Wanting to replace my TA-E9000ES (1 Viewer)

[Tom Boucher]

OK, I've been hemming and hawing about the Outlaw 950 for some time.

I've noticed several times that there seems to be a large amounts of complaints about things that I don't want to have to deal with, especially since there isn't a local dealer to go back to.

My local dealer that I've bought everything else from sells B&K, and they will be getting the Ref 50 within a month.

Obviously, $899 for the Outlaw 950 vs. $2799 for the Ref 50 is a big jump. This means I'd have to sell my 9000ES and keep the N9000ES Amplifier for a while until I could afford a seven channel, or appropriate combo thereof amplifier.

I've searched for Ref 50 and seen a few threads, but my experience with B&K is nill. How are they? Having the local dealer here is a plus for me, the next step down they recommend the Denon 3803/4803/5803 line. I have personal (stupid) childish issues with Denon so I tend to shy away from them mentally and I've really grown to like the Pre-Amp/Amp combination.

So I'm thinking I'm at the cusp. My 9000ES I want to replace was something like $1500, and I'd like to move into DTS-ES/DD-EX type sound fields and I can't do that with the 9000ES. So aside from selling this to the wife, it's quite a chunk of change compared to what I'm used to.

So I'm trying to decide. Anyone else taken this type of a plunge recently? Or am I once again on the bleeding edge?

 

[Yogi]

With the speakers that I have heard B&K gear with have all sounded warm and laidback with a very smooth top end. I have yet to hear a speaker that can make a B&K setup sound bright or harsh in anyway. Their gear is very sweet sounding with a lush midrange and a rolled off top end without sacrificing detail resolution. And did I forget to mention the rock solid bottom end. I think you will be very happy with it. For me B&K is right at the top of the diminishing returns curve. After B&K you will have to shell out a considerable amount of $$$ to get marginally better performance.

All this is just MHO. This is the way it sounds to my ears. Others will, I am sure, hear differently.

 

[Tom Boucher]

There are days I wish there was a class on the descriptions people use to talk about the sound coming out of a piece of equipment.

all sounded warm and laidback with a very smooth top end. I have yet to hear a speaker that can make a B&K setup sound bright or harsh in anyway. Their gear is very sweet sounding with a lush midrange and a rolled off top end without sacrificing detail resolution.

It'd sure make my life easier if I knew what to listen for sometimes. I'm looking at high end features and the B&K appeals to me for that reason, it may be dumb, but hey, I'm a geek with money to spend.

 

[Yogi]

I'm a geek with money to spend.

And I am a geek that wishes he had money to spend

 

[Brian Kleinke]

Tom,

Why do you want to replace it? I thought about this for a while and decided it's not worth it. (I have a T9000ES and the N9000ES) The 9000ES is an awsome preamp only down side is no 6.1 or 7.1 and it doesn't have 6 channel input. But the TA-P9000ES fixed that problem.

Brian

 

[Tom Boucher]

i'd like the 6.1 / 7.1 and new soundfields.
but i'm on the fence about doing that. I just got the SACD player (with my new progressive DVD Player) and found out I needed the analog bypass stuff, so I started looking.
The P9000ES is looking better and better. Oade has it for $425 + shipping so I may just do that too.
Haven't decided yet

 

[Charles Gurganus]

You would have to spend considerably more than $1500 to beat the E9000es, IMO. Adding the P9000es ($450), which I did, was a huge improvement with my 2 channel sources. I don't have SACD/DVD-A yet but it won't be long. In the meantime, I get great music from the combo now. I doubt any seperate HT preamp will do music as well as the P9000es under $3000. The 5.1 setup works great for me.

 

[Tom Boucher]

How does the P9000 fit between the E9000ES and the N9000ES?

Do you go out from the E, into the P, and out to the N?

Help me visualize.

 

[Greg Johnson]

Tom,
The P9000 has 3 sets of 5.1 inputs. 2 would be used for both SACD and DVD-A. These inputs use the P9000 for pre amplification and volume control. Then there is the 5.1 bypass input. This is where you would put the pre out from the E9000. The P9000 feeds that signal through untouched and will still pass the the signal through with the power off. The 5.1 out on the P9000 then feeds your amp. There is also a set of 2 channel bypass inputs on the P9000. Hope this helps.

Greg Johnson

 

[Tom Boucher]

Ah, ok, that explains it. Oade has that nice picture on the back, and was just trying to figure out what I would need cable wise if I went this route.

Thanks.

Now to send the N9000ES off to get the righ front fixed, no signal going through.

bummer.

Tom