What about the Belles SA-100?

I do not know about the sa-100. But all the Dave Belles amps I have heard are excellent. Get very very close to some of the best for quite a bit less. They are made with a common sense approach and seem to have good dependability.

Because all the '150 iterations have been around for so long maybe the ref 150 and 350 were easy upgrade paths. Maybe because ones system that they would have in place are mostly 'ready made' for the upper grade amps of the 150ref or 350's. Could be one reason for not hearing hardly anything about the other amps. Just a thought. When Dave began early on his first commercial amp was primarely a class a design and it was a great amp. So he has a lot of experience in designing a SA-30/SA-100 type of amp. So I would be looking at those if I ever need to change what I have. I thought I would just mention that when I have looked inside a Belles amp I don't see boutique parts. I think Dave eschews those things as much as he can. I think Dave just has solid designs. Nothing sexy but unbelievably good sounding with a wide range of speakers, very high standards of build quality and parts, and also nice looking.

My 150a ref v2 took roughly 850 hours to reach it's peak. As good as it was about every week I was happily suprised that new nuances of sound for a more positive and natural presentation would rear it beautiful head.I don't know if most wait long enough on these to rear them at their best. But from about 200 hours mine was about 90%-95% there. And at that point even the amp was a stellar performer. I have had a few models of audio research, jeff rowland, and listened to many others in well broken in systems bat, cj, threshold and others and with the belles it is right there with these others or very very close in a properly matched system. Now I would like to try the sa 30 or sa 100. Nice to hear from you guys these amps also are something special.

I agree. Thanks Noortje.

Hi Phusis
I mentioned that because I have seen a few 150v2's for sale on the 'Gon here, sellers said they had for only a year or less and said their amp sounded fantastic(I think that is what sellers usually say isn't it?). I wonder if they heard it at it's best. My amp took about a year and a half which I am wildly guessing is 850hrs. It probably is more. Anyway it kept sounding more effortless and natural to me all that time and for the last three months I haven't noticed a perceptible change. Looking at your model and the experience Mr. Belles has with that type of amp it probably is even finer than what I have. Hope it keeps improving to where it takes your breath away on a regular basis. Enjoy. But ya my amp is a seriously good piece.