2. amps-preamps
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B&K powering Spendor?

Primary question: How would a B&K Ref 200.3 or other B&K amp mate with a pair of Spendor 1/2's and a Spendor C5e center? I have been running this combo with an older Sony 777ES amp. It's time to upgrade and I want to move past the consumer grade stuff. I'll use the Sony as a pre for now but wanted to upgrade the power amp first.
I welcome your thoughts/suggestions. This system is running my video and audio system, including a Clearaudio turntable. I'll address the pre and phono stage later. The rears will run off of the Sony for the time being. I have no space for more speakers (WAF) so condider this a 5.1 system.
Thanks,
Jack
jackba
clio09
3,353 posts
 
If I'm correct the power rating on the amp is 225 watts into 8 ohms. The Spendors have a pretty flat impedance curve. I ran a TRL D-225 with my Spendor 1/2e speakers and found they liked the extra power. I have read where others used a lot less power to run the 1/2's, but in my experience less power (50 - 100 watts) did not work out as well. Solid state was also better than tubes in my experience with the 1/2's.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
I have been using Spendor since 1970 with so many different amps I can't remember a fraction of them. I have observed two things: 1 they are not very critical of amps, but 2 they will sound better as you raise the quality of amp. I am currently using Musical Fidelity NuVista M3 and Meridian 605s, 275 and 150 watts respectively. I drove them with early Krell [KSA 50 and 100, KMA 100] when I was a Krell dealer.
mlsstl
1,428 posts
 
Interesting comment about preferring solid state with the SP1/2Es. I had the opposite experience and have read many others find the same.

I was using a Bel Canto S300 solid state (150 watts/ch) with the Spendor S8es and preferred it to the Conrad Johnson tube amp I had previously. However, when I moved on to SP1/2Es, I found I preferred a tube amp (an Image 65i at 50 watts/ch).

However, there may be some issue with how loud one listens, the music involved, and what parameters a person finds significant when listening.

So it will always be one of those YMMV things.
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