carmenc - I'm new to this forum, and between you, audiozen, and of course JohnnyR, not to mention others... I'm feeling less alone in my appreciation for Belles. Like so many other things in life, people tend to ignore true quality, and too easily give in to the hype, to glitzy advertising and all the other nonsense that attempts to sway us from our own intuition, our gut feeling. It's easy to get caught up in the exclusivity and status of many of these audio products, but there is not necessarily a correlation between price and quality/ performance. Those 3 page, glossier than polyurathane ads in the audio rags cost a ton, and I personally prefer manufacturers who put the money into the product. Trust your ears is the best advice I've heard so far.
Belles and Vandersteen are just two examples; there are countless others for sure. "If you build it, and build it really well, they will come" type of approach, to paraphrase the old adage. Nothing beats word of mouth promotion and enthusiasm, and if I buy your product and it mesmerises and delights me and literally makes a powerful emotional connection with me than just as sure as hell I'm going to acknowledge the fact with gratitude and admiration. Music is a big deal, in my opinion the most powerful form of communication and entertainment there is, and to have it rendered and interpreted as beautifully and accurately as possible is one of life's great pleasures. Millions of people seemingly don't care, which bewilders me but different strokes for different folks, as they say. This is and always will be a niche interest, hobby, whatever you want to call it. Too many people have no idea what good music is, and really have no idea what good audio is all about. I love this stuff, and have for as long as I can remember.
Been reading your comments, carmenc, and really enjoy your insight and perspective. Listening to others opinions is where it's at, and this should be a fun endeavor. Everybody's input is valuable, whether I agree or not.
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The venerable, one and only JohnnyR at Audio Connection played the Belles Aria integrated amp for me with Vandersteen Treo CT speakers and... A. My jaw dropped B. I went into an audiophile trance, so immersed was I in the music C. I Bought the Aria on the spot, convinced that I could do no better at anywhere near the price D. Repeat A&B every time I listen to this amazing amplifier, which I’ve been doing for over a year, not with the Treo’s, but a pair of the more affordable, yet massive bang for buck Vandersteen 1Ci’s. The sound is so balanced, so harmonious and so pristine, with bass that is palpable and never fatiguing. Based on the pure joy I’ve experienced listening to the Aria, I can only imagine how prolific a performer the Virtuoso is. It wouldn’t surprise me if it ends up embarrassing the esoteric, far more costly status symbol brands.
I don’t know of another brand that punches so far above its weight as does Belles. It’s obscene what some of these companies charge for their audio products. Dave Belles provides an alternative to the brands that cater to the 1%, and it’s nice to see that someone in this industry has a conscience and gives a damn about music lovers with limited funds. In the meantime, the Aria is everything I could want and the music has never sounded more natural, more vibrant or more pleasurable. "How the hell does he do it?" is a recurring question I ask myself all the time!
This is my experience, and I know everybody hears differently and has their own preferences. The Belles (Power Modules) brand flies way below the radar, and Dave Belles likes it that way, I suspect. He may not be a household name, but the man is a true icon in the world of audio whose products compete with, and in many cases surpass far more expensive stuff. Ignore the Belles brand at your own risk; buying the Aria was the best audio decision I have ever made.
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audiozen - thank you audiozen (and carmenc) for the kind words. I've been all over this forum in the short time I've been registered, and I feel like a kid in a candy shop! In most cases I would be suffering from information overload, but this audio topic I find fascinating... have always been intrigued by it and I have never been able to shake the bug. Not that I want to! People can watch reality tv, play video games, or grow progressively more stupid while worshiping their smart phones; I'm perfectly content to chill out while listening to my music, basking in the splendor of it all.
We "musicphiles" - I really like that term so much more than "audiophiles" - know deep down that our lust for fine audio is not just a vanity production. Maybe for some audiophiles it is, but getting lost in the music and forgetting about the electronics and cables and speakers is the end game unless you are a showoff trying to impress people with your processions. Like $40k look what I have guy.
