b&k reference 200.7 price?

B&K is out of business, so repairs can be an issue. I think some former employee(s) are doing service, but I have not seen anything about that recently.

I have a 200.7 for a home theater and it is a real powerhouse. However, it can be bright for 2 channel music. I believe the 804's can also tend to be bright, so it might not make a great match for 2 channel music. But, the brightness can be an asset for movies, if you like big explosions.

I also have an ATI 1806 which I actually prefer to the B&K. It does not have balanced inputs and has 20 watts less power (which is pretty meaningless). I think a 5 channel 1805 should be around $1,000.

I would also look at Parasound. You can find them in your price range and I think they are better balanced that the B&K, although I have never owned one. Maybe something like a HCA 2205.

Rotel are also available, although I would stay away from them. There are better options at the price.

A Proceed Amp 5 is also an option, although at somewhat more money. This is an early Levinson design.

People seem to also like the Emotiva line. You can get a new XPA-5 for less than $1,000. I have not heard one, but they get good reviews and people here seem to really like them.

"Do you like the sound better than the b&k you used to use?"

Bill,

Overall with my Klipsch Reference RF-63's, I do like the sound better than my with my B&K's. More midbass punch, and really detailed in the highs. IMO, Acurus amps(2nd generation)are spot on neutral compared to the B&K's which have a "warmish" tone. With my Klipsh Heritage speakers, I lean toward the B&K's. If your B&W's have a brighter signature, I think either would work but maybe the B&K will match better.

Bill

The emotiva xpa 5 is only $810.00 brand new? should i be happy or scared of an amp in that price? also i was reading that my 804s might go down to the 3 ohm range for a second or two should i make sure my amp can as well?

Take a look at the review of the xpa 5 in Stereophile. There is a link on the Emotiva web page for the amp. It was written by Kal Rubinson. He is a good reviewer and not prone to heap praise on everything he reviews. He compares it to a Bryston, which is a nice amp. I think it is also a Stereophile "B" Recommended Product. Emotiva has a forum on their site. Also search here for comments. Emotiva gets a lot of praise. It also has free shipping and a 30 day return policy, although I am not sure how much the shipping costs end up being if you ship it back. Again, I have no experience with it, but it does seem to be pretty popular.

Pretty much any of the amps you are looking at will do a brief 3 ohm. Look at the power rating at 4 ohm versus 8 ohm for an idea of their ability to go low. Ideally they should "double down" which means their rating is twice at much at 4 ohm as at 8 ohm. Most amps in this price range will not do that but it does give an idea of power reserve.

The Emotiva amps have high gain, something like 31 dB, which may be a problem if you pre-amp also has high gain.