Now that we've gone this far into this post, what preamp and sources are you using?
Yes, I have put all the amps mentioned head to head in my system in my room with my electronics. I would never comment on a piece unless I had done so and used it for an extended period of time. I have personally owned all the above mentioned amps and a few more including the Parasound JC1's, a pair of McCormack DNA .5 Deluxe(which I actually liked better than the 225 or 125.) I have wasted enough money to set up a nice retirement plan in pursuit of a amp that does what I want it to do.
All of the above amps are excellent in their own way. A lot is personal preference. We could quote reviews or whatever and make valid points for any of them in a given system. The Ayre has been called one of the best period and has also had a bevie of sterling reviews. The Belles amps have had sterling reviews. We wouldn't need all of the stuff available if everyone liked the samething.
I will say this and it might have a bearing on why I like the Ayre. Jim Hansen uses Vandersteen 3a Sigs to help voice his amps. He has discussed this over on Audio Asylum. I also use an Aesthetix Calypso preamp and Jim White personally uses the 3a Sigs. So it may be a synergy thing.
On the other hand, in my personal conversations with Steve McCormack, he also uses 3a Sigs(and yes 4yanx, Steve makes some great amps)so---who knows!
For Rebl208, it is not frequency response that is in issue. The Ayre is perfectly flat through the bass. Frequency response is but a small part of an equation to why something sounds as it does. The zero feedback approach is about timing and phase issues. When you feedback globally, the signal is taken from the output and fed back into the input 180 degrees out of phase. This affects the timing/phase of the amp and contributes to the amp taking on a harder sound. More and more are beginning to experience this when the products are compared. Tube amps use no negative feedback and this is thought to have a profound effect on why they sound so liquid.
However, it is certainly your right to choose as you see fit.
Yes, I have put all the amps mentioned head to head in my system in my room with my electronics. I would never comment on a piece unless I had done so and used it for an extended period of time. I have personally owned all the above mentioned amps and a few more including the Parasound JC1's, a pair of McCormack DNA .5 Deluxe(which I actually liked better than the 225 or 125.) I have wasted enough money to set up a nice retirement plan in pursuit of a amp that does what I want it to do.
All of the above amps are excellent in their own way. A lot is personal preference. We could quote reviews or whatever and make valid points for any of them in a given system. The Ayre has been called one of the best period and has also had a bevie of sterling reviews. The Belles amps have had sterling reviews. We wouldn't need all of the stuff available if everyone liked the samething.
I will say this and it might have a bearing on why I like the Ayre. Jim Hansen uses Vandersteen 3a Sigs to help voice his amps. He has discussed this over on Audio Asylum. I also use an Aesthetix Calypso preamp and Jim White personally uses the 3a Sigs. So it may be a synergy thing.
On the other hand, in my personal conversations with Steve McCormack, he also uses 3a Sigs(and yes 4yanx, Steve makes some great amps)so---who knows!
For Rebl208, it is not frequency response that is in issue. The Ayre is perfectly flat through the bass. Frequency response is but a small part of an equation to why something sounds as it does. The zero feedback approach is about timing and phase issues. When you feedback globally, the signal is taken from the output and fed back into the input 180 degrees out of phase. This affects the timing/phase of the amp and contributes to the amp taking on a harder sound. More and more are beginning to experience this when the products are compared. Tube amps use no negative feedback and this is thought to have a profound effect on why they sound so liquid.
However, it is certainly your right to choose as you see fit.