Blue Circle BC22 MKII amp my thoughts (Review)

phipiper10

I recently purchased this amp and I'm delighted. This is only the second amp I've owned. Previoulsy I had a Rotel RB 990 BX (330W@4ohm).

I'm going back a step here to say that a few months ago I picked up an Anthem tubed pre and was very pleased. The sound improved without question. You can read my review here somewhere. It didn't quite give me the sound I was thinking of - though I hadn't necessarily heard the sound I wanted.

To this end I started buying up a bunch of tubes to "warm" things up, get me more involved - get that sound that I thought was "tubes". I could differentiate the characteristics between the tubes I purchase but still I didn't get what I thought I wanted after changing them up for a couple of months.

So I figured it was time to spend a little of that bonus money on a new amp. It wasn't going to be a tube amp though. (I have a closed audio rack and kids so was definitely going to be SS.)

Anyway I started looking for amps at the next level from my Rotel. Being considered were Musical Fidelity, Bryston, Monarchy, Parasound, Blue Circle.

I figured I really wanted something on the "warmer" side. I went with the Blue Circle based stricly on reviews(it being silver -and oh yeah the blue circle!)

The sound instantly was involving, refreshing, easier to listen tool. I thought I got rid of bright when I removed my old receiver, then when I parted ways with the RT800is and again now that the Rotel is gone. It's the you don't know until you know - and now I know.

I'm definitely not trying to mute the sound nor do I think I'm dulling it with the changes I've made. On the contrary I'm keeping my AQ King Cobra which some have described as bright (I say revealing) and I passed on the Lsi15(not as lively as I liked) in favor of the Tylers(which I believe are revealing - not bright). (A review is around on this comparison too).

Immediately the music came to me but not in a forced sense. It rolled to me like ocean waves lapping against the shore. It gently pulled me in towards the sound. I'm not sure if this is the right use of the word decay in audio terms but for the first time I really noticed this when the sound or specific notes receeded from me back towards the speakers. There was a new level of richness and realism in the mid range. The highs were great and let's just say easier on the ears. The bottom isn't as full as it was (with the Rotel) but not a big difference hear just noticeable. I'm generally not listening to much that's bass heavy. The soundstage is more accurate and has more depth but not necessarily any more width. Not necessarily more air but more separation between instruments and voices. Does that even make sense?

I will say there is a difference between 330 watts and the 155 I'm getting now. I wish I still had some of the power but what I've gained in other areas far outweighs the power factor alone. Interestingly enough adjusting the volume on the preamp is now 10x easier with the remote and there is no more static during volume adjustments where there was previousy. Now I can turn the volume to 50 or even 75% where with the Rotel much more than say 30% became silly.

I'm extremely happy and think I'm a big step closer to finding my "it". Now back to those tubes! Gonna try the Philips again which I viewed as ultra detailed but a bit bright. Maybe with the new amp this will be the right combo. Oh, and I'm close to some Mullards with low microphonics.

Anyone here have a nice quad they need to get rid of ?

It's class AB and is of average size and runs cool. The blue power cord is kinda lame IMO. Manual says, "USA/Canada use only factory supplied power cord with a grounded 3 prong outlet. Do I really have to use their cord? Could there be magic in it? OR will the Signal PC be fine? (I didn't even spend time trying to figure out phase inversion.)

(I also have a small addiction to using parenthesis)

Enjoy!
Rich

beardog03

Got Pic`s ?!!

grats on the new gear, and making that step forward

phipiper10

I updated my showcase so you can see pics there.