CEDIA 2016

B&K Components, a venerable component-audio brand absent from the market for around six years, staged a comeback at CEDIA 2016 under a new owner who vowed to maintain the brand’s legacy of providing “high-quality electronics at reasonable prices.”

In one major change, however, the brand is focusing on products sold through custom integrators, said president Barry Wosk, an A/V veteran who also owns 27-year-old Sound Developments. That company imports and markets multiple A/V brands in the U.S. and Canada, including Trinnov Audio electronics, Procella Audio speakers, Front Row Seating home theater seats, Gray architectural speakers, and Zappiti 4K media players.

B&K was known for stereo and home theater electronics and amplifiers sold through retailers, but the new B&K will focus on a short line of products with features tailored for custom installations. Wosk is paying homage to B&K’s legacy by resurrecting the brand’s logo, maintaining the brand’s cosmetic look on full-size audio components, and making most products in the U.S.

The first seven products consist of amplifiers and sound bars, including the SCA 2.100 2x100-watt amplifier designed for use with the Sonos Connect wireless music streamer. The Class D amp, which cosmetically matches the Connect, serves as a base for the Connect and delivers enough power to drive outdoor speakers and custom-installed speakers in large rooms, Wosk said. The amp is 3-ohm-stable to power a pair of 6- or 8-ohm speakers.

Another amplifier is the compact 17mm-deep IZA 2.50 stereo amplifier, which is small enough to fit behind a TV and amplifies TV sound via optical or analog inputs. It also features subwoofer output and Ethernet port for IP control from installed home-control systems. The Class D amp is rated at 2x25 watts, but an optional power supply boosts output to 2x50 watts. It down-mixes 5.1 TV audio to 2.0.

A multiroom amplifier is the MRA 16.75+, designed to send larger amounts of power to custom-installed speakers in large rooms and less power to smaller rooms. Wosk called it an industry first. The Class AB amp delivers 75 watts to each of 12 channels and 150 watts to each of four channels.

For home theaters, the HTA 7.150 Class AB amp is rated at 7x150 watts. Three two-channel sound bars include two that come with a choice of grilles in different widths to provide a custom look when paired with different-size TVs. All are notched in back to add the compact 17mm-deep IZA 2.50 stereo amplifier without increasing the sound bars’ depth.

The company declined to reveal retail prices, leaving it to integrators to set their own prices. All but one will be available in November.