Bel..AVo 200.2, Musical Fidelity A3cr, YBA 2hc, Pass X150

The Audiosource uses the latest Tripath, which is what used in Evo, but the street price, you can afford to use 6 amps.

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/allsellelectro/audam200watd.html

Jorge, I had a 3B-ST with and old 0.5b pre-amp. First went the pre-amp to the A3cr pre which I liked so much, I bought the amp. They also have a great effect when used together and this may explain the improvement over the Bryston (which I liked very much, just no as much).

I have Magnepan 1.5qrs bi-wired with Analysis Plus Oval 9 and Oval 12 and use as my main source an Arcam Alpha 7se (same transport as the Alpha 9se) as transport with a Bel Canto DAC 1.1. My digital cable is a Illuminati D-60, the audio interconnects are TMC (white and yellow) and I use an assortment of inexpensive after-market power cords (all under $100 used or new when I bought them) and a Monster HTS 2000 surge protector.

While the A3cr is not a devastating amount of power, I find it ample. There is a limit to how loud the Maggies can get. I have heard of many people who succesfully bi-amp the A300 and an A3cr, they are apparently gain matched (most use the A3cr for the bass)

Fineberg, which Bryston amp did you use before the A3CR? I also have Magnepans (1.6qr)driven by MF A300 integrated and thinking of changing the amp, maybe biamping with the A3CR or a Bryston alone. Also, which preamp and source are you using? I'm curious because I also only listen to classical. Thank you...jorge

Go to www.audioreview.com and read about the Bel Canto Evo 200.2 amps. It will blow you away.
I own two Bel Canto in monoblock configuration.
I cannot even try to convey how I love these amps with my finnicky Martin Logan Prodigy speakers.

I have Magnepans which are not Bass heavy and only really listen to classical, so I can't speak to heavy drum set music, but I find the bass to be very good. I had a Bryston before and find the A3cr tighter and more focused in the bass. I hear everything all the way down to the limits of my speakers. I'm a classical musician and I find the low end reproduction very realistic, but as I said I'm not dealing with amplified music which has much more bass (though the little I have heard on my system seemed to have good bass - I just can't compare).

Fineberg, how is the lower end with the A3cr?

I do not have experience with all of these amps, but I own the MF A3cr and absolutely love it. I prefer by a significant margin to the Krells I have heard (admittedly not hte most expensive ones). It is smooth and detailed without being shrill or forward. I might change other things, but have absolutely no longing to change my A3cr amp or pre-amp.

Sean, don't get excited. Note that I stated they were Class A rated, as in Stereophile, the Pass is not in that group, hence being singled out. These amps are "inexpensive" in comparison to their Class A rated counterparts.

Why single out the Pass as being "high priced" ? The only amp that i would consider "relatively" inexpensive out of that bunch would be the MF. The Bel Canto is "mid priced" and the YBA and Pass are neck and neck ( in terms of price ) and starting to get up there in terms of what most folks have budgets for. Sean
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