New Bel Canto Gear at RMAF

Rafael, while there is moderate correlation -- at least in principle -- between price and performance, I prefer not to venture too many prognostications. By the way, JRDG 312 uses twin swwitching power supplies, rather than linear/toroidals. See the sidebar on 312 on issue 188 of TAS--I believe around page 80.
My general philosophy on the subject of power supplies is best summarized by the words of Igor Stravinsky in the Poetics Of Music: "By its fruit we judge the tree. Judge the tree by its fruit then, and do not meddle with the roots. Function justifies an organ, no matter how strange the organ may appear in the eyes of those who are not accustomed to see it functioning."
For the time being, I can only state that I really liked what little I heard of the Bel Canto Mk.2 series, and that they are currently somewhere towards the top of my preferencial non-integrated amplifying heap, together with the class D JRDG 312 stereo, the class A/B Theta Citadel monos, and the class D Spectron. .

Hello Tvad,

"I was just correcting your statement with a pertinent example" - unless you state that H2O amplifier is in the same class as Jeff Rowland 312 you dod not correct or in-correct anything but thank you for your kind thoughts.

Guido,
I know that Jeff Rowland 312 and Continium (I believe) uses swithing power supplies and also power correction which help regulate this power supply (but not to 100%!!) and so what?

With this exception (and I believe I stated it in my post above and if not I am bitterly sorry) - every class D amplifier which uses switching power supplies provides inferior performance IN MY OPINION.

We talked, however, about Bel Canto Mk2 - I don't know if they use witching power supplies (I suspect so) and if so is it with power correction or not.

Where I strongly disagree with you - its only in one thing. I cannot make final judgment on the piece of equipment based only on its sonics during audio show with imperfect acoustic, thousands of people etc.
If you can - fine, just please don;t force me too.
its possible that I will investigate seriously Bel Canto and I will agree with you - and I will state so publicly and until that time let me stay with the opinion that Bel Canto was very good and worth investigating but... no more.
You recommend this amp for people to buy to spent big money and I can't (yet..).

I hope it clarifies things. Sometimes, I feel on this forum as in the court of low - you say a word incorrectly or correctly and word has more then one meaning - you are "attacked". Its OK, I can live with it, rather happily (I have my Spectrons!!!!!)

All The Best
Rafael
P.S. I am out of this "discussion"

Guido my friend, what's the issue # of that TAS?

Dave

Hi Dave, my review article of Vienna Mahlers with sidebars on JRDG 312 and Sumiko Masters set is on The Absolute Sound issue 188 for December 2008. . . I think the main article starts at page 76 or 78.

Rafael, believe it or not, we appear to agree. Like yourself, I am not in a position of judging any power amp to be the ''best'. I probably spent about 3 hours with the Spectron Mus 3 stereo in 07, which is about as much time I spent this year with the Bel Canto Ref 500 Mk.2. The 2 rooms were both acoustically very good, if very different; In the end, I had sufficient time with both amps to tentatively flag them towards the top of my prefs. If and when I have the opportunity of comparing them directly to Theta Citadels, or JRDG 312, I may be able to confirm and hone my opinion of them, or instead recant.

First of all, many thanks for all of your insights. Especially to Dob who favorably compares the Spectron in monoblock configuration as besting some of the best linear amps out there. And being a musician to boot! Now having some friends who are musicians themselves, I can state that they have the ''ear''. And those opinions to me really count. So what I've been suspecting all along that Spectron is presently KING of class D is looking more and more true the more I read up on it. I've tried out the Bel Cantos in their latest iteration 2 months ago, and for ''slam'' they equaled my Krell FPB 300c driving my Eggleston Andras. But musically, something was lacking. So Dob, I can tell you to go ahead and audition them, but they won't best the Spectron from what I can read here. And yes Dev, I intend to put something under the Andras other than the rubber feet I'm now using.