B&K Reference 7250ll five channel

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fish357
fish357 Posts: 304
in Electronics
I know nothing about home audio amps, but offered $625 for one of these. Had an original msrp of 2500, I think.
Good deal?
Unit is missing two of the plastic caps on one channel.
Opinions?
Thanks.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,906
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    It's a nice amp. I might question the care it has had over the years if 2 caps are missing. Ask some questions....like if the amp has ever been worked on, how long has he owned the amp, why the caps are missing, are there any issues or strange noises coming from the amp. Shipping that beast might cost some too, and his packaging skills better be up to snuff.

    HT SYSTEM-
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,430
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    I like B&K stuff.
    I haven't seen any plastic caps on them. What are those? Got any photos?

    Recent auction prices on 2ch variants were in the $600+ ask range. Not sure whether they sold for that.

    @scubalab - I think he has a 7ch.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,367
    edited September 2020
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    I paid around $1K for a 7270 brand new about 20 years ago. B&K amps are mosfet designs and run hot but they are quite powerful. B&K is out of business so can't look to them for parts to replace the speaker connectors. I'd wait to get a 200.7 S2 in better shape for not much more. That was B&K's last big amp. If the 7250 is so easy to fix, wouldn't the seller fix it before trying to sell it? :)

    Is it this one on Ebay:

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/B-K-Reference-7250-ii-5-channel-amplifier-Fantastic-Sounding-Amplifier/193573989529?hash=item2d11e8ac99:g:BhEAAOSwBNpfDlfA

    B&K amps match very well with "bright" speakers like the Polk RTi or RTiA lines. Not so much the LSi or LSiM lines.

    Post edited by Emlyn on
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  • fish357
    fish357 Posts: 304
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    Yes! That’s the one. I was going to run my LSi25’s, a LSiC, and two LSi 7’s through it. So hold off is basically why you’re saying?
    As stated above, $625 was my counteroffer to his reduced price of $650.
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,367
    edited September 2020
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    Right. In my opinion when I was using B&K with LSi speakers the sound was a little dull and flat compared to something from Parasound or Rotel. If you can find a used five channel Parasound amp I think you'd be happier. That's what I found when I decided to sell my 7270 amp. May cost a bit more though, but then Parasound is still in business.
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  • fish357
    fish357 Posts: 304
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    As a noob where upper end home audio is concerned, I will take your advice.
    The problem is, I was run over by a can in January, and still am not back to work, so I’m budget shopping.
    I really don’t know what’s good from bad, other than I’m not going to run out and buy Pioneer, or Sony.
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,367
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    I'd look into something like this instead (no affiliation)...

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Parasound-HCA-2205A-5-Ch-THX-Power-Amplifier/203084002010?hash=item2f48bff2da:g:Yt0AAOSwcFhfP-9g
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,430
    edited September 2020
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    Also, what are you using for the pre/pro on the front end?

    I saw the "missing caps" in the listing photos. That B&K amp's missing the plastic pieces of the terminal nuts for the speaker outs on that last channel. It looks like the terminal nut insert pieces are still on there, though. The plastic pieces probably stripped with over-tightening.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,432
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    B&K amps can easily be made brighter by replacing the stock line fuse with an audiophile grade one
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • fish357
    fish357 Posts: 304
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    Should I look at a pre amp as well?
    You’ll all laugh, but I’ve been running the LSi25’s through an Onkyo TX-NR616. Bought the 25’s and the Onk new in 2013.
    I had no idea until getting on this forum I would need more power.
    Probably why I lost a tweet and a couple mids.
    Picked up the LSiC and the LSi 7’s just recently.
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  • fish357
    fish357 Posts: 304
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    I may be stuck buying the amp if the seller won’t let me out of the offer. Any ideas in a older 5 channel Parasound? Looks as if many here like that brand.
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,430
    edited September 2020
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    Your pre/pro may be an option to account for the double-laid back componentry of LSi and B&K.

    It looks like your Onkyo doesn't have preouts, so, yes, you'd need to replace that.

