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View Full Version : Best Amp/Pre for K2 S5500?



tom1040
07-17-2014, 12:57 PM
Just looking for suggestions from those with experience. I am going to purchase a pair of these speakers. I suspect they will sound a bit different than my 1400 Arrays which I will be keeping.

Thanks.

Titanium Dome
07-18-2014, 07:48 AM
Sounds cool, Tom. Congratulations.

You can spend a lot of money for a decent amp to drive them. An AT2000 Series or AT3000 Series amp will do everything you need and save you hundreds or even a thousand dollars. Plus it gives you a seven year warranty, and it's made in America about 30 miles from my house. I use them to drive K2s (in the guise of Synthesis® S800 amps) and the Timbers Arrays (pair of AT2003 amps).

As you probably know, ATI manufactures Theta Digital, JBL Synthesis®, B&K, Creston, and a bunch of others.

If you wait until August, the new AT6000 Signature Series will cost more, have some internal improvements, and have a slightly fancier faceplate. http://ati-amp.com/AT6000.php

The pre you use will depend on what you intend to do most: analog sources or digital sources. If going all digital, I don't think I'd even get a traditional pre.

Others will chime in.

tom1040
07-18-2014, 10:54 AM
Thanks for this info. If I may ask of you, what other amps did you review before you made the choice of ATI amps?

Titanium Dome
07-18-2014, 02:38 PM
Parasound, Bryston, Rowland (used), and Theta (which was just too expensive but looked really cool. Pass and Levinson too expensive as well.)

Dave_72
08-03-2014, 05:13 PM
Probably Bryston or Levinson. :D

hjames
08-03-2014, 06:40 PM
Probably Bryston or Levinson. :D

I just got my first Bryston last week - very nice sounding amp!

4b NRB (its an ancient thing ..!)

JoeNelis
08-12-2014, 01:07 AM
ALL great suggestions here, me I'm a mcintosh fan ......

Dave_72
08-12-2014, 03:48 PM
I just got my first Bryston last week - very nice sounding amp!

4b NRB (its an ancient thing ..!)

Cool. Congrats! That's still a good amp. It's a solid, workhorse amp. There's really nothing wrong with it, but not the ultimate in transparency, imo!

I'm just an ocd audiophile, haha. For most people, a Bryston amp is the end of the road.

antoninus9
03-24-2015, 10:43 AM
Any of the Bryston 4B amps are a good choice.

Dave_72
03-25-2015, 07:12 PM
Any of the Bryston 4B amps are a good choice.

I've been using the 4BSST model ever since I got my S4700s 2 1/2 years ago. Not too shabby, but again as an ocd audiophile (and probably the only one on this board!) I want more. :D