B&K Reference 50 & AV125.5 Home Theater Combo

B&K Components was founded in 1981 by Joh Beyer and Steve Kaizer in Buffalo, NY.  The duo and their engineers found success in the 1980s with powerful and affordable power amps and preamps that provided excellent sound quality.  As the company moved into the 1990s and early 2000s, the logical growth step was to take on the massively popular home theater market.  

In 2002, the Reference 50 surround sound control amplifier and processor was introduced to much acclaim, and alongside it came the AV125.5 multi-channel power amp.  Both units made by B&K to provide power, accuracy and musicality to multi-channel A/V experiences.  

The power amp provides 125 watts per channel into 8 ohms for 5 total channels of output.  Perfect for 90% of home theater setups, even today. At an original retail price of $1,500, the amp was relatively affordable for the power delivery it provided. This example has been reviewed by our in house tech and confirmed to be ready for many more years of audio playback. 

The Reference 50 control amplifier was an equally affordable and feature-rich item. With a veritable alphabet soup of surround and 2-channel features and processing formulas from Dolby, Surround-EX, DTS, NEO:6, and THX - The Reference 50 had all of the relevant formats of its time.  Along with processing, the Reference 50 has a slew of both analog and digital inputs and outputs allowing it to be true A/V epicenter. The on-board 24-bit/96kHz DAC was as good, if not better than 90% of the DACs that were available at the time.   And with both unbalanced and balanced analog connections, the user could be assured of a quiet noise floor and vibrant and dynamic audio playback. 

These two pieces together are a great pair.  The only deficiency is that the remote for the Reference 50 is not included, but remakes can be purchased online for short money.  If you are a listener looking for an excellent 2-channel playback experience on a budget, or someone who wants a compelling surround sound environment without HDMI, this pair is for you.

B&K Reference 50 Preamp-Processor: $299

B&K AV125.5 Multi-Channel Power Amp: $499

(plus applicable shipping and/or MA sales tax)

Downloads: 

B&K Reference 50 Owner's Manual

B&K AV125.5 Owner's Manual