Sunfire Cinema Grand vs B&K 200.7 or 7250 vs Parasound 2205 vs...

ZLTFUL

So I can pick all of the above amps for around the same price (7250 ~$150 cheaper).

Having heard none of them, would I be totally off base replacing my GFA-5503 and GFA-5500 with one of the above?
As much as I like the neutrality of the Adcoms, I still feel like something is missing. And I just can't pinpoint what it might be.

Or would I be better off stepping up the game to a Sunfire TGA5400 for ~$800 more?

I was dead set on the 200.7 in the FM but it has been pulled from the market leaving me hanging in the wind with a potential buyer for my 5500. So I either move my current amps and replace em with a single chassis or I learn to love what I currently have...

Discuss...

polkfarmboy

If your looking for an HT amp with great bass I have an anthem mca 5 series 2 I could let go cheap. It beat my wyred 4 sounds in the bass department

nooshinjohn

I would grab the Sunfire TGA 7401/5400 or the Signature series. The Sunfire 5x200 is not as good of an amp as I would have liked. It is good but not as good as the Parasound for sure, I would also consider the Rptel that is in the FM. I have not heard the B&K to have n opinion of it, but as I said.... scratch the 5/200 Sunfire from your list.

unc2701

I like the B&K's over Sunfire, just be aware that B&K went bankrupt awhile back. The recommended place for service is VERY responsive, though, so don't let that hold you back.

IIRC, the 7250 and the 200.7 are actually identical, just updated faceplate and a little newer, so going with the 7250 will save you some cash. The parasound and the B&K sound pretty similar; the B&K might have a little more oomph, but you'd need a big room and a lot of volume to notice.

tonyb

unc2701 wrote: »

I like the B&K's over Sunfire, just be aware that B&K went bankrupt awhile back. The recommended place for service is VERY responsive, though, so don't let that hold you back.

IIRC, the 7250 and the 200.7 are actually identical, just updated faceplate and a little newer, so going with the 7250 will save you some cash. The parasound and the B&K sound pretty similar; the B&K might have a little more oomph, but you'd need a big room and a lot of volume to notice.

Agreed...whats he driving with said amps anyway ?

Something missing from your Adcom's ?
It's called musicality. To my ears, Adcom was never a musical amp, least not in the same camp as Parasound or B&K.

Mikey081057

I can speak to the Sunfire TGA 7401. First off it has all the gain and overhead you would need in a large HT config. I use it in a 7.2 channel config with a Marantz AV7701 pre pro with LSi's all around. For HT, the Sunfire runs cool which allows you to put it in a cabinet and is a great match for the LSi's. Specs have it as 400 wpc into 8ohms and 800 wpc into 4 ohms. It is also relatively light. Build quality is exceptional.

A feature that allows you to wire your L&R channels in current or voltage mode allows you to select a more musical current mode for your fronts, or bi amp your fronts in a 5.1 config. The "little" brother 7201 would be a very good alternative consideration.

EndersShadow

tonyb wrote: »

Agreed...whats he driving with said amps anyway ?

Full LSi setup. Not sure if he's using the 15's or 25's for L/R, he had both for a while. Think its 15's, C, F/X's.

unc2701

EndersShadow wrote: »

Full LSi setup. Not sure if he's using the 15's or 25's for L/R, he had both for a while. Think its 15's, C, F/X's.

I can vouch that B&K is great w/ LSi's. They get a little bright if you crank it, but no worse than most SS gear. At moderate to fairly loud volumes, it's nice and smooth- little more refined than Adcom (especially the mosfet ones).

ZLTFUL

Sorry...yeah...full LSis. 15s front/C and FXs. But I have 25s and 9s as well that will eventually be added to the mix.

nooshinjohn

Having owned the same setup, I found nothing better on the LSi's than the Sunfire 7/400 amps. I ran a set of SDA-SRS, and LSi-15's/LSiC off of one and it never even got warm. I would NOT use the 200wpc Sunfire.

The only other that would be worthy IMHO would be the Parasound or Rotel 1095...

EndersShadow

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Having owned the same setup, I found nothing better on the LSi's than the Sunfire 7/400 amps. I ran a set of SDA-SRS, and LSi-15's/LSiC off of one and it never even got warm. I would NOT use the 200wpc Sunfire.

The only other that would be worthy IMHO would be the Parasound or Rotel 1095...

What about the TGA amps from Sunfire? The 5401 or 7401?

nooshinjohn

EndersShadow wrote: »

What about the TGA amps from Sunfire? The 5401 or 7401?

The 7401 was the best SS amp I have ever owned for HT/stereo dual duty. I wish I had kept mine, but I needed to free up the funds for my tube amps.

I will be getting another for my HT setup. They are a modest improvement on the older Sunfire Signature series, and have the added benefit of not being due for a re-cap any time soon.

EndersShadow

nooshinjohn wrote: »

The 7401 was the best SS amp I have ever owned for HT/stereo dual duty. I wish I had kept mine, but I needed to free up the funds for my tube amps.

I will be getting another for my HT setup. They are a modest improvement on the older Sunfire Signature series, and have the added benefit of not being due for a re-cap any time soon.

That's what I thought. I too would love to snag one of these to replace my AV-705x. I have a feeling based on the house we are hoping to buy, I will need the extra juice as its more "open concept" than we have now meaning I have more square footage to fill with sound. Hoping I trip the 705x enough times that I can get her to let me buy one.

In Ryan's case the lack of re-cap would be a good thing .

P.S. Jeff has a 5401 and loves it.

ZLTFUL

So I think I have narrowed down my choices...

The Rotel RMB-1575 or the Rotel RMB-1585...
I just can't decide between class D or class AB now....
But I am definitely going new as my buddy is willing to give me a nice deal on either. But it also means that I have to thin the herd a little bit for now by selling some unused gear.

msg

what are your reservations/questions regarding D or AB, out of curiosity?

what is your primary focus, anyway? music or ht? you mentioned you feel that something is missing - music wise?

I'm just watching this thread and don't have much to offer to the discussion, but am wondering about your D vs AB question - D is supposed to be more efficient? and is AB more musical? is this to imply that D is cold and sterile?

ZLTFUL

That's my concern. It will be 75% HT and 25% music. I have a 2 channel for pure music listening but want the HT system to have *most* of the quality of the 2 ch system when I pop a CD into the Oppo.

I mean to my ears, the class D Pioneer Elites sound really good with music. Not blow your socks off good but definitely good enough for some relaxing listening. But I have zero experience with class D separates.

ZLTFUL

Just had him order me an RMB-1585 in black for me.