Well, this thread is a good one for demonstrating how wildly varying our perceptions are regarding desired sound. With the caveat that my experience is with Maggie 1.6's and MGCs, not 12s, I found the Belles 150a Hot Rod to be an extremely mediocre amp, barely an iota better than an Adcom 545 and 555. I was extremely disappointed, considering the great press it recieved. When I switched to a PS Audio HCA-2, that was what I'd been searching for. Much, much better bass control and extension. Much better midrange palpability and instrumental timbre. Much better high frequency extension in a natural, un-etched, manner with better retrieval of all the ambient soundstage information that makes you believe you are at the recording venue. Now, that's not to say that the other postings are off base. It simply demonstrates that our different tastes, paired equipment, and listening rooms make this sort of advice best consumed with a generous dose of salt.
