Day 2 Belles Reference 350A Amplifier

zybar · « **Reply #40 on:** 27 Nov 2005, 05:20 pm »

Quote from: earlmarc

Zybar, I believe the DNA-500 is rated at 500 watts into 8ohms. And the input impedence of both the Salk HT3 and SP Tech Rev. are 8ohm and both of their input sensitivities are rated at 85db. However, I do understand you wanting a mono configuration because they would perform better with your speakers. I know a stereo Ref. 350 had no problem driving the SP Continuum AD MKII to the limits. In fact, the speakers gave in before the amplifier. The Continuum are rated 4ohm with a 88db sensitivity.

Zybar, you should try to audition a stereo Ref. 350 and report back to us as to whether or not it could drive your Salk HT3 to your satisfaction.

Marcus,

Having heard the differences between stereo and mono, I have no interest in the stereo amp with my speakers. I actually suggest you try and get a second Ref 350A and hear what a difference there is between stereo and mono. It might not be worth the extra $4k+ but you won't have to do back and forth A/B to hear the difference.

It's too bad we don't live near each other to get together.

George

earlmarc · « **Reply #41 on:** 27 Nov 2005, 08:19 pm »

George, one day we will meet. I can't wait! By the way, George after hearing the mono Ref. 350A in Chang's set-up, what were your impressions? I know you have a special relationship with the McCormack. She's a beautiful thing! But I see your eyes on the other beautiful girl. Come on now, you must admit she's hot! Only way to know, is to take her home for awhile. You might like her even better. Don't want to break up your marriage, but in audio your allowed to have more than one wife.

marvda1 · « **Reply #42 on:** 27 Nov 2005, 11:33 pm »

wonder how the McCormack would sound vs, the monblock 150a reference as they would be closer in wattage and price to the dna 500?

earlmarc · « **Reply #43 on:** 28 Nov 2005, 12:15 am »

There are three solid state amplifiers I would love to compare, and they are the Ayre V-1xe, Belles Ref. 350A, and McCormack DNA-500. If anyone ever got these three amplifiers together, I would be willing to travel to hear the face-off.

JAMn Joe · « **Reply #44 on:** 28 Nov 2005, 02:44 am »

Earlmarc,

I would question that the Belle amp bested the SP Tech speakers. We've pumped much more power into the Continuum's than the Belle amp puts out and the speakers didn't fail or falter. If the speakers bottomed out I would suggest that the amp may have gone into clipping mode. I've managed to do that with several amps on the Continuums including the Butler 2250 in stereo mode. I was however, never able to get them to bottom out when we put a pair of 2250's on them and ran them in mono mode.

Please elaborate on what you meant for clarification as it is very hard to believe that the speakers failed at the power ratings that the Belle amplifier produces.

Thanks,

JoshK · « **Reply #45 on:** 28 Nov 2005, 02:58 am »

From 250w to 500w you only afford 3db of headroom, the difference in audibility is likely more due to the extra PSU afforded by running them in monoblocks. You might be able to get there with beefing up the PSU aftermarket rather than going monoblocks, thus doubling the price.

earlmarc · « **Reply #46 on:** 28 Nov 2005, 03:28 am »

Joe, I think I said that the Belles had no problem pushing the Continuum's to their limits. During the canon explosion in the 1812 Overture, I felt that the woofers lost some composure. We didn't have the volume cranked all the way up. The amplfier didn't clip during this part of the drama. Does this mean that the amplifier bested the speakers? I don't think so. What it indicates to me is that the amplifier has the ability to push the speakers to their limits. We were concerned we would blow the woofers during this passage. If the volume was cranked up higher, I think that we could have based on what I heard. Do I know for certain that the amplifier would have clipped before this might have happened. No, I do not.

What I said was in context to whether the Belles could serve the power requirement of George's speakers. And in no way was meant to discredit the abilitiy of SP Tech.'s speaker abilities. And if what I said was taken as a derogative statement, I apologize and will retract that part of my reply.

Sincerely

Marcus Martin

JAMn Joe · « **Reply #47 on:** 28 Nov 2005, 03:59 am »

Marcus,

A retraction is not necessary, I was just trying to get clarification as my interpretation led me to believe that the speaker failed from too much power.

Thanks for clearing things up and I agree that the Belle amplifier is a great amp.

