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Bel Canto HELP

Hi everyone. I recently came across a very well priced bel canto evo 200.6 and evo 200.2. They are both the older style black face with gold label. I am curious as to your opinions regarding these amps for 2 channel ( and yes i admit it)home theater use. I want to bridge the 3 chanels on the 200.6 to run the front 3 speakers. My concern is that the amps, as they are the old design, wont measure up to the standards of bel canto's current models. Can anyone comment on the differences between these black faced machines and the new Evo 6's? I am only concerned with the sound. The aesthetics are irrelevant. I will be useing them with Von Schweikert vr4jr's most likely or perhaps LCR 15s.
For comparisson's sake, would the older bel canto's be better than Sunfire signature series, 5 channel, cinema I, architects choice?
Sorry about the million questions but I want to decide quick before these amps dissapear.
Cheers
Sam
superfly676
mlkiz
33 posts
 
I had the Evo 200.2 which I used as the single amp in my system for about 6 months. I then replaced it with the Evo 2 Gen I which I have had for about a year. The 200.2 was very transparent, but did not have the bass heft and treble that the new amp has. Of course, Bel Canto claims that the Gen II is even better, but I have not heard that one and I'm skeptical that it is worth the extra $600.00 plus shipping to do the factory upgrade. If anyone has compared the Gen I and II, I'd like to get thir opinion.
superfly676 OP
27 posts
 
Hi Mlkiz
I think that there was a big difference between the 200.2 and evo2 (I) in terms of better power supply and double the capacitance. I can see where the upgrades made some impact. As I understand it, the 200.6 to evo6 change was all cosmetic. I am also curious about how much change in the Gen I to Gen II leap. I did not know there was a factory mod to improve gen 1 to 2 however. Do you know if it is $600 for the 6 channel amp as well?
Sam
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