B&K PT-3 Series
II Preamplifier and ST2140 Stereo Amplifier
If I didn’t know B&K Components Ltd. was located
in Buffalo, New York, I would have guessed they were a German company. Everything B&K
makes seems overbuilt, much like German cars. Their products' solid appearance and
surprising heft, along with their conservative but unique styling, go a long way toward
setting them apart from the electronics mainstream -- no mass-market cookie-cutter looks
here. All of their products are designed, engineered, and built at their own facility in
Buffalo, and maybe that element of complete control accounts for the performance and value
B&K seems to be able to build into their products.
Description
The PT-3 Series II is a stereo preamplifier that retails
for $598 and, unlike many of its competitors, thoughtfully includes an AM/FM tuner with 40
presets, in addition to five line-level inputs and a tape loop (there is no phono input).
Also uncommon at this price point is the inclusion of a subwoofer output mated with a
high-pass line-level output for use with smaller speakers. This way, if you are using a
sub for low-bass duties, you can cross over your smaller speakers for potentially better
sound. Neat stuff.
The unit itself is of standard width, but only a little
over half the depth of most full-sized components, yet the little PT-3 Series II still
manages to weigh in at a solid-feeling 16 pounds. Although part of this is due to the over
quarter-inch-thick aluminum faceplate, peering through the vents revealed that the
majority of the weight was from the dense circuitry inside.
On the PT-3 Series II’s front, and below the
characteristic truncated oval-window display, are nine rubber (i.e., not plastic)
buttons that can be used to control most of the unit’s functions. These are also
duplicated on the remote. You can, if you wish, customize source names and even level
settings (bass, treble, volume, etc.) for each source. The manual, although thorough, is
fairly confusing regarding this feature and I found I could operate the unit just fine
without customizing it, but it’s certainly nice to have these capabilities if you
want them. I wasn’t crazy about the layout of the remote, as the volume control was
located on the left side (maybe there are a lot of lefties in Buffalo) and the source
buttons were grouped in two different areas, and set well apart from each other. That
said, the remote was comprehensive and worked well once I got used to it. The PT-3 Series
II is also equipped with a control output (to remotely turn on/off other components), IR
input, and an RS-232 input to maximize control flexibility. There is also a headphone jack
for quiet listening.
I’ll go into wish-list mode and say that I would
prefer that the volume control worked in 1dB increments rather than 2dB, as on many
occasions I was stuck listening to a song either a little too loud or soft. Also, the
volume control on the remote has to be pushed once to tell the preamp you’re
controlling the volume, and then again to adjust the level, which I found to be an
annoyance.
I’ll now get greedy and add that an analog bypass to
avert passing the signal through unused circuits would be nice, as would a home-theater
pass-through function that would allow for seamless integration with a processor or A/V
receiver without the need for volume matching.
There’s not much to talk about in the ergonomics
department regarding the ST2140. The power button is the lone occupant of the front panel,
which is also of the sturdy quarter-inch-thick-aluminum variety. The big surprise was on
the back panel where, in addition to the dual pair of plastic-capped, five-way binding
posts, I found balanced inputs along with the standard single-ended inputs. This, along
with the 31 pounds of mass and detachable power cord, were my main tip-offs that this amp
was meant for duties that lay far beyond its $698 asking price. This led me to the specs
page, where I learned that this thing puts out a claimed 140W per side into 8 ohms, which
is delivered via what is called a "class-A pre-driver stage" and a
"class-AB MOSFET output stage." At this point, I had to remind myself that this
amp is actually part of B&K’s lower line of amplifiers -- overbuilt
indeed.
Sound
I started by plugging the PT-3 Series II into my system
where it replaced a Rotel RSP-980 preamp/processor, which fed a McCormack DNA-0.5 (Rev. A)
amplifier and Soliloquy 6.2 speakers. In turn, a Pioneer DVD transport and an Electronic
Visionary Systems Millennium DAC1 fed the B&K.
Pretty much right from the get-go it was apparent that the
PT-3 Series II was a smooth operator. Music took on a sense of ease that made listening
fairly effortless and very enjoyable, yet there was enough detail to let me know what was
going on, in and around the instruments and performers. I started with Steely Dan’s Two
Against Nature [Giant 24719] and found Donald Fagan’s vocals on "Gaslighting
Abbey" to take on a slightly fuller and smoother tone that sounded more natural than
what I’m used to hearing. The cymbals also had a slightly cleaner presentation. On
the other end of the sonic spectrum, the deep and driving bass line in "Janie
Runaway" was full of all the punch and rhythmic feel this song demands, without any
bloat or slack.
I often use Patricia Barber’s Modern Cool [Blue
Note/Premonition 7243 5 21811 2 4] as an acid test to evaluate a component’s
capabilities -- it is well recorded and contains an eclectic mix of songs and sounds that
readily expose any limitations a piece of equipment may possess. I know this disc so well
that I can usually tell in the first few minutes whether a particular unit is doing this
recording justice, and it was obvious as soon as I pushed Play that the PT-3 Series II was
doing a lot right. Immediately, I noticed that the soundstage seemed like it
expanded and filled out with more weight and feel among its occupants, a characteristic I
usually find in, and associate with, much higher-priced preamps.