    Yes, the LSi series are 4ohm and do need a bit more power/current to sound best.
    Hehe, sheeze man, how loud were you cranking it?
    fish357 wrote: »
    I may be stuck buying the amp if the seller won’t let me out of the offer. Any ideas in a older 5 channel Parasound? Looks as if many here like that brand.
    Have you requested cancellation with the seller?
    Amp or processor? Emlyn mentioned the Parasound HCA-2205 amp up above, in case you missed that one.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • krazypolk
    krazypolk Posts: 745
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    Ran a craigslist check and I found this. It might not be the purdyest of the two but It ain't broke. y4oov0vf7gbc.jpg
    https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ele/d/richmond-bk-five-channel-amp-obo/7188878366.html
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,555
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    Personally the other isn't broke per say, banana plugs would just be the only option to hook up those channels. I stopped using bare ends and spades looooong ago.
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,367
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    fish357 wrote: »
    I may be stuck buying the amp if the seller won’t let me out of the offer. Any ideas in a older 5 channel Parasound? Looks as if many here like that brand.

    Not bad if you do buy it. It's a good model at a decent price and easy enough to work around a couple of the connectors missing.
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,430
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    That looks like something that'd come up for sale on my local Craigslist for $800.
    krazypolk wrote: »
    Ran a craigslist check and I found this. It might not be the purdyest of the two but It ain't broke.
    8y7jgikhobvu.png
    I disabled signatures.
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  • fish357
    fish357 Posts: 304
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    msg wrote: »
    Your pre/pro may be an option to account for the double-laid back componentry of LSi and B&K.

    It looks like your Onkyo doesn't have preouts, so, yes, you'd need to replace that.

    Yes, the LSi series are 4ohm and do need a bit more power/current to sound best.
    Hehe, sheeze man, how loud were you cranking it?
    fish357 wrote: »
    I may be stuck buying the amp if the seller won’t let me out of the offer. Any ideas in a older 5 channel Parasound? Looks as if many here like that brand.
    Have you requested cancellation with the seller?
    Amp or processor? Emlyn mentioned the Parasound HCA-2205 amp up above, in case you missed that one.

    Ask my son how loud he was cranking it. Ha
    There’s also a Klipsch SW Sub 12 HGB in the mix, and we went through a dubstep phase... 🙄
    Speaker killer, that style of music is.
    While in California on a business trip, I once got a call from a neighbor three houses away asking me to turn down my music. Said pictures were falling off his walls. Haha
    Gotta love kids.
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  • teekay0007
    teekay0007 Posts: 2,289
    edited September 2020
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    fish357 wrote: »
    Should I look at a pre amp as well?
    You’ll all laugh, but I’ve been running the LSi25’s through an Onkyo TX-NR616. Bought the 25’s and the Onk new in 2013.
    I had no idea until getting on this forum I would need more power.
    Probably why I lost a tweet and a couple mids.
    Picked up the LSiC and the LSi 7’s just recently.

    That would match up beautifully ( :) ) with a minty B&K Reference 50 Pre/Pro! And...I just happen to have one available that I bought from another member here last year. I just haven't got room for the 2-channel setup I was going to use it for. It has less than 20 hours on it in the year I've owned it. I have the often missing remote and original box also.

    @fish357 - where are you located?
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  • fish357
    fish357 Posts: 304
    edited September 2020
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    Krazypolk- is that the same amp I was seeing on eBay? For three hundred, I’d have to jump on that, but the unit looks a little beat up.
    I’m a little confused, should I buy B&K, or look at something else?
    Realizing opinions are like a$$h01e5- we all have them- I’m just like a pinball bouncing around here.
    I’m in Indiana, by the way.
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  • fish357
    fish357 Posts: 304
    edited September 2020
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    @ teekay0007- Sadly, I don’t know what a pre/pro is. 😔
    Is it compatible with the five channel thing I’m trying to do?
    I’ll have to learn to set all this up. Ha
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  • teekay0007
    teekay0007 Posts: 2,289
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    I just love the sound of the B&K and Polk pairing as do many around here. I have and have had multiple components of theirs and have never had problems.

    I think that's a fair price for the 7250II and there's some built-in protections with eBay and PayPal that you gain there.
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  • jumpindick
    jumpindick Posts: 428
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    The B&K amp will run pretty hot. You will feel the heat. I have 7270 MKII in my HT set up. I like it, but I agree that Parasound might be a "better" choice, albeit can be more expensive depending upon what you buy. Nonetheless, a dedicated amp to speakers can certainly improve overall performance.
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,430
    edited September 2020
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    preamp/processor
    Don't worry, I didn't know what that was either at first.

