[PhilT3]

I have been quoted on some B&K stacks:


(1) Reference 50 S.2

(1) Reference 125.7 (125 watts x 7 @ 8 ohm)

Price: $4,000.00


OR


(1) Reference 50 S.2

(1) Reference 200.5 (200 watts x 5 @ 8 ohm)

Price: $4,500.00


I am running Focal Chorus 836v's for fronts (180 watts RMS), CC800v for center and (2) SR800v's for surrounds. They are all 8 ohm speakers.


Is the extra power worth $500? I DO like to listen at very loud levels. But some people tell me that 125 watts will be more than enough. The sensitivity on the speakers is 91db I believe.


The reason this is a tough choice is my budget was originally $2,000 when I thought I was simply going to get A/V Receiver. So at 4k I am pushing it.


What would YOU choose?


Thanks.

 

[J.H.]

Um take two you can always use the extra power. Its a great thing to have and for only $500 more you can't go wrong. I have B&K equipment and love it I would say you will too.

 

[PhilT3]

thanks J.H. I appreciate the feedback. Kind of my thoughts exactly.


Anyone else?

 

[J.H.]

You really can't go wrong with B&K equipment. I think they make incredible stuff at great prices and its made in the USA right in Buffalo NY. Designed and manufactured in Buffalo NY. I have the Ref50 S2 and it beat out processors that cost double. Amazing gear in my opinion.

 

[atdamico]



Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilT3 /forum/post/0


thanks J.H. I appreciate the feedback. Kind of my thoughts exactly.


Anyone else?

My thoughts would be to go with the B&K Ref 50 s2 and Sherbourn amp 200x7 for around 3 grand and save a thousand. Either JH or I can connect you up with an authorized dealer.

 

[iove]

I would get the 200.7 amp and a cheap processor, like the Denon pre-amp that's referenced in another thread. The next generation B&K preamp is coming out later this year. I wouldn't pay full price for the ref 50 s2 right now. Their amp is a champ though!

 

[J.H.]



Quote:
Originally Posted by iove /forum/post/0


I would get the 200.7 amp and a cheap processor, like the Denon pre-amp that's referenced in another thread. The next generation B&K preamp is coming out later this year. I wouldn't pay full price for the ref 50 s2 right now. Their amp is a champ though!

I wouldn't pay full price for anything. You can get the Ref50 S2 at a great price and in my opinion it will sound better than the Denon. All though if the Denon has AUDYSSEY that could sway me in the Denon's direction but overall sonic sound in my opinion the B&K Ref50 S2 will sound better.

 

[atdamico]



Quote:
Originally Posted by J.H. /forum/post/0


I wouldn't pay full price for anything. You can get the Ref50 S2 at a great price and in my opinion it will sound better than the Denon. All though if the Denon has AUDYSSEY that could sway me in the Denon's direction but overall sonic sound in my opinion the B&K Ref50 S2 will sound better.

Actually, JH, you and I had this argument a year ago and I never told you but you were right. I traded in my B&K for a Denon with Audyssey and I was NEVER happy with the sound of that Denon. The B&K was far superior in sound. I actually went with Anthem when I decided to replace my Denon with another prepro, but I would never go with a Denon as a prepro again.

 

[J.H.]



Quote:
Originally Posted by atdamico /forum/post/0


Actually, JH, you and I had this argument a year ago and I never told you but you were right. I traded in my B&K for a Denon with Audyssey and I was NEVER happy with the sound of that Denon. The B&K was far superior in sound. I actually went with Anthem when I decided to replace my Denon with another prepro, but I would never go with a Denon as a prepro again.

I absolutely understand excatly what you are talking about. People on this board think I'm crazy because i have said that before. There are some crazy,nutty Denon fans on this board and do NOT dare say anything bad about them. I only said that the B&K would be superior in sound quality because I have first hand knowledge of this. I'm glad that other people are now understading what i was talking about. Maybe now the personal attacks I endured last year will stop? Anyway I'm glad you liked the B&K and now have Anthem separates. I have never heard Anthem but i bet the are amazing? Good luck with your Anthem gear.

 

[iove]

I'm not a nutty Denon fan.

I'm I actually in the same boat as the OP.


I only mentioned it as it was a cheap stopgap measure until the new B&K products come out. It does not have Audyssey. Also, how much can you get the B&k ref 50 for? The Denon is $900.


FWIW, I was able to get a 200.7 at a steal of a price and probably get a fantastic deal on the ref 50 too, but I will probably get the Denon to hold me over until the new B&K products come out.

 

[J.H.]



Quote:
Originally Posted by iove /forum/post/0


I'm not a nutty Denon fan.

I'm I actually in the same boat as the OP.


I only mentioned it as it was a cheap stopgap measure until the new B&K products come out. It does not have Audyssey. Also, how much can you get the B&k ref 50 for? The Denon is $900.


FWIW, I was able to get a 200.7 at a steal of a price and probably get a fantastic deal on the ref 50 too, but I will probably get the Denon to hold me over until the new B&K products come out.

I was not directing that at any one person. You should look at the fights people have had with me because I believe that separates in general sound better than receivers. Not only that I was personally attacked by some crazy,nutty Denon fans. I just stop dealing with people like that on these boards. I always qualified my statements with "in my opinion" but that wasn't good enough for some of the crazy,nutty Denon fans on the boards here. So please don't take what I said as a slight on toward you it was not meant that way.

 

[hifisponge]



Quote:
Originally Posted by atdamico /forum/post/0


Actually, JH, you and I had this argument a year ago and I never told you but you were right. I traded in my B&K for a Denon with Audyssey and I was NEVER happy with the sound of that Denon. The B&K was far superior in sound. I actually went with Anthem when I decided to replace my Denon with another prepro, but I would never go with a Denon as a prepro again.

