FL_audio

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5, 6.00 votes

Price Paid:  $2250.00 from Sound Advice

Summary:
This review is for the Reference 200.5. I'm posting here because for some reason there is not yet a place to post on the Reference series amplifiers. Let's get caught up Audioreview! As I understand it this is basically the same amplifier as the 7250 plus balanced inputs (which I'm not using) and minus the channel level controls. I'm not an audiophile by any means, but as far as I'm concerned this is one great amp! Wonderful detail and rock solid bass. I'm using it with the McCormack MAP-1 and Klipsch Reference 7 speakers. Someone on the Klipsch Forum was giving me a hard time about B&K rating the power output at 1kHz vs 20Hz-20kHz like the Sherbourn. I've since run across tests run on The Secrets Of Home Theater site ( I think it was) for both the 7260 and Sherbourn 5/1500. The B&K actually bested the Sherbourn by a few watts at .01% and 1% distortion. Ofcourse that's all specsmanship and really means nothing. Suffice to say the B&K is a powerful and great sounding amp! I know it will be powering my HT for years to come!

Strengths:
Smooth Great detail Rock solid bass

Weaknesses:
There is a slight thud in all speakers shortly after powering it down even though I always shut it off before shutting down my pre-amp.

Similar Products Used:
Yamaha DSP-A1000 Cary HTA-2 NAD S250

Price Paid:  $2500.00 from SOUNDWORKS

Summary:
I RECENTLY PURCHASED TO BI-AMP A TWO CHANNEL "PURIST" SYSTEM. LINN CD PLAYER W/ KRELL KAV150 PAIRED AMPS. THE BK AMP CLEANS UP THE SYSTEM COSMETICALLY AND SPACE WISE... I WAS EXTREMELY PLEASED WITH THE B&K'S SOUND. SMOOTH (I MEAN SMOOTH!) SOUND WITH BASS SLAM TO PUT THE KRELLS TO SHAME. SOUNDSTAGE DEEP AND WIDE WITH GOOD AMBIENCE. FIT AND FINISH SUPERB. SOUND BLOWS AWAY ADCOM AND ARAGON AND KRELL KAV. TRUST ME, THE GIANT KILLER I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR FOR 20 YEARS OF AUDIOPHILEDOM.

Strengths:
WORTH FOUR TIMES THE PRICE: SOUND, FIT AND FINISH, COSMETICS. SMOOTH, DYNAMIC SOUND.

Weaknesses:
I DON'T KNOW OF ANY AS OF YET.

Similar Products Used:
KRELL, ARAGON, NAD, ADCOM

Price Paid:  $1999.00 from Belden Audio

Summary:
I just bought this amp a few days ago and I couldn't state it any better than the review below me! It really kicks butt and I have just started breaking it in along with the MIT T2 interconnects I used to link it to my yamaha RX-V995 receiver (which it now just a pre-amp). I must note it is the "series 2" 7250 which I believe came out in the spring. I will add to the review after I have had more time to get familiar with the product but I've been so breath-taken by it I had to write an early review. I showed it off to some friends of mine and I think we all just sat there with our mouths open!A real serious piece of equipment, more so than I expected. It completely tied my system together making it much more functional. This is my current system: B&K 7250 series 2 amp Yamaha RXV995 receiver (pre-amp now) Yamaha C-900 DVD changer Paradigm Reference Studio 60 V2's (veneer)mains Paradigm Reference Studio CC center Paradigm Reference Studio ADP's surrounds Paradigm PS1200 sub (soon to upgrade to PW 2200) MIT T2 biwire front cables MIT T3 center cable monster surround cable T2 interconnects pre-amp to amp MIT NT3 digital coaxial interconnect from dvd changer to pre-amp I am very happy with this whole system and it got twice as nice with the beautiful powerplant that now makes it sing!!!

Strengths:
Heavy, very well constructed, simple yet intriguing design, very powerful(max 1,830 watt consumption!), my speakers can finally do what they were designed for with a relentless power supply making every detail unbelievable accurate. I can just grin in disbelief.

Weaknesses:
That more people will not get the opportunity to audition this amp

Price Paid:  $2000.00

Summary:
After trying a variety of amps in my system this is what I liked the best. When listening to it only one thing comes to mind and that is SMOOTH. This thing has the warm, smooth signature of a tube amp with the punch of a solid state design. The top end is refined and lush and the midrange has a euphonic bloom to it and of course the bottom end is rock solid. What more can I say the amp does it all for me. Music is where this amp shines the most. The sound stage is phenomenal extending way beyond my Mahlers and really deep. With music each instrument has air around it and is precisely located in space. This amp a detail retrieval amp. With it I hear the subtle nuances of every performance that were not possible before with my Adcom separates. Right now its hooked to a ref 30 with Vienna acoustics all around. Mahlers for the mains and Haydn's for the rest. The other amps I tried before settling to this beast are, Adcom, ATI, Marantz, Parasound, Bryston, Rotel, and Outlaw. The only amp that even came close to this was the Bryston and the Parasound. The Bryston though having a tauter bass lacked in warmth and richness. The presentation with the Bryston was drier and leaner and lacked the body in the mid range that makes music lifelike. With Bryston it seemed like I was listening to electronics while with the B&K it seemed like listening to music. I am sure with the right kind of speakers the Bryston might have sounded better but for my setup the Bryston just didn't cut it. The other amps didnt even come close to the musicality of this beauty. If I were to summarize the performance of this amp in two words, I would say FINE CHAMPAGNE: It is smooth, rich in flavor, has body and the right amount of kick. What else can I say I am in love with this amp. It is a truly refined product from an established value leader in audio. Kudos to B&K on giving us another fine product.

Strengths:
Harmonically rich musical presentation that equally shine in HT

Weaknesses:
Absolutely none, soundwise.

Similar Products Used:
Adcom, Rotel, Bryston, Parasound, ATI, Anthem etc.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I have this coupled with a B&K Ref 30 pre/pro and Vandersteen 2ci speakers. What has impressed me most is the power this amp has. I can''t even approach driving it hard because my neighbors would probably come screaming if I tried. Bass is full and tight. While I don''t find this amp "bright", it definitely doesn''t add a euphonic softness either. Others may have a different experience with different speakers, since the Vandys are known to have a somewhat softened high frequency presentation.

Strengths:
Power, clarity.

Weaknesses:
Not much to look at.

Similar Products Used:
Upgraded from Marantz SR8000 receiver.