2. amps-preamps
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Ayre AX-7e vs. Belles Reference 150A

Not exactly apples to oranges since it's integrated vs. separates, but I am currently using a Belles Ref150A V2 with Placette Passive Linestage fed by Havana DAC into Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors. Overall I like the sound very much and could live with this for a very long time, but it would be nice to consolidate to an integrated and also save a bit of cash. Would this be an upgrade, downgrade, or lateral, but different move?

There is so much about the Belles that I like -- the natural timbre, dynamics and decay, huge, open sound and soundstage, bass extension -- and I want to see if there something else that plays to the same strengths even more. I prefer things on the warmer side as you can probably tell by my choice of gear.
eugene81
leskiem
9 posts
 
I can kind of help...

I used to have Auditors and an AX7e as well as a CX7e. That little integrated sounds wonderful with Auditors, however I was running fully balanced chain.

To my ears it sounded better than $11K worth or Electrocompaniet gear and I sold all the Electrocompaniet and kept the Ayre. I have since moved to tube gear and Devore speakers, but I am not sure you can find any better solid state than the Ayre unless you move up big time to many multiples of the price.
lougiants
76 posts
 
Belles makes an integrated Amp... if you like the Belles sound maybe auditioning an IA-01 could be on your list as well.
Ayre makes great gear as well. I don't think you could go wrong with either choice.
eugene81 OP
270 posts
 
Hmm... now I'm almost set on getting a Pass Aleph 30 or Aleph J. :D The reputation of these amps (and all Pass Class A models) is the stuff of legend. The heat and energy consumption were a deal breaker for me, but I figure I gotta have one of these once in my life to see what all the fuss is about. Plus if I just think of it like a tube amp and turn it off when not in use the heat/power draw doesn't seem like as big of a deal... at least that's what I tell my wife!
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Of the three, the Pass gear is by far my preference, but you are talking about 30 watts there which may be an issue with some speakers. The J was almost as good as the XA30.5 with easy to drive speakers like my Merlins.
eugene81 OP
270 posts
 
Yeah, the Cremona Auditors are 88 dB @ 4 ohms. Sounds like a rather difficult load, but my 60 WPC (actually 120 @ 4 ohms) Bel Canto C5i Class D had no problem with them though and others have reported they are fairly easy to drive.

Ugh, but now I'm seeing that the Aleph 30 provides only 5A peak current whereas the C5i is 30A, which I think is a significant factor.

I'll just have to buy and try. Don't think I'll have any problem reselling if it doesn't work out!
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