Outputs
- 1 Pre out stereo unbalanced RCA, 1 Pre out stereo Balanced XLR
- Output power
- 3,3 W @ 16 Ω , 2 W @ 32 Ω
- MAx output level
- 10V RMS
- Amplifier
- 425mm (D) x 525mm (W) x 210mm (H)
- Weight
- 35Kg
Manufacturer's Description — Pathos
Kratos’ name directly comes from its most important feature: power. In Greek mythology, indeed, Kratos was the god of strength, might and power.
Kratos is based on Pathos’ hybrid circuit, with tubes pre-stage and Mosfet final stage; it has 200W for each channel.
But that’s not all. Kratos’ pre-stage and final stage are clearly separated, with a prestigious pre-out and direct input to final stage; both pre-out and final stages are balanced XLR .
Warm, deep, dynamic sound
Its preamplification circuit is in pure class A; it uses Tung-Sol ECC803s tubes: sound is warm, deep, dynamic.
Final Mosfet stage in class AB is strongly polarized in class A; its great power both at 8 and 4 Ohms makes Kratos able to drive any loudspeaker.
Kratos is also headphone amplifier with a dedicated circuitry (2 W @ 32 Ω).
Design is inspired by Logos, the great Pathos’ historic product. But this is a simple aesthetic affinity: similarities stops here. Kratos hides new technical solutions which make it the leading-edge-product between non-InPol amplifiers.
Kratos’ basic features (5 RCA, 2 balanced XLR, digital display, remote-controlled functions) could be improved by a DAC (optional).
Thanks to the optional DAC module featuring the HiDac Mk2 board, Kratos will be able to receive all your music from your PC by USB or from a digital source by S/PDIF.
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- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- Alta Fedelta — online and in-store — Lombardia, Italy (website)
- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Art & Voice — online (website)
- Audio Affair — online and in-store — Deritend, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Audio Solutions — online and in-store — Indianapolis, Indiana, United States (website)
- Audio Zaal — online and in-store — Binnenstad, Utrecht, Netherlands (website)
- Auditorium — in-store — Hamburg-Mitte, Hamburg, Germany (website)
- COMMERCIAL ELECTRONICS — online and in-store — Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (website)
- George Meyer AV — in-store — Los Angeles, California, United States (website)
and 26 more verified dealers