    On your Onkyo AVR (audio video receiver) the amplifier section is built in. With an external amplifier, you need a front end to run it. Some AVRs have preouts you can use to connect it to an external amplifier, but yours doesn't, so in your case, you'd need a new AVR or a surround processor since you're running mult-channel.

    If you were only using 2ch, you could just get a preamp.

    It's like this:
    • Source (DVD Player, etc.) > Processor > Amplifier > Speakers
      Or
    • Source (CD Player, etc.) > Preamp > Amplifier > 2 speakers
    I disabled signatures.
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  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
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    fish357 wrote: »
    I’m in Indiana, by the way.

    Lots of good Polkie people there. I have the pleasure calling them my friends. Iowa/North Carolina here.

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  • fish357
    fish357 Posts: 304
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    Well now I’m interested. I’m definitely an audiophile, was in the industry for about 8 years, with a pretty popular local band. My job didn’t require a lot of technical know how, so I never mixed, or engineered anything.
    I do have a good ear, and listen to a wide variety of genres.
    Now I want to learn more, have a good quality, budget minded setup. If those two things are synonymous, that is.
    My wallet doesn’t allow me to buy new, so I’m looking for older, good quality stuff. Just need to know what “good” is.
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  • scubalab
    scubalab Posts: 3,101
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    Welcome to Club Polk @fish357 !

    I’ll chime in here as I have a very similar setup in our home theater. I’m running 7 channels - LSi-7 fronts, LSiM-704C center,80 F/X-LS surrounds, and 700-LS rears. I’m driving them with a Marantz pre/pro and a B&K 200.7. I went from a 5-channel Rotel before upping to the B&K. It was a VERY noticeable improvement. Yes, the B&Ks run hot, so I’d advise some good ventilation. They are also a very ‘warm’ sounding amp, which I prefer, hence my loyalty to the brand (I’ve had 2 or 3 other B&Ks). I have also had Parasound, Carver, and Acurus amps.

    That 200.5 on CL is a KILLER deal for $300. It’s not the prettiest, but if it functions as it should, they’re hard to find for under $600.

    I can’t say anything bad about Parasound amps. I actually LOVED both that I had at different times in my 2-channel setup. They are a ‘warmer’ sounding amp as well.

    As for your LSi’s, if you need drivers, I think I still have several of the ring radiator tweeters as well as several woofers from a ‘rough’ set of LSi-F/X speakers I parted out.

    And, others are correct - you will need a pre-amp for the amp if your Onkyo doesn’t have pre-outs. If you don’t need hdmi, the B&K Ref-50 is tough to beat for the price!

    Any questions, feel free to reach out.

    -Al
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  • scubalab
    scubalab Posts: 3,101
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    msg wrote: »
    preamp/processor
    Don't worry, I didn't know what that was either at first.

    On your Onkyo AVR (audio video receiver) the amplifier section is built in. With an external amplifier, you need a front end to run it. Some AVRs have preouts you can use to connect it to an external amplifier, but yours doesn't, so in your case, you'd need a new AVR or a surround processor since you're running mult-channel.

    If you were only using 2ch, you could just get a preamp.

    It's like this:
    • Source (DVD Player, etc.) > Processor > Amplifier > Speakers
      Or
    • Source (CD Player, etc.) > Preamp > Amplifier > 2 speakers

    Scott nailed it with this post!
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  • scubalab
    scubalab Posts: 3,101
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    Check with Dan @EndersShadow - he’s in Indiana, and is the person who ‘persuaded’ me to buy my B&K 200.7. He has (or had) a B&K 200.5.
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  • fish357
    fish357 Posts: 304
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    scubalab wrote: »
    Welcome to Club Polk @fish357 !
    That 200.5 on CL is a KILLER deal for $300. It’s not the prettiest, but if it functions as it should, they’re hard to find for under $600.
    As for your LSi’s, if you need drivers, I think I still have several of the ring radiator tweeters as well as several woofers from a ‘rough’ set of LSi-F/X speakers I parted out.

    And, others are correct - you will need a pre-amp for the amp if your Onkyo doesn’t have pre-outs. If you don’t need hdmi, the B&K Ref-50 is tough to beat for the price!

    Any questions, feel free to reach out.

    -Al

    Thank you for the welcome, scuba.
    la2vegas was kind enough to reach out with a couple of drivers for me, but I still need the tweeter. I’d be glad to take that off your hands.
    I’ll go on CL and check out the amp.
    Thanks guys.
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  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
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    @indyhawg too

    Al is a putz...
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