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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
sabocat59
98 posts
 
For tube amplifiers, I cannot recommend too highly the custom work of Jim Nicholls:

http://jwnamplifiers.vpweb.com/

I have one of his creations, not a SET but a push/pull using 8 EL-34 output tubes, driving my Dali 400's--88 db sensitivity into 4 ohms. The amp sounds wonderful, and it is a great value.
fly_fish_nz
70 posts
 
I owned both the Belles Reference 150A paired with a Placette RVC and the Ayre AX7e, driving either Merlin VSMMe's or Lipinski L707's. Overall, I'd say they are more similar than not in what I thought their strengths, transparency, timbre, and dynamics. My experience with the Belles and Placette is similar to yours (the OP's) and I would probably give a slight not to the combo over the Ayre in my system and room, but the AX7e is a great integrated.

A possible addition to the list of tubed integrateds you are researching: the Rogue Tempest II which I also used for quite some time. And as a side note, I currently use a Lyngdorf TDAI 2200 which I have preferred to the many other amps I have used in the past.
eugene81 OP
270 posts
 
Thanks for the direct comparison Fly_fish_nz.

Anybody have thoughts on the Belles Ref 150A vs. the Luxman L-505u? I'm extremely interested in this piece. I heard it VERY briefly at a dealer with an Ayre CDP, but hooked up to Paradigm Studio 60s. Obviously I didn't get to experience the integrated's full potential with those speakers, but I liked the sonic signature -- a little warm, smooth, and natural sounding, but with some liveliness (I particularly recall nice shimmering sound on the ride cymbal). Soundstage depth and focus were not so good, and transparency and clarity were a bit lacking, but this may very well have been the fault of the speakers.

Also heard the megabuck Luxman M800A a while ago with Cremona M driven by a full DCS Paganini stack and CJ CT-5 pre: absolutely fell in love.
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