Any love for the Belles Aria or other recent Belles amplifier?

signaturesound,
Can you please explain how is the Aria "terrific" amplifier when NAD C356
(when it works, of course) sound better with the Cardas Clear for Pre/Amp.
Better bass and much more detailed sound. With the NAD you can actually hear the pluck on guitar which is not the case with Aria.
My friend recently bought a brand new Aria but with some issues so it had to go back for a repair. We listened yesterday some music and it's very clear that the Aria is not "terrific" amplifier. To be fair, we listened Aria only for a couple of hours but I really doubt that the Aria needs 250 hours to open. I even don't believe that the Integrated amplifiers (except for tubed)
need break in period. Of course, this is just my opinion.

I was also in the minority in not being wowed by the Belles Aria.  Of course, everything is system dependent, and I was comparing it to a Bryston B100sst integrated.  The Belles just sounded small and thin compared to the Bryston.  Perhaps it needed more burn in time.  I have heard the Soloist and liked it quite a bit, so I was hoping to be impressed with the Aria.  Wasn't bad at all, but just fell short for me.  Was running it with Harbeth C7es3 speakers.

Only the Belles dealers wows Aria.

If you had a real pair of neutral speakers you would go wow as well
 Try em with the best selling speaker of all time Vandersteen 2 CE Sig
 Instead of those lifestyle pandering Tea Kettle whistler Nasal Boxes you like.
 even a set of Large Advents will rock better.
 Chuckles JohnnyR
 

I asked the original question, and since then I've had some time to compare the Hot Rod, 150A Ref. Mk 2, and the Aria.  I also have an EL34 amp, T-amp, Sonneteer Alabaster, Rogue Sphinx, and some others.  I have used Totem, Triangle, Finale Vivace (awesome single-driver speaker), and Klipsch Quartets, among others.

All of the amps are different, and there is synergy to be found between each amp with the variety of speakers.  I use Kimber 4TC, and I've found this to be an excellent/neutral cable for most applications.  

I'll just say that the Belles line impresses me with many speakers.  The Aria, when matched with an appropriate speaker, is very musical, natural, and exciting, but it has not been fatiguing.  Great match with my Triangle Zerius (one of the sleeper speakers of the decade!).

I won't be able to keep all of these amps/speakers, (I have a pair of Reynaud Bliss Silvers/stands I'll be picking up in early September) but I will keep all of the amps and see which one creates the most magic.  I firmly believe that the Aria can compete with the other amps and may win out if there is enough power.  Time will tell...