Absolute Sound Announcement: BHK600

3 Likes

Can’t wait for the review. I really want these but I fear I’ll forever be stuck listening to my current solidly mid-fi amps, the now clearly inferior BHK300’s with crappy Siemans CCA tubes.

I have A classic case of what psychologists call “relative depravity.”

The BHK300’s are great amps and they mate well with good vintage tubes, particularly from the 60’s.
I settled on Amperex Bugle Boys. I thought this was my end game amp set, especially as I made advances with bi-wiring the FR30’s with Iconoclast Series I and Series II cables. Then I tried the 600’s, actually hoping they would be nice, but not that nice. Unfortunately, everything but my wallet said I had to have these, no contest. They are so good that I am quite happy with the stock Genelec tubes. The Amperex seem soft and slow by comparison. The 600’s have a musical midrange with dynamics to spare.
To put all this into context with the many on this forum, the uptick in sonics is like going from the MKI DAC to the MKIl. Better definition, lower noise, more distinct placement of instruments and voices. Add to that the wicked control on the speaker, and you have the BHK600. I don’t know how the reviewers will like them, but frankly…

6 Likes

This is just too enticing!

I quit coming to this forum for quite sometime. While I enjoyed my system, I was involved with other passions, mostly writing a true crime film I plan to produce. It’s an expensive endeavor, so I tell myself I have to be very careful with money. Then I come back for a short time and all of a sudden I’m trading my DSMKi for a MKII.

I was aware of the BHK600’s but the 300’s have plenty of headroom for my needs. After reading a comment, I believe from Chris Brunhaver, and now yours and I’m plotting how I can get the 600’s.

Maybe I should figure out a way to get banned from here? I guess they don’t call it audiophilia for nothing!

9 Likes

Contact James ( @jamesh ) at PSA. He might be able to work a favorable deal with your 300’s in trade for the 600’s. As a follow up note, I thought the 300’s had enough headroom as well, with moderately efficient speakers in a small room. But when I got the 600’s, the heavens opened up, revealing more music with less strain . You can hear this in the quiet as well as the loud parts. You would be in for a treat.

1 Like

Not going to work.

3 Likes

The 300s do have oodles of power but power is only one aspect of how the amp sounds. It was quite obvious when we got the first pair hooked up in the reference room. The mid and bass is much more impactful and tight. With the right track, the snare drum has punch and impact I never heard with the 300s. Even at low listening levels, the 600s are a clear winner.

Best of luck with the film! I have a pretty big interest in the back end of getting a movie produced and I know expensive it can be!

I would love to upgrade to 600s amps, and I am sure they will sound better than my M1200. But I need gears that I can handle without a forklift. At my age I need to save my strength for golf only.

When will the M1500 monoblocks come out? I want to be in Beta for that!

3 Likes

They are just a tad over 100 lbs and they have handles front and rear for decent maneuverability. Just think what some time in the gym would do for your system, and your golf game.:man_golfing:

2 Likes

I wish you didn’t tell me that, and may have to threw away the ABS review issue on them

1 Like

You can handle 100 lbs. they start getting sporty to handle when they exceed 125 lbs the 165 lb amps are too much to rack without help. Then there are Al’s stereo amp.

1 Like

The 600s are a huge step up from the 1200s. Shouldn’t come as a surprise though. They are a bit of a bear to maneuver. When Peter and I made that video, it was a cake walk when both him and I were handling them but if you have to do it alone, you’ll be taking a lot of breaks and that lower back will be sore in the morning.

1 Like

That’s what I figured, and my wife refuses to help me in moving any of the audio stuff. She’s afraid of moving is a prelude of replacement (she’s often right).

But one day I need to trade down my 300 lbs+ (each) monster speakers to FR30s. They come with hat pieces that I can handle. I should have a lot of leftover credits for three generations of trade-in :joy:

1 Like

Never thought to upgrade to 300s? I’m tempted but few members here reported different thoughts comparing M1200s to 300s.
600s are different animals (at a different price too).

I agree a new Mxxxx model would be a great step, I’d suggest in a perfectwave chassis able to let us access the tubes like on BHK Pre!

1 Like

Im not sure 300s have enough power to satisfy my old ears and the big speakers. I also not sure they will sound superior than M1200.

600s would I’m sure, but ideally the next generation of M amps will be perfect! My lower back is very important nowadays :slightly_smiling_face:

3 Likes

Hopefully the technology used in the 600’s will trickle down to the 300’s and 250, when those models are updated down the road. I definitely don’t need all the horse power of the 600’s for my 93 db efficient speakers.

I “upgraded” from M1200 to BHK M300 last year.
While the differences were not night and day I went for the M300’S in the end
Each user would need to decide with the improvement is worth the difference in $$$

1 Like

I went from the M1200’s to the BHK 300’s. I have no regrets. The M1200’s play better at lower volumes meaning you don’t feel anything is missing in the little details with all the power on tap. The BHK 300 needs a little more volume but sounds more musical, more refined, and there is decay with the BHK 300’s. Decay is where I found the M1200’s weakness IMO. Excelling at playing at lower volumes is where the BHK 600’s would compare to the M1200 lower volume performance I would guess. I have no doubt the BHK 600’s will easily out perform both 300’s and M1200’s. @straightwire is the expert on going from BHK 300’s to BHK 600’s. My opinion in your set-up Luca the BHK 300’s would be a worthy upgrade as would the BHK 600’s. I love the M1200’s but the class A/B is hard to beat when compared to the class D. Class A would be sublime.

4 Likes

I’m sure they have enough power! I can play mine to uncomfortable levels and they are still crystal clear sounding.

It only took me and two really really really strong guys to get my 450 pound amp safely down two flights of stairs. Back up is out of the question. 66 here.

The extra capacitance I saw inside the 600 spoke to me. You can always hear and enjoy what extra capacitance does for an amplifier. Power needs are a small part of the program. The difference in sound between the 300 and the 600 are not subtle, no matter what volume.

4 Likes