class d - anyone compared bel canto/CI/wyred4sound

TVAD, if you have last listened to a Bel Canto Ref 1000 Mk.1, you may want to have a listen to the Mk.2. . . you may find it to be more nuanced.

I have not had the opportunity of comparing Bel Canto Ref 1000 Mk.2, Channel Island, and Wired for Sound. I have however listened to the lower power BC Ref 500 MK.2 for several hours at RMAF and I was extremely impressed by its subtlety and musicality, particularly considering its relatively moderate price point. If by any chance a class D integrated were of interest, under $9K new, you may want to have a careful listen to the JRDG Continuum 500. DCSTEP can comment on it sonically. . . from a technological point of view, it matches JRDG 501 circuits with Power Factor Correction circuits similar to those found in the JRDG 312 flagship, and a bank of additional bulk capacitors in the output to increase authority and dynamics; the linestage component of the Continuum 500 is supplied by the circuit cards of the Capri linestage. As I have not yet compared directly BC with JRDG, I cannot comment on sonic differences.

Kiwi, your impression of BC Ref 1000 Mk2 does not surprise me. Have you compared BC 1K MK.2 side by side with JRDG 501s or are you summizing from notoriously fickle audio memory? Either way, I would not be surprised if BC Mk.2s sounded more refined than the 501s. . . BC Mk.2s implement a form of power rectification combined with charge capacitance in front of the power supply that sounds somewhat reminiscent to what JRDG does for Continuum 500 and 312. As for your suggestions of 'bypassing' my recommendations. . . I shall now suggest Icarem bypass yours with my own. . . BC Ref 1000 at $6K new + a used JRDG Capri at $2K may also turn out to be a very delicious proposition. . . is it superior to Lamm LL2 or Modwright LS36.5? Truly no idea. . . it all depends on one's sonic/musical prefs. In the end, Icarem should perhaps avoid any simple bypasses, or bypasses of bypasses. . . and just listen for himself and decide which bypasses are most bypassible.

Icarem, Kiwi and I are suggesting the Mk.2 version of the BC Ref 1000. The mk.1 version does not have the current rectification front end that is probably responsible for at least some of the musical subtlety of the MK.2. If the Mk.2 exceeded your budget, I believe upgrades to Mk.2 may be later requested from the factory for original models.