Belles 150A Reference in Mono???

AVGeorge,

I own the 150 Ref A, running into Sonic Euphoria Pre and Merlins, and this is not to discount your observations but my experience is quite a bit different then yours. I find the bass incredibly well defined and controlled and there is absolutely no noise whatsoever. I've compared the Ref A directly to several very well thought of amps that run in the 3-5K range and they have always done incredibly well. Reviews of the Ref 150 have been glowing as well, one reviewer wondering whether it wasn't the best SS amp.

Since you held on to the 150 for a year and then bought another Belles, you must have liked something about the Belles for quite a while...just wondering whether it's possible there was a glitch in the 150, particularly because of the comment about noise, which I've never experienced.

Best.

The enshrined Belles 350A Reference, brand new, for no reason whatsoever connection wise or other, emitted a DC surge into my speakers, frying every driver and burning resistors and exploding capacitors in the crossovers. I have never seen glue melt on woofers before and neither has anyone I spoke to. Needless to say, I was given a refund. However, three emails to the designer, asking what was wrong with the amp were ignored and never answered. Not a product I would touch with a ten foot pole.

I think it's about time we got into some Belles chat;pro or con--it's all good.
Why I used the 150 for a year???( I also had the hot-rod 150 before the ref,version.)--- (I think each amp is killer in its price point.) I was busy paying off my Sophias;first the originals and then the 2's.I had the originals and then traded them and got the 2's--so I lived with both,just not at the same time.
Whether we're talking amp or speakers,esp. ones we own,it's natural to compare said item to the item it replaced.------When I refer to "noise" from the 150,believe me I NEVER heard any,it's just when you use the 350 you can't help but notice---it is quieter;in my system.---On to bass with each amp--and with Merlin vs. Sophia.------Just replacing the speakers with no other changes;using the exact same everthing--and placing them in near the same place---much more low/mid drive from the Sophia. I can tell you I get that much more bass ,150 vs. 350.---BTW---My 2's got here and a forklift went thru the wood crate so I had 2 months between 1&2's.(The Soph.1's were already gone) My hearing is such that If I make no changes to anything else,I can tell pretty well whatever differences there are between the new piece and the old. It took me months to appreciate the 2's better treble.---The 350 just got plunked down where the 150 had been (and no 2 months between each).----I had emailed David and received no reply as well;in the past. On getting an exploding amp I guess it would sour anyone,to bad. Nobody or nothing is perfect. The seller of the 350 says he bought Lamm,can't remember which model but at 4X's the price(new)I can assume it's also a much better amp/s.---How I got turned to Belles? The guy I bought my Merlins from was using the hot-rod,so I got one,too. While I loved each amp, moving up their line I found you get more with each step. I think the step to the 350 is just a bit more than the other steps were. So I guess changes are all subjective. The main purpose of my post was to write my opinions of going 150 to 350/ not to bash the 150;but that is how the chips fall--there are huge differences.

As a "new" Belles 350A Reference owner, I also want to throw myself into the "very impressed" camp. I had never even heard about Power Modules/Belles, but was looking to replace a Sunfire Cinema Grand (five channel) with a robust two-channel amp, to drive ML Summits. I had already demo'd a Butler 2250, but wasn't happy with it's synergy with the Summits. My dealer then suggested I consider the Belles. I researched the Belles 350A Ref, found the sole Soundstage review, but otherwise SCANT mention of it online. I, too, emailed Belles/Power Modules (specifically inquiring about how well it could handle ML's)... and like most folks, never got a reply. I was unimpressed, and ready to keep looking at other brands. However, since I already had $$ credit with my dealer, and the demo would only cost me shipping, I finally agreed to give it a listen. Wow! From the first notes, I was blown away, and immediately called my dealer to say it was a keeper. After 3 months break-in, I'm even more thrilled with it's musicality. I eventually emailed Belles/Power Modules AGAIN (praising the amp) and DID receive a personal thank-you reply from David Belles himself. I suspect Dave Belles is approaching retirement, and just not interested in investing the time and energy needed to compete in the shrinking audiophile market. That would be a real loss for the audio future.