[Bill Baker]

The times are changing

It is obvious that things have changed considerably over the past few years. The economy sucks, people are loosing jobs daily and consumers have to be smarter in their purchases. One thing hasn't and never will change, people still love and appreciate music when experienced through a high quality system.

Going forward in 2010, Response Audio and Bella Extreme will start fresh with a new product line targeted for these times of recession. The new 'Basis' and 'PhonoMax have already been introduced and doing well. To follow soon, January 2010, will be the 'Bella SE10' single ended 10 watt amplifier, 'HeadMax' headphone amplifier/preamp and the 'Vivace' 20 watt mono bloc amplifiers that will come later in the first quarter. No Musica Bella product listed above will cost more than $2,995.

Mate a few of these products together for a partial or complete 'MusicMax' split chassis system equipped with everything you need for decades of musical enjoyment. There are a few pieces we do not manufacture or sell such as a CD transport and DAC. No worries, we have recommendations for these pieces and they even fit into our split chassis rack. Oh, wait a minute, we can't have a system without speakers. Again, not to worry as we have recommendations that suit the 'MusicMax' single ended system perfectly and are from Audio Circle manufacturers.


On the other end of the scale, Bella Extreme will continue to design and manufacture for Purity Audio Design. The Purity One and Purity One Reference linestages will officially be introduced early 2010.

Discontinued Products:

Bella Extreme 3205, Extreme ASL Hurricane mono blocs, Bella L/P (replaced with the "Basis"), Bella 100 mono blocs. Clarity Labs Emberglow (sold out), Musica Bella MB Series cables,

[rpf]

Smart move for these times. Good luck Bill. 

I've been lusting over your wood chassis products for a while now so perhaps, given the above, it's a good time to ask about the chance of a wood encased integrated amp?

Specifically, a EL34 based design with a 12AU7 line-stage section and 12A_7 drivers/phase splitters? A 6550/KT88 design along the same lines would also be welcome (but not one that purports to take all of the above tubes - they don't really work well).

And since I'm being so specific, I might as well stipulate the rest of my wish list. 

Point to point wiring; individual manual bias; tube sockets that are not on circuit boards and set so the tube bases rise above the chassis (possible to chassis mount on a wood enclosure?); remote volume (only) control; 4 and 8 ohm taps (external, or internal a la Rogue); one or two inputs; and, of course, high quality parts throughout. And since your wood chassis are so beautiful, cylindrical transformer covers. 

Yes, I know Prima Luna and Rogue put out wonderful sounding, inexpensive integrateds (I own the Cronus) but their parts quality isn't of the highest, nor do they posses the beauty of the wood chassis.

Anyway, my Holiday wish.   

[Bill Baker]

Specifically, a EL34 based design with a 12AU7 line-stage section and 12A_7 drivers/phase splitters? A 6550/KT88 design along the same lines would also be welcome (but not one that purports to take all of the above tubes - they don't really work well).

Interesting. this is the description of the 3205 custom I considered coming out with a while back right down to the tranny convers. 12AU7 input stage, 12AX7 phase/drivers and EL34 output tubes for 50 watts.