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Bel Canto REF1000M vs. Simaudio Moon 400M

During the past year Simaudio has come out with a class A/AB mono amplifier, the Moon 400M, which appears to have the virtues of class D amps. It puts out 400 watts rms into 8ohms and peaks at 56 amperes, runs cool to slighty warm and weighs 25 lbs. Cost is $ 6500.00 a pair. Very few reviews, and the Soundstage review is outstanding. The Bel Canto REF1000M puts out 500 watts rms into 8ohms and peaks at 45 amperes. Cost is $ 6000.00 a pair. The Moon 400M has a larger power supply. Has anyone listen to both of these models and how do they compare to each other? I suspect the Sim Moon is better but I haven't listened to the 400M. Has Bel Canto finally met its match?
audiozen

Showing 4 responses by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,838 posts
 
Audiozen, for whatever reason i am not hearing what you relate having heard with the class ds in my system for whatever reason. My conclusions are a lot more positive than yours. Class a/b andclass d are radically different technologies. Hard to base comparisons on any one or two specs alone. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree maybe.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,838 posts
 
It appears a bit larger and heavier being Class A/B rather then Class D. That would probably account for larger power supply. Also probably not as energy efficient I would expect.

I've not heard the Sim so cannot compare the sound, other than to say the BCs are really good in the right system with the right speakers. Same probably true of the SIm. On paper it would seem to be competitive with the BC ref1000m and fairly similar in specs otherwise. Not totally an apples/apples comparison though.

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,838 posts
 
"Now Sim has achieved the problems with class A/AB amps where a class D amp is no longer necessary, and no class D amp will ever equal the superior musicality of a class A or A/AB amp."

Have you compared?

Sounds like your mind is made up.

I'm not certain about that. My Class Ds are pretty "muscular".

That's a nice size package but still considerably heavier and somewhat larger than the smaller Class Ds, FWIW.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,838 posts
 
1grab,

For what is is worth, I have found that ICs used to feed my Bel Canto ref1000m monoblocks can make a huge difference in resulting sound from smoother and more laid back to considerable bite, at least with some speakers and associated room acoustics that might have any inclinations that way at all. My preferred ICs for good "bite" along with all the rest are DNM Reson. MIT ICs with their network device boxes tend to be smoother and more laid back. I have used both to very good effect but prefer the DNMs these days in my main system with the BC amps running both Dynaudio and OHM speakers.
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