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Which better in Class D PS Audio or Bel Canto????

Has anybody like me become slightly obsessed with some of the recent (3-5 years) first with companies like TACT and newer DEQX (made those NHT Xd sus/sats blow everyone away and get best of show everywhere two years ago?).Part of that system was the speaker processing (converting all signals into digital not just digital ffedsa dn optomising performance of everything in speaker x-over,comes,boxes,etc all digitally).Of course this was mated to a digital amp so all you need is a pre or sosurces with gain.

This all got me interested indigital amps them selves.Though a few have foillowed B&O's original ICE module some finally sound good (first efforts sucked so I hear).That would include most visiible PS Audio and Bel Canto.I would also include a traditional analogue amp the Nuforce which uses same high speed switching which as I unmdertsand it was one of the elements improved upon to make dgital "work",sound good and get great reviews from Stereophile,Absolute Sound,6moons.com etc.So based on advanced tech and price of watts plus low power consumption etc I include Nuforce in the mix.
But has anybody heard head to head or has a good enough auddio memory to say which of these are best?I keep reading "clean","Low distortion","cool running with low power consumption" (or reverse of say a great sounding amp like Parasounds 400 watt Class A John Curl JC1 amp.You might pay for it twice over in three or fours years of keeping (as per manufacturer reccomendation).So has anybody figured between models out there like Bel Canto and PS with their Stereophile Class A ratings?
A I am about to use a Bryston for Maggie 3.6's and one thing Maggies do verry well is SUCK CURRENT!!!!So thinking even though I haven't installed Bryston maybe I should have gotten a digital amp for these power hungry panels.On other hand being in sticks and not hearing any of them, mentioned I fear that "neutral" might equal "souless".Just as not all solid state high curent amps sound good with Maggies (had a spare Krell 300 watt Class A but everyonme and his brother said "don't do it" and "Will be lousy match even if it has gobs of curent".Bryston on other hand got nods of apporoval from everybody and his or her brother as being a great match with maggies if one couldnm't afford HQ,hi-current tubes.So again any head to head comparissons anybody has made between these two manufacturers (and nuforce thrown in as a "bride" to full digital plus it's bang for buck rep).Ladies?Gentleman?
Thanks
Chazz
chazzbo
10 responses Add your response
f1a
198 posts
 
Don't bother with either, including NuForce. I hated all 3 of 'em.

Try UcD with either Channel Islands or Ric's EVS stuff at tweakaudio.com. Haven't heard 'em but I'd like too...
mahandave
153 posts
 
I hate bryston, but the best I ever heard them was with maggies. the best I have ever heard the 3.6's is with the belCanto's. Belles being a very close second really about the same I should say. Thats- not including any tube amps of course. I would go belcanto as long as you know that 6 months after you buy them, they WILL have a new model out. thats with any of the digital amps probably,but for absolute sure with belcanto-just look at their history.
photon46
1,082 posts
 
In contrast with F1a and Mahandave, I have found PS Audio to work exceptionally well with Maggie 1.6's and found Belles to be remarkably dull and lifeless with the same. Just goes to show system synergy and listener tastes are so varied. It's tough trying to make sense of how well something's going to work for you unless YOU hear it.
johnax
21 posts
 
I have been interested in the new wave of Class D amps myself. About 3 months ago I acquired a pair of new Class D mono blocks made by Gilmore Audio, called the Raptor. These amps are very musical, and perform well across the frequency spectrum. Nice clear extended highs, and bass slam, like you expect from a good solid state amp. The real benefit to my ear, however, is that they also bring in a geat deal of the musicality of tubes, creating just a beautiful presentation. I haven't heard the new BelCantos, or the PS Audio. But I find these Raptor monos are the best solid state amps I have owned, period. For example, I used the Parasound JC-1's in my system for over a year, with the same Avalon Eidolon speakers I am using today with the Raptor. The Raptor blows away the JC-1's in my opinion.

I think Class D amps hold great promise, and the technology seems to have improved substantially with this new wave of amps. I encourage you to check out the Raptors as well if you consider Class D. Good luck.
talk2me's avatar
talk2me
325 posts
 
I also believe class D, when done well, is simply outstanding.I am going to try the new Chapter Audio Couplet(very nice looking too) soon with my JMLabs Alto Be.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
I agree with Johnax, inso as Class D has improved substantially. One thing new class D amp owners have to face is the fact they demand whole new requirements to sound their best. My H2O Sig monos are sounding fabulous in my well thought out system.
omniclassic
6 posts
 
First of all "Class D" amps re not digital amps. Some portions of the circuit may be digitally controlled but the "D" in the designation does not mean "Digital". These are high speed switching amps. NuForce claims to accomplish the device switching using analog circuitry, others do it digitally but the final result is still analog.

The better class D amps like PS, Bel Canto and Nuforce are very efficient, run quite cool and generally sound great. I record clasical music and have just installed a Bel Canto S300 in my studio as a monitor amp and am quite pleased with it.
ghunter's avatar
ghunter
164 posts
 
I haven't heard the others, but just bought some Bel Canto ref1000's and I love them. My ARC VS110 still sounds "warmer" and "fuller" but the presence and extension in the ref1000's is more my cup of tea. Being able to drive any speaker imaginable is a very nice benefit, and I've just ordered some Totem Mani-2 Signatures that I previously shyed away from due to their infamous power requirements.
vicdamone
850 posts
 
With respect to F1a, I too have had success with the HCA-2 albeit Black Gated. My NuForce SE's have just replaced a very expensive solid state amp driving my Eidolon's. For the first time I have money left over! Unfortunately I haven't any experience with Magnaplaner speakers.

Your system, your room, your ears, have fun.
nolitan
865 posts
 
A good friend had a PS Audio HCA 2 and it kept on blowing fuses when fired on the Quad ESL 989.

He then tried a tube amplifier from Audio research 50 watter on the quad and seemed fine.

For the maggies you have, the VS110 Audio research will sound fabulous. I heard that combo and it was very musical.
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