My main form of entertainment is listening to my 2 channel stereo, and since I upgraded the whole thing in the past couple of years I am enjoying it more than ever. I wanted to take the sound to the next level, and the Belles Aria with the Vandersteen 1's rescued me from languishing in mid fi limbo.
I remember the Sansui AU series, really nice cosmetics and from the era when amps and receivers actually had style. Having a good sound system was what many people aspired towards back then, but those days are over. Now it's about mobility, convenience, portability and listening in private with ear buds and the almighty phone. People probably think that moving up to an Echo with Alexa is entering the realm of hi end. It might be as close to hi end as they will ever get, and that is sad.
I had some Advents too for a couple of years... all the rage for a while. Yeah, the 70's and 80's, when hifi shops were ubiquitous. For you kids, that means they were all over the place. Google it.
I met Dave Belles a couple of times last year, and he is an incredible guy.
I had heard about the Belles brand for years, but never knew very much about it. I had about 2k to spend on an amp, and I saw a tiny ad for the Belles Aria in the back of one of the magazines. The HiFI Choice review was stellar, and I drove 3+ hours to Audio Connection in NJ. JohnnyR played some cool tunes, and it was a done deal. It takes me 15 minutes to pick out a head of lettuce; this decision took 15 seconds.
I share your enthusiasm for Belles, to say the least. After reading a hundred reviews, and driving myself crazy, I finally ditched the reviews and let my ears be the final arbiter, for the amp and speakers. The Rutan factor didn't hurt either. He really tells it like it is, and he has an affable way about him that puts you at ease, making the decision process anxiety free.
I think that with the new Aria line, and with the soon to be released Virtuoso, Dave Belles is going to make a lot of people think twice before they fork over that big, fat money clip. The quote attributed to Leonardo da Vince... "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" sums up Dave Belles to a tee. In an industry that more than ever caters to the wealthy and privileged, Dave Belles has decided to take a different approach. Namely, produce "music first" audio products of superior quality, price them fairly, derive immense satisfaction knowing that you made many people happy, and stay honest and humble and true to your vision no matter what the other guys are doing. This makes him an icon in my opinion. I feel very lucky that I discovered Belles, and it will take an awful lot of convincing to persuade me to switch to another brand after this massive an upgrade and the value proposition that it represents. I don't think you can do better for the money. I might be wrong, but my ears tell me I'm not!
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audiozen - You have provided quite a few revelations that I was unaware of about Vandersteen. It's always nice to get the inside scoop, and hear about personal experiences, good and bad because I do want to know about a companies true intentions and how committed they are to achieving excellence, as well as rock solid customer support. I wasn't all that familiar with Stereophile back then - really knew next to nothing about Vandersteen until I listened to them late '16. Vandersteens ads, at least the ones in Stereophile and TAS that I'm familiar with, are relatively simple one page affairs that don't exactly bang you over the head. I never would have guessed that he had the largest advertising contract with a major magazine. If he's a hot head, like you say, well I certainly don't condone that type of behavior and personality, but I have dealt with such types quite a few times along the way and it can become unbearable for all parties concerned. I try to see the good in everybody, but sometimes you need a magnifying glass to see it!
My speakers have the "sock", and that doesn't bother me because it's the sound that I focus on as a priority. I really like my 1Ci's, and am used to the way they sound with the Belles. The room is pretty small, 11 1/2 x 12 1/2 ft, 8 ft ceiling, and I would love to get them into a bigger space but am unable at this time. I have never turned the volume up half way, not even close. The Aria isn't going anywhere in the foreseeable future, but if you, or someone else convinced me that I could do better than the Vandersteens, or rather the speakers convinced me, I would certainly be open the making a change at some point.
So yes, I'm intrigued by this "Belles of speakers" you have mentioned, and if it was a heavenly match with the Aria, and was a quantum leap over the Vandersteens, then I would seriously consider making the change. i don't want to twist your arm, but if you don't tell me what it is, I might go all RV on you and God knows there are enough loose cannons in this world already! So yeah, give me the low down so my high blood pressure doesn't get out of control.
