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How Important is Dynamic Headroom?

I recently bought a B&K Reference 200.2. I liked how it sounded at the store, and, in regard to specs, I was impressed with its high damping factor (450). Also, it has 225 wpc into 8 ohms (375 wpc into 4 ohms). Hence, everything seemed fine.

I read the owner's manual, and it lists the unit's dynamic headroom as 1.2 db. I did a brief search of other similarly priced units, and 1.2 db would seem to be about average (or perhaps on the low side?). Anyway, how significant is this?

Thanks.
gtortorella
krell_man
827 posts
 
Very significant, think of it in this senario: you are entering a freeway where you need to get up to 70 miles an hour as quickly as possible so that you can merge into traffic without having someone ram you in the rear, or you have to accelerate and swerve to avoid an accident.

It's the same thing, the acceleration ramp and freeway speed is a swell in the music during a song. Can the amp handle it quickly and without straining or being driven into distortion?

Chuck
Post removed 
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
no worries.
gtortorella OP
17 posts
 
Interesting...I have been an audiophile for a long time, and so I understand your analogies. The amp has four of the biggest capacitors I have ever seen ("beer can" types or perhaps a tad larger). Anyway, I cannot fathom this being the type of amp that would run out of steam during transients. We will soon see. I am waiting for my new preamp to arrive.

Thanks.
willland's avatar
willland
846 posts
 
Your B&K 200.2 is a pretty potent(and musical)amp. While specs may be a deciding factor when all other things are equal, they don't tell you how musical an amp is. Only your ears can do that. Just sit back and enjoy that movie or music tonight.
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