Belles upgrade??

What specific areas would you most like to improve upon?

Again, thanks for all the info and suggestions, will research further. Soix, to answer your question, areas that I think I would like to see improvement are richness and dynamics, and also noise reduction. I know the tubed pre tends to bring in some noise on its own and I will be upgrading my wiring situation in the near future, which should also make a big improvement, but the review implied running monos was also a huge factor. Does anyone concur on that point? I ran an ARC 100.2 a little while ago, every other piece was the same. It seemed more dynamic and sounded pretty amazing, but it was a good bit noisier. 

Not sure going to monoblocks is going to do too much to help add richness.  There’s a nice McCormack DNA-2 on US Audiomart for $1750 that, if you want, you could send to Steve to do any level of his upgrades to make a very special amp.  I find McCormacks to have some richness and oomph in the lower mids that may fill in some of the richness you’re looking for.  Obviously dynamics are not an issue.  Best of luck. 

Belles are hard to beat they are that good, the money is put inside not outside like thread is today, and when you look inside no better than many at less than 1/2 the price. Overbuilt to justify the asking price.