ICE Amps for classical music?

Weseixas

I can't defend the Bel Canto, since I haven't heard one. However, as a long time owner of an ICE amp, I have come to dome definite conclusions. It took years of experimentation.

On my system the Sony would sound terrible. Then again, way before I went class D, and was using Pass gear, NOS players were winners hands down. So, I was an early convert. Now, with the gear I have, the difference only intensifies, remarkably.

The difference lies in several areas. An excellent Sony SACD sound exhibited a severely truncated decay. The stage was both shallow and squished. The tone was cold and tinny. In fact you describe it rather well.

My sound is fully fleshed out. The stage is bigger than my 5 foot speakers. I could go on, but it is just as well to say my sound follows nature. It is a natural sound, in all venues, hard rock, to lizard lounge singers.

These are .8 ohm speakers, with sensitivity at 76 db. Despite that, when I put on a well recorded pianist, I put his grand piano right in the room, turning the volume to 2 o'clock. It is fun to fake out passer-bys.

Weseixas, which Bel Canto monos did you try? . . . Ref 1000, Ref 1000M(same as Ref 1000 Mk.2), Ref 500M?

Did the Bel Canto have at least 1000 hours of music to its credit? ICEpower amps require an inordinate breakin time, while your vintage Threshold is of course fully broken in.

Did you leave the BC to play in the background for several hours prior to evaluation? ICREpower amps take about 24 hours to yield their best after powerup.  

My exact thought Guido, class D amps need to be left running to sound musically correct, I learned that early on.

Not all BEl Cantos may work equally well with the tube pre-amp. A bad match here might account for what was heard.

Also, I believe power supply implementations are different in different BC models and could make a difference.

I can say for certain that the BC ref1000m's in my system do not match Weseixas' description.

Never heard the Threshold so cannot compare to that. I'm sure it is a fine amp in of itself as well from what I do know.

Different amps do sound different, even under optimal circumstances, so not all will take to any in particular the same even if everything is set up to integrate perfectly.

Guidocorona is correct. No ICE amp will sound very good in the first 100 hours, with optimum playing delayed for 100s of hours.

Besides the need for a NOS DAC, a good ICE amp will never sound clear unless the whispiest insulated SC is used.

Class D is not deficient. Our understanding of class D is deficient.