While I am a current Denon owner, I'm not a "nutty Denon fan", so bare with me. I'm always looking for better sound quality, and I'm wondering what it is about the Denon that you didn't like, or conversely, what you liked better about the B&K. I know audio quality can be hard to define, but please try your best to describe the differences. It also just so happens that I am considering both B&K and Anthem gear as a possible upgrade.


J.H., feel free to chime in as well.


Cheers,


- Tim

 

[J.H.]



Quote:
Originally Posted by hifisponge /forum/post/0


While I am a current Denon owner, I'm not a "nutty Denon fan", so bare with me. I'm always looking for better sound quality, and I'm wondering what it is about the Denon that you didn't like, or conversely, what you liked better about the B&K. I know audio quality can be hard to define, but please try your best to describe the differences. It also just so happens that I am considering both B&K and Anthem gear as a possible upgrade.


J.H., feel free to chime in as well.


Cheers,


- Tim

Theres nothing I didn't like about the Denon its just that the B&K separates sound much better in my opinion of coarse. Its just an overall better quality sound. I like Denon I have bo problem with Denon or receivers its just my opinion that separates sound better.

 

[Ou8thisSN]

I have a Denon 3803 in our theater room, recently we upgraded our two channel setup from an onkyo receiver to rotel separates. Separated do sound better, i've tried the same setup with the Denon receiver, but I was amazed at the clarity of the soundstage when we upgraded to the separates. I dont know if its because the amplifier has double the power or the pre-pro itself, but its a huge change to go to up to separates.

 

[atdamico]



Quote:
Originally Posted by hifisponge /forum/post/0


While I am a current Denon owner, I'm not a "nutty Denon fan", so bare with me. I'm always looking for better sound quality, and I'm wondering what it is about the Denon that you didn't like, or conversely, what you liked better about the B&K. I know audio quality can be hard to define, but please try your best to describe the differences. It also just so happens that I am considering both B&K and Anthem gear as a possible upgrade.


J.H., feel free to chime in as well.


Cheers,


- Tim

My issue with the Denon (3806) was simply that it never sounded more than average to me. I experimented with Audessey for the better part of a year and despite dozens of trials it continued to suck most of the bass out of my system. This is a common complaint among some. It was simply...lifeless. When the receiver was used without the Audessey engaged, the dialog from the center was often muddled and diffused. Keep in mind that this is the same room that I had my old Yamaha RX-V2095 receiver setup, my NAD T-753 receiver setup, and my B&K ref 50 setup in. And I had no sound issues with any of those units. Of them all only the Denon was lifeless. It has been a while since I owned the B&K so all I can say is that my memory of it was that it was superior in sound. I never remember a time when the bass didn't snap when it needed to and the dialog was always crisp. On this go round I went with anthem as I wanted the luxury of HDMI when I move to DVD HD. The anthem is a superb unit. The bass management is outstanding and the menu and setup, as well as the manual are the best I ever have seen. I have seperate settings for music and movies and I can set speaker setup specifically for each. The sound is crystal, seperation is clear, it never sounds harsh and dynamically is a great unit.


But all this is just my opinion.

 

[barryle]

I recently started looking at B&K to drive my M&K speakers in my theatre. Originally I was looking at EMOTIVA. Now Im cofused. Seems like I can save a bundle on the Eomtiva. What should I buy?

 

[PhilT3]

Thanks for all the input guys. So do you think the prices I was quoted are good? Could I do better? What have you heard about the new B&K stuff? What kind of new features will they be adding?


thanks.

 

[atdamico]



Quote:
Originally Posted by barryle /forum/post/0


I recently started looking at B&K to drive my M&K speakers in my theatre. Originally I was looking at EMOTIVA. Now Im cofused. Seems like I can save a bundle on the Eomtiva. What should I buy?

Depends on what you are talking about. A prepro or amp. If you are talking about an amp then there are a lot of people who would say that you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between an Emotiva and B&K. I'm not saying that I agree or not, that opens a HUGE can of worms. Suffice it to say that I bought a Sherbourn as I really like the monoblock design of this amp and it pours out enough power for anything I throw at it.

 

[atdamico]



Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilT3 /forum/post/0


Thanks for all the input guys. So do you think the prices I was quoted are good? Could I do better? What have you heard about the new B&K stuff? What kind of new features will they be adding?


thanks.

B&K always provides great prepros. But unfortunatly you will not get HDMI with the current releases. So if HDMI is important you will have to go another way. And don't rely on their upgrade policy, they don't always provide upgrades. Other than that I thing that their amps are overpriced for what they deliver. Not that they aren't good, they are, its just that they are no better than a lot of other brands, like Gemstone, Sherbourn, etc. for more money. But at the end of the day you need to buy what you feel comfortable with.

 

[bubbawilly]

The 125.7 is a very good amp, but it has a higher noise floor than the 200 series. I expect that your Focals would appreciate the higher current as well.


I had a Pioneer Elite 59TXi, and I much prefer the sound of B&K separates to the Pioneer, with or without MCACC. I preferred the Pioneer to Denon.


You can get there for about $2K. Just pick up a clean used Ref 50 S1, and the Emotiva IPS-1, 150 WPC 7-channel amp. The Emotiva amps are extremely solid values, and the Ref 50 S1 sounds the same as the S2. In fact, I prefer the S1's THX Ultra Music and Cinema mode to DPLIIx. Otherwise, you can do much better than $4K for either stack.