Ayre AX-7e vs. Belles Reference 150A

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.

Haven't seen an Aleph J listed since I sold mine 2-3 years ago - seems folks smarter than me hold on to them.

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.

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.

Thanks for the direct comparison Fly_fish_nz.

Anybody have thoughts on the Belles Ref 150A vs. the Luxman L-505u? I'm extremely interested in this piece. I heard it VERY briefly at a dealer with an Ayre CDP, but hooked up to Paradigm Studio 60s. Obviously I didn't get to experience the integrated's full potential with those speakers, but I liked the sonic signature -- a little warm, smooth, and natural sounding, but with some liveliness (I particularly recall nice shimmering sound on the ride cymbal). Soundstage depth and focus were not so good, and transparency and clarity were a bit lacking, but this may very well have been the fault of the speakers.

Also heard the megabuck Luxman M800A a while ago with Cremona M driven by a full DCS Paganini stack and CJ CT-5 pre: absolutely fell in love.