Thanks for the information, and good luck on your Virtuoso quest to reach the audio promised land. |
audiozen- I was vaguely familiar with Ascend, came across their site years ago before they offered a tower speaker. I read the EnjoyThe Music review and they certainly gave it a big thumbs up. I checked out the Ascend website, read everything on there and came away impressed. Based on your recommendation, and what I read including customer feedback and Mr. Fabrikants philosophy, single minded goal and dedication, it's a speaker that I would most definitely want to hear, whether I were to make a change or not. He sounds like he really cares, and the prices are beyond competitive. Thanks for letting me know about this speaker; my goal has always been to seek out world beater gear that is priced sensibly and that competes with the very best. If - applying the law of diminishing returns - I can achieve audio quality equal to 90% of what the supposed "state of the art" delivers, and for a fraction of the price, then I am very satisfied.
The Belles Aria, Vandersteen 1Ci's and Rotels best CD player, with some "sweet spot" AQ speaker cables and Siltech IC are clicking all the right boxes for me, and have been for awhile. I'm listening to some female jazz vocals with a small ensemble right now and I feel like I'm right there, can hear the singer take a breath, the piano sounds real, the bass clear and tight, the Aria and speakers resolving more detail than I ever thought I would hear in my home. Piano is supposed to be a true test of a systems capabilities, and what I'm hearing sounds like the real deal. The guitar sounds like it's being played right in the room. Very balanced, no listener fatigue whatsoever do I hear.
John Rutan steered me in the right direction, and I trust his opinion and his ability to system match. I personally like the guy, and he isn't an audiophile prima donna looking to rape and pillage people like some of these arrogant shysters out there. That doesn't mean I would never try some other brand, or consult with another dealer, but I like to return loyalty to those who have been good to me, and he's a straight shooter who has earned the following that he has built up over the years. I'm a big fan, pure and simple.
Thanks again for the Ascend recommendation. Like I told you before, I absolutely can relate to your enthusiasm for Belles! I was a Rotel fan for many years, but wanted to take it up a few notches and get my foot in the Hi End door and Belles turned out to be a home run. I like people who go against the grain, who don't adhere to the status quo. Those with old school empathy for their customers. These are the companies I want to support. You seem to be cut from the same cloth, and what's fun about this crazy audio fixation is, to me and obviously to you, also: the pursuit and discovery of the very few brands that perform as well as the best, but are priced affordably and within reach of a lot of people, not just a select few.
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audiozen- Makes you wonder why more speaker aren't made from bamboo? More cost prohibitive... not in Ascends case though; their business model a lot more efficient allows for alternatives to MDF, I assume. That 44 lbs is pretty light - mine are a couple pounds lighter but the low profile Anchor stands aren't exactly light, have then filled with sand, so actually a bit heavier. The first time I picked up a bamboo cutting board, I was impressed with the solidity and density of it, thinking "they can do this with bamboo? Next time I'm eating bamboo shoots in a stir fry, I'll think off the Ascends.
I know there are some other companies using Bamboo for their speakers, can't think of them off the top of my head. Something else to do a search on! Gotta hear the Tower one of these days.
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audiozen - I checked out the review>soundapprentice>CBM-170SE. Sounds like a real wolf in sheeps clothing speaker. I'm not about exotic finishes and 12 coats of paint and gloss - more about sound quality than cosmetics. If I get a chance to hear any Ascends, I will give a listen. The manufacturer contacting a purchaser and setting up a listening session is a great idea. That's two for two impressive reviews that don't sound like hyperbole. Thanks for the link, and for the advice.
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audiozen - I went to the ifi site, checked it out, pretty ingenious little device. I like that 100,000 hr life span on the tube! Thanks for the heads up with the speakers, buffer. etc.
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audiozen - I was one of those people that was obsessed with the audio magazines, the reviews, scouring the internet to find that elusive hidden gem of an audio component that I just knew was out there - I just had to find it. After a good long while, I was hitting the wall, burned out from the chase, and decided the only way to cut to the real chase was to go listen to some stuff and let my ears make the decision. I enjoy reading reviews, and always have, but in retrospect I realized that I had wasted an awful lot of time that could have been better spent listening to music on a great system, and be done with it. Done for the time being; you know how this "musicphile" addiction is!
