Upgrade from Forte F40/4A

all your Forte owners are so happy no one ever thought of upgrading?

Hi Semi,

I have been auditioning digital amps (UcD and ICEpower based designs as well as NuForce) and I caution you to not sell the Forte equipment until you have an opportunity to drop any of these newer designed amps into your system. Forte is going to be hard to beat unless you go much higher in cost.

Good luck,
L

I had a 4A and F44 combo that I liked very much. Went from the 4A to a McCormack DNA125 and ran the F44 with it. The 4A runs warm as many Class A amps do but it's sound is distinctive. It has clear pleasing mids and highs but left the bass a little murkey for me and did not extend down to the capabilities of my speakers. To me my Mc is more dynamic, mildly less detailed mids and highs but more musical bounce. I recently left the F44 (which I like very much) for a TAD tubed pre. Biggest difference was in a wider soundstage thrown with the TAD but the Forte holds it's own for musicality. I can't think of anything SS pre in the used market Forte price range that I would rather have. I think you will spend big to get a small improvement but I always had my eye on getting a Classe DR-6 but never found one priced right enough for me. If you are looking for a nice integrated look at Blue Circle or Plinius. But the Plinius may run warm also. Have not not heard the new PS Audio integrated but it gets good press from the rags. Or keep your 40 and match it with a Good class AB amp SS amp(Classe, McCormack, CJ etc.) that runs cooler than the 4A but that does not sound SS glarey and save yourself some major bucks. I am not familiar with Bel Cantos sound and I am negaitively biased because it is digital. I suspect it will sound vastly different from your Forte setup but that may not be bad for you. Can't speak of NuForce either.