dinao Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 Ok, I took the plunge last night and agreed to purchase an entire Klipsch THX Ultra speaker system and Aragon THX Ultra Stage One Pre/Pro. I got an amazing deal on the Pre/Pro or else I would have been taking home the Anthem AVM-30. Anyway I digress... I like the matchup of the Aragon 2007 THX Ultra Amp with the Stage One , however am concerned about a few things. 1. My dealer is REALLY pushing a B&K Reference 200.7 Amp stating they match VERY well with Klipsch. However he has only heard B&K with the RF series and not the THX series which is much less bright, neutral and controlled. 2. The B&K has balanced inputs which are unnecessary because the Stage One does not have balanced outputs. 3. The B&K is not THX certified and I am not sure there are any significant sonic differences between the two amps. Plus Aragon is made by the Klipsch parent company and supposedly matched to the Klipsch speaker line. 4. Finally the B&K is a beast at 76 lbs. compared to the 47 lbs. of Aragon. Does weight really matter? The Aragon is rated at 170 wpc all channels driver. I have not found a review of the B&K yet. Any comments on the two amps from this forums? I have negotiated my deal with either amp, it is my choice for the same price. I am just curious if anyone has had an experience with these two units side by side and can make a comparison. Any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frzninvt Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 I would go with the B&K, have you seen the internals on the Aragon 2007? Man can you say wimpy, wimpy a single small torodial power supply and two capacitors for 7 channels @ 170W something just does not add up. The THX rating is really meaningless, it is a good selling factor though! I am sure if B&K wanted to pay Lucas' labs for the honor, their amplifier would more than meet the standards. See if your dealer carries Sherbourn (7/2100A) it is a true 7 channel monoblock design and in the same price range as what you are looking at. 115lbs of power with dual power cords this amp means business! This is what you need for thunderous dynamics and transients and you can rest assured that it is not going to run out of gas when demands are high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstrickland1 Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 I haven't ever compared the two side by side, but I can tell you that the Ref 200.7 has got what you need. It what I am running and I am extremely satisfied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedball Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 I vote B&K..... Having "read" many people are happy with their products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skonopa Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 ---------------- On 7/14/2005 6:18:26 AM dinao wrote: 3. The B&K is not THX certified and I am not sure there are any significant sonic differences between the two amps. Plus Aragon is made by the Klipsch parent company and supposedly matched to the Klipsch speaker line. --------------- I have the B&K Ref 200.7 amp myself, powering a complete suite of Klipsch Ref-7 speakers. I'll will say that the B&K matches very nicely with the Klipsch. However, I cannot say how well it'll go with the THX Ultra 2 stuff, as I've never heard the B&K with that setup either. However, I'll be willing to bet that it'll be an excellent amp. I would personally like to hear the Sherbourne amp myself with my Ref-7. However, I would not be surprised, despite the so-called "true monoblock design" that it would not really be all that much better than the B&K. As for the THX certification, the "Series 1" amp that I have (I had the thing for nearly a year and half now) was THX certified, as you can clearly see the THX logo in this picture of my own amp: Why the current "Series 2" is not certified? My guess is that B&K probably just did not want to pay the THX folks for the "privilege" of displaying that cute little logo on thier gear. I certainly did not buy mine because of the THX certification. I bought it despite the THX ceritification. If you are truly anal about having nicely matched up gear, the Aragon stuff is nice, and I've heard the THX gear with the Aragon front-end. It is indeed a very nice setup, and I certainly would a very happy camper to own such a setup. Ultimatly, see if the dealer will let you try both out and keep the one you like better. I have a gut feeling that the B&K just may be the better unit, but that is just my opinion from my own listening (as I was really jonesing for the Aragon myself, only to find no dealers at the time that had it around here, but instead, fell in love with the B&K gear). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelerFan Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 What Steven said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyT Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 another vote for B&K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pythagore Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 You can't go wrong with either. But, if you have the space, I'll suggest the Aragon 2002 + 2005 instead of the 2007. These 2 amps are excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jheis Posted July 15, 2005 Share Posted July 15, 2005 Buy which ever one sounds best to you. That's what really counts. Having said that, I'll add my vote for the B&K. I've got five of their amps now (four in my main system and one in my home office) and couldn't be happier with them. They're built like tanks and are equally bullet proof. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSoundBroker Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 We like the Flying Mole amps and the Bryston amps with the Ultra 2 system. Heard good things about the B&K but haven't tried one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 I have the Aragon Stage one and Aragon 2007 Amp too. (And so you know what I have too... K horn left, Vertical on the side hidden Cornwall II Center, K horn right and 4 RS7's too. Add the RSW 15" for HT thump!) I like it a lot, pretty easy to set up, looks incredible, but more important... It SOUNDS wonderful. I hate to say "you people" but do not purchase a amp based on the cabinet...weight??? The 2007 will play louder than all get out (That's Indiana speak for reallllly Loud...) all day long, and clean as clear clean can be and not get stressed out or too hot. Seriously, how loud do you need it guys... I can get it very very loud here as well. Thing is, it is so comfortable because it is clean you "FEEL" everything like you are there. Last.... you have the incredible Stage One... Why not "match it" with the amp made to go with it? My 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 size does matter: One pound of weight for every 2 watts is a good litmus test for evaluating Class A amplifiers. An amplifier weighing less might not be pure A. It might be almost Class A, or it might be one of the many which achieve a Class A designation through trick circuitry. http://www.passlabs.com/downloads/articles/powersupply.pdf If you can read the specs or look under the hood, the power supply, being one of the most expensive parts of the amp, usually is a good indicator. It should be the biggest and heaviest part of the amplifier. What if you don't want to go through the trouble but still want your money's worth? Get at least 15 pounds of amplifier for each thousand dollars spent. Pass Labs: Articles: Power Supplies page 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frzninvt Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 I will let the photo speak for itself. The power supply and caps seem a bit light for amplifier touting 170W X 7. I have seen power supplies almost that big in quality preamps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frzninvt Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Here is my DBX BX1 it is rated at 100W X 4, or 400W X 2, or 100W X 2 + 400W X 1. I think it is more than capable of its power ratings. The large 3.4kw torrodials are secured in the large metal housing in the front of the amplifier, it weighs about 100lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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