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Ayre AX-7e vs. Belles Reference 150A

Not exactly apples to oranges since it's integrated vs. separates, but I am currently using a Belles Ref150A V2 with Placette Passive Linestage fed by Havana DAC into Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors. Overall I like the sound very much and could live with this for a very long time, but it would be nice to consolidate to an integrated and also save a bit of cash. Would this be an upgrade, downgrade, or lateral, but different move?

There is so much about the Belles that I like -- the natural timbre, dynamics and decay, huge, open sound and soundstage, bass extension -- and I want to see if there something else that plays to the same strengths even more. I prefer things on the warmer side as you can probably tell by my choice of gear.
eugene81
wig's avatar
wig
1,255 posts
 
I have owned both the 150A/350A Ref amplifiers and the Belles Integrated was noticeably better in detail, slam, imaging and overall sound quality.
eugene81 OP
270 posts
 
Thanks for the advice, guys, especially Pkoh70 -- that is very helpful! I've decided to keep the 150A Ref and wait for an Aleph J to arise to compare the 2...

... I'm also contemplating trying out a tube or hybrid amp, but the excessive concentrated heat (I have a one year old daughter who is just about to start walking) and low power have me discouraged. I would love to try an Almarro A318B, but I have read that it runs wicked hot, and 18 WPC into 88dB @ 4 ohms doesn't sound terribly promising. Still, I lust after that natural, lush, holographic SET sound and my aim is to find something more practical that can get me as close as possible, like many of us audiophiles. I'm sure I will end up with the A318B at some point as well as an Aleph.

Pathos Classic One MkIII, Cayin A-88T, PrimaLuna Dialogue Two, old McIntosh SS (MC150, MC7100, MC7200, MC2105, MC2125) -- any thoughts on these vs. my existing gear?

Also, any problem using an integrated as a power amp? I find that a lot of the better more affordable tube gear are integrateds without remotes.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Haven't seen an Aleph J listed since I sold mine 2-3 years ago - seems folks smarter than me hold on to them.
sabocat59
98 posts
 
For tube amplifiers, I cannot recommend too highly the custom work of Jim Nicholls:

http://jwnamplifiers.vpweb.com/

I have one of his creations, not a SET but a push/pull using 8 EL-34 output tubes, driving my Dali 400's--88 db sensitivity into 4 ohms. The amp sounds wonderful, and it is a great value.
fly_fish_nz
70 posts
 
I owned both the Belles Reference 150A paired with a Placette RVC and the Ayre AX7e, driving either Merlin VSMMe's or Lipinski L707's. Overall, I'd say they are more similar than not in what I thought their strengths, transparency, timbre, and dynamics. My experience with the Belles and Placette is similar to yours (the OP's) and I would probably give a slight not to the combo over the Ayre in my system and room, but the AX7e is a great integrated.

A possible addition to the list of tubed integrateds you are researching: the Rogue Tempest II which I also used for quite some time. And as a side note, I currently use a Lyngdorf TDAI 2200 which I have preferred to the many other amps I have used in the past.
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