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ATI Purchased B&K Components

heeman

heeman

PRETTY HAPPY.........
Famous
Not sure if you guys/gals are aware of this or even care, however I just saw this on the B&K website and thought that I would share.


Important news
Amplifier Technologies Incorporated (ATI), has acquired the assets of B&K Components effective October 18, 2010. It is our mission to continue the B&K brand, and we are moving production to our factory in Los Angeles, Ca. We expect to have production of the most popular B&K products by Q1, 2011.
 
I've always wondered if B&K was still in business. They were pretty popular when I first joined the S&V forums. Through the years, they seem to have faded away as recommended gear.
 
As a side note: ATI produces many amplifier products branded by other manufacturers. Of course, SH would know more about this than I.

Rope
 
Rope said:
As a side note: ATI produces many amplifier products branded by other manufacturers. Of course, SH would know more about this than I.

Rope
Click to expand...

They were also slated to begin assembling amps for Halcro.
 
I was under the assumption ATI manufactured amplifier components for many companies. One that comes to mind is Mark Levinson, although, this could be a product of my hallucinogenic pharmaceuticals.

Rope
 
Rope said:
I was under the assumption ATI manufactured amplifier components for many companies. One that comes to mind is Mark Levinson, although, this could be a product of my hallucinogenic pharmaceuticals.

Rope
Click to expand...

Levinson is part of the Harmon empire, and ATI manufactures for Harmon, including JBL, Levinson and probably others I can't remember. ATI also used to build the Adcom amps, but no more.

I've had the cheap thrill of stressing a (very expensive) Levinson amp until it blew up and smoked....fun....
 
A little off topic since this question doesn't pertain to B&K, but I have wondered because I know Razz is pretty high on ATI, but is it safe to say ATI has a real "bang for the buck" type value as a brand going for it. (Much like SVS or HSU has in the sub market). Or is that way off base? I know it's a pretty general assessment if even valid, but I NEVER hear anything bad about them. At least on this forum...
 
soundhound said:
Rope said:
I was under the assumption ATI manufactured amplifier components for many companies. One that comes to mind is Mark Levinson, although, this could be a product of my hallucinogenic pharmaceuticals.

Rope
Click to expand...

Levinson is part of the Harmon empire, and ATI manufactures for Harmon, including JBL, Levinson and probably others I can't remember. ATI also used to build the Adcom amps, but no more.

I've had the cheap thrill of stressing a (very expensive) Levinson amp until it blew up and smoked....fun....
Click to expand...

Gettin' paid to blow shit up, now that's my kind of profession. They have any openings?

Did the Levinson take more abuse than the norm before giving it up?

Rope
 
DIYer said:
Rope said:
They have any openings?
Click to expand...
Click on this.
Click to expand...

Rope said:
Nah, ya have to repair shit, I just blow things up.

Rope
Click to expand...
Batman said:
You could always blow shyt up until they fire you...Provided they're insane enough to hire you. :teasing-neener:
Click to expand...

After the offer I made on my AT-2003, Jeff wouldn't hire me on a bet. They probably have my name in red by all telephones, with a note that says, "If this jackass calls, hang up!"

Rope
 
Rope said:
soundhound said:
Rope said:
I was under the assumption ATI manufactured amplifier components for many companies. One that comes to mind is Mark Levinson, although, this could be a product of my hallucinogenic pharmaceuticals.

Rope
Click to expand...

Levinson is part of the Harmon empire, and ATI manufactures for Harmon, including JBL, Levinson and probably others I can't remember. ATI also used to build the Adcom amps, but no more.

I've had the cheap thrill of stressing a (very expensive) Levinson amp until it blew up and smoked....fun....
Click to expand...

Gettin' paid to blow shit up, now that's my kind of profession. They have any openings?

Did the Levinson take more abuse than the norm before giving it up?

Rope
Click to expand...

Nope. Below all that billet aluminum is a real wuss.
 
Batman said:
A little off topic since this question doesn't pertain to B&K, but I have wondered because I know Razz is pretty high on ATI, but is it safe to say ATI has a real "bang for the buck" type value as a brand going for it. (Much like SVS or HSU has in the sub market). Or is that way off base? I know it's a pretty general assessment if even valid, but I NEVER hear anything bad about them. At least on this forum...
Click to expand...


ATI makes bulletproof amps with a very high degree of quality build. The specs are truthful and conservative. Some of the ATI amps share the same design as some of the very expensive high end amps that ATI makes for OEMs.

I don't know if this is a negative for you (it is for me), but almost all their designs are balanced from input to output, which gives the worst of all distortion signatures. Most people wouldn't be able to tell a difference though.
 
soundhound said:
Batman said:
A little off topic since this question doesn't pertain to B&K, but I have wondered because I know Razz is pretty high on ATI, but is it safe to say ATI has a real "bang for the buck" type value as a brand going for it. (Much like SVS or HSU has in the sub market). Or is that way off base? I know it's a pretty general assessment if even valid, but I NEVER hear anything bad about them. At least on this forum...
Click to expand...


ATI makes bulletproof amps with a very high degree of quality build. The specs are truthful and conservative. Some of the ATI amps share the same design as some of the very expensive high end amps that ATI makes for OEMs.

I don't know if this is a negative for you (it is for me), but almost all their designs are balanced from input to output, which gives the worst of all distortion signatures. Most people wouldn't be able to tell a difference though.
Click to expand...

That statement is key, and I'm not affiliated with ATI in any way, form, or fashion, furthermore, I'm not attempting to convince anyone that differential amps are all that and a bag of chips. I will, however, say, the switch I made from a Bryston 5B-ST to an AT-2003 was a real eye opener. Not only did I gain watts RMS, but a lower noise floor, and all for less money.

Possibly the best thing I could have done would have been to purchase one of ATI's non differential designs, which I believe the AT-1800 would have sufficed.

Rope <----------------Tin Ear
 
If I had went with a set non-powered speakers with my last upgrade, I would have probably added the AT-2002 for a nice stereo setup.
 
Adding another little tidbit I came across sometime past: "I worked as an intern for Crown International (the power amplifier company) for a summer. They're owned by parent company Harmond International and design amplifiers for other companies including Mark Levinson.

The Mark Levinson amps are very similar to the crown power amps, but they use a few higher quality components and connectors. Most of this is for the psyche of the consumer and don't really produce any better audible results. Then they design the amp to be real heavy so that the consumer things there is extra "magical" stuff in there to make it sound better. The final cost of the amp was somewhere around $2.5K and then they mark it up to $15k to make you think it sound better. In blind audio tests users couldn't tell the difference between Crowns Top of the line amps and the Mark Levinson amps"

I saved this around the time I was researching the purchase of the two Crown's K1's ... FWIW
 
It is pretty routine to "bulk up" so called high-end amps with things like billet faceplates which don't effect the sound quality at all. The circuitry is the same as in the lower priced line, but the buyer doesn't know that.
 
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