Also noteworthy: Center images seemed more solid and locked
in, so that it took less effort on my part just to absorb the music. I didn’t have to
think about it. The PT-3 Series II once again fleshed out tonal colors, and I also heard
an improvement in the balance between tone and sibilance in Patricia Barber’s sultry
voice. Bass remained tight and tuneful, and the treble was nicely detailed and balanced in
the mix, yet with just a hint of softness at the very top end that slightly rounded off
the leading edges of some attacks. This also showed up as a slight veil that limited the
perceived sense of air within the recording. But these concerns tended to fade well into
the background considering all the things the PT-3 Series II was getting right. Overall,
the PT-3 Series II delivered all the emotion, dynamics, and wealth of tonal flavors that
this disc has to offer. Although it sounds like a cliché, I mean it when I say that the
PT-3 Series II could easily be compared to preamps costing much more than its
asking price.
As impressed as I was by the PT-3 Series II, I was outright
stunned by the ST2140. I was so captivated that I really had to dig to come up with
anything that I could even stretch to call a fault. The name of the ST2140’s game is
transparency. It simply lets the music come through without adding anything of any
significance that I could discern, which is high praise for any audio component at any
price. Treble was extended and clean, bass was tight and quick, mids were full and
emotive, imaging was precise and well defined, and the soundstage was as big as you
please.
On "Company," from Modern Cool, the
snare-drum whacks were detailed and dynamic with all the resulting echoes that radiate out
after each stroke. The bass drum was also punchy and tight, while the drum solo toward the
end of the song was always right where it needed to be and never lagged behind. There was
also tons of space and air in and around the performance. On "Touch of Trash"
the tin cans readily occupied their own physical space at the back, right portion of the
stage. They sounded like they were physically being played in my room. The piano on
"You & The Night & The Music" attained its proper life-sized scale, and
its physical presence was notable as the ST2140 communicated not only the hammer and
string, but also the soundboard. I could easily tell this was no small instrument. In
short, the ST2140 had enough delicacy and grace to capture the small nuances essential to
a musical performance, but it also had the guts to bring the images to life in my room,
and this combination makes it an outstanding all-around performer.
However, no amplifier is perfect, and after some searching,
I finally found something to quibble about. Although the bass lead-in from Diana
Krall’s "All or Nothing at All" from Love Scenes [Impulse! 233] was
accurately portrayed, I didn’t sense quite the weight I have heard from much more
expensive amplifiers. I confirmed this with Tony Falanga’s Soul of the Bass [Plane
88846], where I didn’t get the full resonance and warmth of the big double bass. I
must say, though, that overall the low frequencies sounded present and convincing.
It’s almost not fair to quibble at all, as we are
talking about that last ounce of performance that is usually reserved for amps reaching
well into the multi-thousand-dollar range, but the ST2140 is so good that it deserves to
be judged at this level. In fact, the ST2140 is so transparent and well rounded that I
could easily use it as a reference -- it’s that good. I found myself wondering what
B&K left on the table for its upper-level Reference line of amplifiers, ‘cause
the ST2140 sure didn’t leave much wiggle room.
Comparisons
The PT-3 was more refined and more tonally rich and meaty
than my Rotel RSP-980, and in this sense the PT-3 Series II sounded like a much more
expensive preamp than it actually is. For its part, the Rotel excelled at capturing more
air and the crispness of transient attacks, generally yielding a more open sound in the
upper-frequency range. I suspect many people who are looking for a product like the PT-3
Series II are looking to add refinement to an existing system, and in this case the little
B&K would be an excellent choice.
B&K ST2140 Stereo Amplifier
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When I started this review, I planned to compare the ST2140
to the amp section of an NAD receiver I have. Instead, I had no choice but to compare it
to my reference McCormack DNA-0.5, as there were far more similarities than differences
between the two. However, one glaring difference is that the McCormack, with its Revision
A modification, is about four times the price of the ST2140! But for some added heft and
tonal bloom in the bass and mids on the part of the DNA-0.5, the amps performed like
fraternal twins in my system, and that is very high praise considering the
McCormack’s excellent reputation and the formidable price difference between the two.
Conclusion
Both the PT-3 Series II and ST2140 are excellent performers
by any standard. In the few areas where they err at all, they do so by omission rather
than commission, which is the preferred tack. Together they are a rare find anywhere near
their respective price points.
I believe the ST2140 could live quite happily in just about
any high-quality rig, while the PT-3 Series II represents a near-perfect choice for those
looking to enter the realm of separate components. At a combined price of just under
$1300, this is the kind of performance that will make a lot of people with much
higher-priced systems start to feel a little insecure. From my perspective, the PT-3
Series II and ST2140 would have to be considered screaming bargains. My experience with
these solidly built and solid-performing, high-value B&K siblings makes me wonder if
BMW shouldn’t start building cars in Buffalo.
Prices of equipment reviewed
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