Belles reference 150A Vs Belles Reference 150A V2

Great question! Also interested. I'm another fan of the Belles 150A Hot Rod. It's really a great sounding amp. Always wondered how the 150A Reference sounds?....

I have both of these amps. They really don't compare except that they are both neutral and grain free, which seems to be a Belles hallmark. The 150A ref v2 lets you hear your source and preamp. It is quite revealing. With that said, your front end gear has to be excellent. The 150A Hot Rod is more forgiving and also doesn't have quite the ability to drive tough speakers like the ref does. I like them both very much for their individual qualities. As with any amp, system synergy is key to achieve the sound you want. What is great about Belles amps is that they get out of the way and do their job. They are also very sturdy, reliable, and made in the USA (not that I don't also like gear made in other countries).

I have a V2 and noted which may be giving away my weirdness. It seems like it has taken me about 850 hours for it to bloom into its own. For me that has been about a year and half. It made big changes at about the 300 hour mark but didn't really sound exceptionally beautiful until about the 850 hr mark. I know when people have them for sale on the 'Gon a lot of them didn't have them that long and they still thought of it as a great sounding amp.