The only brand that I owned for a long time was Rotel, and I really enjoyed their electronics for many years. An integrated amp, a small receiver back years ago, a very nice cd player and even an analog tuner that I still own. You get used to what you have, but you don’t know what your missing until you start surveying the audio landscape and allow your ears to take a test drive. Many of the magazines are afraid to publish a bad review, not wanting to offend the manufacturer and lose their ad dollars. You aren’t getting an honest assessment, and often the conclusion of the article is not positive or negative.... closing with the likes of " though it may not be for everybody, this amp, speaker, whatever deserves to be heard, and might be just the ticket for your audio needs." Vague and no feathers ruffled.
The Belles Aria sounds amazing to me. My Vandersteen speakers sounded very nice with the Rotel amp, but the Aria brought them to life, and put me front and center in front of the orchestra. The improvement over the Rotel was not subtle.
Having met and spoken with David Belles on several occasions, I can attest with certainty that he is incredibly talented, cares deeply about his customers, and as you stated, audiozen, he prioritizes musicality over all else. He emphasized this goal when I heard him speak about his products, and every time I listen to this amp I’m reminded of just how successfully he has achieved his goals.
I won’t tell you that Belles is the best, but it has been great for me, a great match for my speakers, and to my ears offers a level of audio performance that is simply staggering, at a price that will put a smile on your face.
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audiozen - Thanks. It’s harder than ever to listen to even a small percentage of all that’s available, since there are way fewer hifi shops in business. The answer for people who live too far away from dealers is to take advantage of policies like Ascend has, where you can audition for a time period, and get a refund if you don’t like it. In the case of that particular brand, based on what you have conveyed to me, there aren’t too many speakers being sent back.
I bought a Rotel bx-840 2 integrated back in 1988 at cost, the dealer dropping the line because "no one has ever heard of it", and he kept his better selling NAD. He admitted that the Rotel was built better, and more reliable. I had it for almost 27 years. It was a great amp, never a malfunction, and sounded as good as new to me when I sold it 3 or 4 years ago. I bought their RCD 991 cd player in 2000, their best cd player at that time for about 1K, listed for $1300, had it for 15 years and sold it... part of my gradual upgrade process. The last speakers before the Vandersteens, some B&W "V" series small stand mounts, the entry level line of B&W at that time - very early ’90’s - were $300 new, had them for 20 years and they were damn good. Vinyl clad, 12 lbs a piece, had them on Sanus steel speaker stands and I always enjoyed listening to them. So now it’s Belles, Vandersteen, and a Rotel RCD 1570 slot load cd player that I bought last year. No TT, maybe in the future. I home dock Sirius sat radio through my amp, not great fidelity because it’s so compressed, but another listening option. I have Apple internet radio that I should connect to my amp, would really provide a ton of music. I agree, that older Rotel was built like a tank, pretty bullet proof. Sounded great for the price, for sure. The Rotel dealers always told me they loved it because returns were very rare.
Denon kind of faded away from the 2 channel scene, at least in the states. That got heavy into home theater, right? But yes, their components were nice. That old Denon cd player of yours sounds like a brute! 38 pounds is unheard of these days, unless you go with something really exclusive, perhaps Esoteric or similar brand perhaps. Those old Pioneer cd players were nice build quality, and were solid. If I didn’t get the Rotel cd player, I probably would have got a Marantz. They always sounded very nice anytime I happened to hear one playing at a dealer. This system you are piecing together is going to be very impressive, I have to believe. Do you already have the Marantz 8005, or is that on the to buy list? All I can tell you is that based on my time listening to the Aria, you are going to be in audio Nirvana when you fire up the Virtuoso. I love integrated amps; the good ones give up very little to separates, and I like the one box space saving, as well as fewer cables to buy. The Virtuoso will not disappoint if I know Dave Belles even remotely. I’ll be interested to hear how it sounds, once your plan comes together. I really enjoy your take on the audio world, and your enthusiasm!
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