I agree with B&K M-200 mono blocks. The best high power amp available for <$800. Some can be found for $500 or less if they're the early vintage (which perform as well as anything). Current galore!
Thiel 3.6, what will drive them best?
I'm looking for an amp that will drive the Thiel 3.6's to their ultimate potential. Unfortunately price matters, in that I derive pleasure thinking of myself as the ultimate connoiseur of the most for the least...
In other words I'm cheap! (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, and say thanks),
Ron
In other words I'm cheap! (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, and say thanks),
Ron
- ...
- 51 posts total
I was curious about the B&K M200, so I did a quick Google search. This is for information only from a Soundstage review of Thiel CS2.3: When the CS2.3s were first installed, I drove them with some aging B&K M200 mono amplifiers, rated at 200 watts each but certainly not current powerhouses. The performance was certainly presentable, but a relative softness in the bass and a sense of "topping out" in the dynamics left a nagging feeling. Inserting the Bryston 4B-ST amplifier (review in the works) dramatically changed the presentation. Dynamics, coherency and imaging all improved under its control. This quote is from a Stereophile interview: Two amplifiers that I recently wrote about, the B&K M-200 vs the Adcom GFA-565 monoblocksboth of which I likedwere a very good example of this frustration. The B&Ks had a sweet sound and perhaps did a better job at presenting musical timbres. The Adcoms, however, were much more open and more transparent; they let in more detail; and they allowed the differences in recordings to show through. So, certainly the B&K M200 might be worth a try, especially considering they are available used for under $500. Maybe buy them and order a pair of the EVS100M to have both in-house at the same time. |
- 51 posts total