Enjoy and thanks again for clarifying things!

Aether Audio · « **Reply #48 on:** 29 Nov 2005, 12:56 am »

Gentlemen,

I want to thank Earlmarc for clearing things up. Yes, the Continuums were pushed to their limits on the cannon blast of the 1812 Overture. But...I going to shoot my big mouth off on this one.

Now let me state, this has absolutely nothing to do with Earlmarc or his comments in this thread, or anything to do with the session we had at his place. It's just that it gives me an opportunity to highlight the performance of our products. The old rooster is strutting his stuff, if you will.

So...that being said, I defy anybody to produce evidence of a speaker with only two 8-inch drivers per enclosure, that can even equal the performance of the Continuums on the cannon blast of the 1812 Overture. We're talking a clipped (they clipped the mic while recording it), 6Hz signal here fella's, pretty much a square wave...the Godzilla of speaker destroying recordings.

I'm willing to compare the Continuums side-by-side with any other (2) 8-inch woofer system intended for home audio that is designed to provide a flat response to at least 35Hz and crosses over to a midrange or tweeter above 500Hz. Yeah, even the Adire XBL^2 technology. They may kick our butts in the end, but we'll give 'em a run for their money.

I could have made the same claim for the Revelations, but that wouldn't be fair. I KNOW there's no other similar system that can compete with them. So in the spirit of fairness, we'll stick with the Continuum A.D.'s

Any taker's? No guts, no glory. We'll set up a little contest at some point in the future - certainly after T.H.E. Show though. Bring your SPL meter and I'll bring mine. Whoever hit's the highest SPL before woofer destruction...wins. Winner lives to fight another day, looser rebuilds his speakers.

Yeah, that's how confident I am. Just let me know and we'll work out the details.

-Bob

SWG255 · « **Reply #49 on:** 29 Nov 2005, 02:25 am »

Quote from: earlmarc

There are three solid state amplifiers I would love to compare, and they are the Ayre V-1xe, Belles Ref. 350A, and McCormack DNA-500. If anyone ever got these three amplifiers together, I would be willing to travel to hear the face-off.

To that list I'd add the Conrad-Johnson Premier 350 and the McIntosh MC-501 monos. These amplifiers may have a different character than the Ayre, Belles and McCormack, but if we're talking about current "top dog" SS high-powered amps, these have to be on the list. A friend who has heard the DNA-500 and the C-J Prem 350 prefers the C-J. That's not to say you or i would, but I've heard the Prem 350 by itself and it's a very, very musical and powerful amplifier. I've also heard the MC-402, but in less than ideal circumstances, but if the MC-501 is as much better as some claim, it should be invited to the party too. The Ayre amp is also very interesting to me, as I'm familiar with it's little brother, the V-5XE, and it's excellent. As is the SMALLER McCormack AMP, which a friend has, and I've spent many pleasant hours listening to it push his VR-4 Jr's around. In fairness, I think the Blue Circle BC-202 sounded better in my system than the DNA-225, but i wouldn't have complained if the mcCormack amp moved in for awhile.

OK, enough rambling, but this topic really has my audio-fool juices flowing, because a new, powerful SS amp is what my RM-40s are crying out for. 2006 is going to be the year I upgrade to that big amp, so , I'm ready for the face-off too!

zybar · « **Reply #50 on:** 29 Nov 2005, 02:38 am »

Quote from: SWG255

As is the SMALLER McCormack AMP, which a friend has, and I've spent many pleasant hours listening to it push his VR-4 Jr's around. In fairness, I think the Blue Circle BC-202 sounded better in my system than the DNA-225, but i wouldn't have complained if the mcCormack amp moved in for awhile. ...

As good as the DNA-225 is, the DNA-500 is a different beast and shouldn't just be consider as a higher output 225. It's topology is built differently and performs accordingly.

In the next few weeks I will get to hear the new dartZeel NHB 108 in a system I am familair with. My friend who owns this amp went from the DNA-500 to VAC Phi 220 mono amps, to the dartZeel.

Stay tuned.

George

earlmarc · « **Reply #51 on:** 29 Nov 2005, 03:32 am »

I received an e-mail from Dave Belles about the differences between the stereo and bridged Ref. 350A. He stated that the mono configuration is a level better than stereo with similar characteristics.