2. amps-preamps
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Solid state warm up?

I recently Put in a BAT vk-250SE with bat pack into my system to power Dynaudio Contour S 3.4 speakers. I was using a B&K reference amp with pretty good results, but I wanted more detail and subtlety. I got both, but I also got a darker, almost mushy sound. Some material is worse than others. I have pulled the speakers a few more inches from the back wall which helped a bit. The sound may actually get better the longer the amP is on...hours. Could the amp just need to warm-up and maybe be left on 24/7? It does get quite warm. I use the 12v trigger to put it in standby. Any ideas?
phoenix469
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Don't know which B&K reference, but it seems that your speakers need more power beyond vk-250SE capabilities.
phoenix469 OP
44 posts
 
It was a REF 2220 which does about 385 at 4 ohms. This BAT can do 300 at 4 ohms. I didn't think that would be a significant power drop.
samzx12
883 posts
 
My BAT VK-200 sounded its best after a 24 hr warmup. I would think your amp has enough power.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
It's not the best model of VK and more than certainly it can't do 300/4Ohms(sorry only on 'holidays':-)). It does better job with lighter speakers than you have. So I suspect mismatch of components.
An upgrade to your B&K might be Wyred4Sound SX1000 monos
I was lucky to get Crown 3600 powerhouse(1200W/4Ohms) for low hundreds from thrift store and this piece pleasantly surprised me with stunning and solid performance/Aerial 10t! Fan is literally unaudible, undisputed crispy detail on any volume level. If you find it for cheap I'd recommend you to play with it...
soix
2,133 posts
 
I assume this is a used amp and therefore already broken in. I leave my McCormack amp on 24/7 (partly for sound quality but also because I don't like turning electronics on/off frequently), but on those occasions when I turn it off and it gets cold it seems to take a couple hours playing music before it comes back to life. Before that it sounds slow and mushy -- kinda like you describe, and although all amps are different I'd be surprised if the sound of the amp changes substantially after that warmup. Anyway, just thought I'd relay my experience.
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