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New member Username: Jthomp27Post Number: 4 Registered: Dec-03 | I have 4 B&W CDM 1NT's and a CNT and am looking at a Rotel Amp currently. Should I also be looking at B&K? I hear they are very warm, but can't find one (125watt X 5 channel) to take home and demo. Should I consider this amp? |
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Silver Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 431 Registered: Dec-03 | John: I think you should strongly consider a B & K amp. You are buying for your system, so you should get the amp that provides the sound that you enjoy the most. That may be a Rotel (I have one) or a B & K, whichever you like the most. B & K amps are warmer sounding, with a fuller bass sound, than Rotel amps. Since the development of the now legendary B & K ST-140 amp, B & Ks have had a wonderful reputation for a very warm, pleasing sound (largely due to their use of high quality MOSFET outputs). Since you have not been able to find a dealer around you, all I can do is provide you some help in that regard as I don't believe in buying these products blindly, based upon another's recommendation. I have a pair of classic Heybrook 2Rs in my study, which are very similar in their sound to your B+W CDM 1NTs. I am driving them with a Rotel amp, which I bought because the sound was great and I received an extraordinary deal on it (33% off). But, before I got it, I was strongly considering a B & K amp as it also sounded very pleasing with my speakers. Both are top quality units and it merely boils down to what you prefer. Here is the B & K website, where you can click on the "How to Buy" tab at the top to find a dealer in your area--just enter your zip code. I hope you can find one to satisfy your curiousity, if nothing else: http://www.bkcomp.com/ Good luck! |
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lugnuts Unregistered guest | In most showrooms where they carry B&W speakers, one would often see a Rotel component (amplifier, receiver, or preampliefier) hooked up to a B&W speaker. This could be explained that the two products may have synergistic effect on how they sound, that is why showrooms paired the two most of the time. I sometimes ask myself why. Especially in the UK, they always seem to be displayed or demoed together, and they always sound good together IMNSHO. Quality wise, I think the Rotel have the edge over the B&K, but if you are concerned about money, B&K offer terrific value for the money. I have a two Rotel amp, the Rotel RB990BX and the 980BX biamp to my B&W 703 and what can I say, but it is just sound "heaven" to me. Very musical and warm combination IMO. YMMMV though. Audition both of them but in my experience, Rotel pairs very well with B&W speakers. |
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Silver Member Username: GmanMt. Pleasant, SC Post Number: 321 Registered: Dec-03 | Probably because Rotel and Arcam are designed in the UK, even though Rotel is manufactured in Asia. In the US you often see B&W's paired with NAD. This is probably because most audio salons carry NAD, Arcam, or Rotel. If you happen to see B&W's in very large audio salons or smaller chains you can often find B&W's hooked up to many different receivers. I've seen them hooked up to Denon's, HK's, and Pioneer Elites. |