Bel Canto or PS Audio amps?

TheChairGuy · « **on:** 4 Jan 2003, 03:26 am »

Anybody spent any time hearing the Bel Canto Evo Class T amps? Any impressions or thoughts? - seem interesting at reasonable (by audiophile standards) pricing (new or used).

Secondly, any time spent listening to the PS Audio HCA amp?

Rocket · « **Reply #1 on:** 4 Jan 2003, 04:23 am »

hello,

my local hifi store here in perth western australia have the bel canto range of amps. i've listened to the amps many times and they are a quality product, however like all products synergy is most important.

if i were you i'd look at the second hand market the amps seem to sell at quite reasonable prices.

anyway good luck.

regards

rod

Anthony C · « **Reply #2 on:** 4 Jan 2003, 02:03 pm »

One thing that pushes me more toward the Bel Canto line is their 4 and 6 ch models which can be bridged to make a much more powerful (and better sounding says STEREOPHILE) 2 or 3 ch unit. The PS amp is under $1500 though and is has also been reviewed very well. Another dig amp to look at is the ICE power by AV Reality which most of us have read glowing reports on at HD.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #3 on:** 4 Jan 2003, 05:18 pm »

Rocket/Anthony,

Even at these good prices, these digital amps seem no better priced than the many analog amps from Odyssey, Hafler, Belles, Musical Fidelity - not that I've listened to them all, but just highly reviewed $2500.00 and under competition.

These digital amps don't seem to be demonstratively better OR cheaper - just different right now (except cutting down on your electricity bills is the goal for similar wattage and amperage).

Maybe they hold great promise for the future, but at $1000-$2500.00+ there seems to be some great analog competition. The digitals seem to NOT have any significant shortcomings and that is the possible building blocks for better things in the future, I guess. The AV Reality, if I remember right, was well north of $2500.00(?)

I'm using a Norh MultiAmp now and it's okay, but a jump to any of the good analog or good digitals is probably a nice upgrade path for me at this point.

Like all things audio, maybe pontificating is worthless until you hear them for yourself...

Ernest · « **Reply #4 on:** 4 Jan 2003, 06:51 pm »

I demoed a PS Audio HCA-2 and (somewhat unfairly) compared it to a Acoustic Reality eARTwo. I really liked the HCA-2 and if I hadn't heard the eARTwo I would have kept it. But the eARTwo was so much better that I went with the eARTwo. There's a review I posted on HD about this. Check the unverified reviews section.

Overall, I think both the HCA-2 and eARTwo (and now eAROne monos) are better sounding than any tube or solid state amp I've heard, but I haven't heard a whole lot of them. Just Stratos, LeAmp, and Quicksilver M60s. I find the quality of the sound from those digital amps has the things I like from solid state and tube amps but then goes further. But there very well may be tube and solid states amps that do the same thing. And of course, my sense of what is good sounding may not match anyone else's. But I know this: if Peter had never made the eAR amps, I would currently own an HCA-2. But I am SO GLAD he DID make the eAR amps!

Oxia · « **Reply #5 on:** 4 Jan 2003, 10:09 pm »

TheChairGuy,
I auditioned the Bel Canto Evo 200.2 last year and was very impressed by what I heard. Prior to actually hearing them, I had read that they had an almost "tube-like" presentation, but I didn't sense any overt colouration or euphony. Rather, they struck me as being quite transparent, and unusually quick and detailed, particularly in the bass when compared to traditional analog amps. Today you can find a used example for around $1200 on audiogon, which I think is an excellent deal.

Ernest,
I know this is off-topic but I noticed your system description how includes the Tetra Living loudspeakers. Would you mind sharing some thoughts on how they sound, perhaps in a separate thread? Thanks.

Rocket · « **Reply #6 on:** 4 Jan 2003, 11:32 pm »

hello all,

i agree with your comments "the chair guy" i'm sure there are many amps out there that are just as good as the bel canto. i currently have an n.e.w. dc-66 battery powered amp which i think is as good as the bel canto and has a sonic signature that i like. pass labs aleph 3 is also a good choice and can be had for under $1000us which i think is a bargain.

i'm sure that the ear 2 is a good amp but at $5000 us ($10000au) i wouldn't buy one too expensive for my tastes. i'm sure there are many amps to recommend and unfortunately due to my remote location many of the amps i hear about thru ac/hd i haven't had the pleasure to listen to.

anyway good luck with your choice and remember listen to the amp if you can on your own system. synergy rules.

regards

rod

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #7 on:** 5 Jan 2003, 04:23 am »

What got me thinking about these digital amps was a conversation I had with Stan Warren about 18 months ago. I so totally respect this guy (I still own his startingly cheap/decent Superphon (BlackGate) modified PreAmp and Amp for a second system) and he told me when we got talking about amps to ' not bother spending a whole lot on analog amps and wait until the digitals come out - they are better'

Okay, I'm paraphrasing, but this was the gist of it.

This guy is one honest, tightwad audiophile and he had just finished up designing a digital amp and sent it off to the Chicago Audiophile Society...and left some jaws dropping there.

Maybe this is the time, or maybe digital amps need a little more seasoning time? The eAr's are interesting, but I just can't bring myself to pony up $5000.00 US. I hope I never hear them so I won't....

JoshK · « **Reply #8 on:** 5 Jan 2003, 04:49 am »

When I tried out the Spectron MII (newest version, which changed alot from the earlier MII's which had problems) I was totally impressed. It really stood up to all the amps I had been circulating in my system. I trounced the Cary V12i I had, so I sold that. I also compared to some mega buck amps, easily in the same league. Another RM40 owner here in the greater NYC area sold his super expensive Jeff Rowland mono's for the Spectron when he heard it in his system.

Now don't get me wrong, unlike Acoustic Reality, I am not saying this is the greatest amp in the world, just saying that there really is something about the digital amps. It wouldn't surprise me if the Bel Canto and PS Audio amps (heard once in unfamiliar system) were stellar. I can say that I love my Spectron and will rid of it when they pry it from my dead fingers. Synergy of course always rules, but RM40's + spectron is a great combo to fit the rest of the system around, IMHO!!!

I think that the Spectron is really a great value when you compare what it costs (around $3000 street I think) to other amps in its same league.