Looking at Amps $1,000.+

NJPOLKER
NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
edited December 2008 in Wanted (WTB) Classifieds
I am in the market for something like a BAT VK200, Belles 350a, Krell KSA so if a fellow member is thinking or planning on selling one I am real interested. Looking to make the purchase by next week or sooner.
Thanks Drew Crawford
Post edited by NJPOLKER on

Comments

  • steelervic
    steelervic Posts: 142
    edited December 2008
    i will be selling an adcom gfa-5802 soon.
  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,408
    edited December 2008
    Aragon 8008ST for 800.00 box and manual, shipping not included
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2008
    NJPOLKER wrote: »
    I am in the market for something like a BAT VK200, Belles 350a, Krell KSA so if a fellow member is thinking or planning on selling one I am real interested. Looking to make the purchase by next week or sooner.
    Thanks Drew Crawford

    Good luck with your search,, any of the three would sound fine,, errrr, I'm partial to the Belles. :)
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
  • lakesailor
    lakesailor Posts: 319
    edited December 2008
    I hated my Belles; as in really strongly could not stand it. I would take an Adcom 5802 over the Belles ANY day. On your list I really like the BAT VK200. Nice amp. I would also look for a Threshold.

    I have not personally owned an Aragon, but listened a fair bit and almost bought one. Nice amps. I would look for the 8008 BB with the dual transformers instead of the single transformer 8008ST. The BB also came standard with balanced inputs; something that was an option on the ST.

    I also hear lots of good things about Marsh…might be worth a look. Good luck.
  • tcrossma
    tcrossma Posts: 1,301
    edited December 2008
    I'm very happy with my Belles Reference 150A -- no plans to sell it right now, so can't help you there, but it's a great amp.
    Speakers: Polk LSi15
    Pre: Adcom GFP-750 with HT Bypass
    Amp: Pass Labs X-150
    CD/DVD Player: Classe CDP-10
    Interconnects: MIT Shortgun S3 Pro XLR
    Speaker cables: MIT MH-750 bi-wire
    TT:Micro Seiki DD-35
    Cartridge:Denon DL-160
    Phono Pre:PS Audio GCPH
  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited December 2008
    I bought a Belles 350a and it should be here Monday.
    It will be running along with a new to me Anthem pre2L tube pre-amp.
    Make no mistake, I'll let everyone know my thoughts.
    Thanks guys for all your suggestions.
    Drew
  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2008
    lakesailor wrote: »
    I hated my Belles; as in really strongly could not stand it. I would take an Adcom 5802 over the Belles ANY day. On your list I really like the BAT VK200. Nice amp. I would also look for a Threshold.

    I have not personally owned an Aragon, but listened a fair bit and almost bought one. Nice amps. I would look for the 8008 BB with the dual transformers instead of the single transformer 8008ST. The BB also came standard with balanced inputs; something that was an option on the ST.

    I also hear lots of good things about Marsh…might be worth a look. Good luck.

    What did you not like about the Belles?
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited December 2008
    Along with Georges question can I ask what else were you running. It seems odd that the Belles is not a performer. Just wondering.
    Drew
  • lakesailor
    lakesailor Posts: 319
    edited December 2008
    It’s not so much that Belles “is not a performer” all decent amps these days will perform admirably and generally provide years of trouble free service. In the case of the Belles I think it was more that my expectations were very high and I found that the amp really did nothing out of the ordinary that made me single it out; or as I often like to say “stand out from the crowd”

    For example; if you have ever heard a Levinson amp; they have an eerie ability to somehow suck out all but just the pure music out of the sound and can produce it in stunning accuracy and detail with phenomenal imaging. A Levinson just stands out.

    When I got rid of my Belles; I next tried out the Aragon 8008 and was immediately much happier; the Aragon was surprisingly musical; it did real magic with the top end; something I often find lacking from “big power” amplifiers. Surprisingly; it didn’t impress me much with the low end and that is ultimately why I didn’t end up buying one. Even my smaller Belles 150A did a better job on the low end. In fairness the salesman at the time told me the dual transformer 8008 “BB” model had a superior low end; unfortunately they were not in stock at that time.

    Ultimately I ended up going with a Pass Labs X150; and that my friend is truly a wonderful amplifier. I would not say it is the same league as a full on Levinson; but it certainly was in a different league from the Belles and Aragon. The X150 is just an all around sweet amp. Obviously we are getting away from $ 1K amps again and that takes me back to my original suggestions….Adcom GFA 5802; Threshold; even Aragon. BAT is also very good by all accounts; but might be tricky to find at that price point.
  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited December 2008
    lakesailor
    Thanks for your opinion on the amplifiers.
    I will let you and everyone else here know my thoughts after checking out the 350a.
    Drew
  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited December 2008
    lakesailor wrote: »
    I hated my Belles; as in really strongly could not stand it. I would take an Adcom 5802 over the Belles ANY day. On your list I really like the BAT VK200. Nice amp. I would also look for a Threshold.

    I have not personally owned an Aragon, but listened a fair bit and almost bought one. Nice amps. I would look for the 8008 BB with the dual transformers instead of the single transformer 8008ST. The BB also came standard with balanced inputs; something that was an option on the ST.

    I also hear lots of good things about Marsh…might be worth a look. Good luck.

    I have to wonder what your dislike could have been. Maybe there was something wrong with the one you had because the one I have is PERFECT.:)
    Low volume high volume everything crisp clear detailed the sound stage is staggering.
    Thats all
    Drew
  • lakesailor
    lakesailor Posts: 319
    edited December 2008
    In fairness; re-reading my post my wording was likely poorly choosen. In all fairness the Belles was a good amp and did everything well. My reason for disliking it was more due to the fact that I did not feel it stood out from the rest of the crowd in a way I was expecting given the price point.

    I run some fairly low impedance panels in my setup and the Belles seemed to struggle to drive them. They just didn’t glow in the mid’s and highs like they did with Aragon or even the Adcom 5802. Mind you both of these amps are rated as having more power so I assumed that was the case.

    That was until I tried the Pass Labs X150. It was rated in the same power range as my Belles but it so vastly outperformed the Belles it was scary. Now granted Pass Labs amps are not inexpensive; however the Pass Labs lists at $ 500 more than my Belles 150 reference did and for the extra $ 500 the Pass Labs was in a whole different league.

    Conversely both the Aragon 8008 and the Adcom GFA 5802 could be had for less than the Belles so I ended up feeling a tad not happy with the Belles as a result. Thus my criticism is partially based on value for money as well as performance. I hope that better clarifies my views on the Belles I had.

    For what it is worth I sold the Belles to a friend. He ended up selling it to buy a McCormack DNA 125 that he also felt was better value. To each his own. What is most important is that you are enjoying your Belles and that is what matter most. Congrat’s on your purchase and enjoy the holidays listening to your new rig.
  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited December 2008
    Fair enough
    Merry Christmas
    Drew
  • lakesailor
    lakesailor Posts: 319
    edited December 2008
    NJPOLKER wrote: »
    Fair enough
    Merry Christmas
    Drew

    Just out of curiosity; and I should have thought to ask sooner – what are you running for speakers with your new Belles ?
  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited December 2008
    I have a pair of SDA SRSII's with rdo-194 tweeters sonicaps, mills resistors. I also hook up my SDA2a's and they sound great too.
  • lakesailor
    lakesailor Posts: 319
    edited December 2008
    I can see how the Belles would sound nice on those. Panels are such nasty speakers to try and drive; they really limit your amp selection. I should have factored my speakers more into my views on the Belles. After all you can’t put sports car tires on a 1 ton truck !

    Best of the season to you and enjoy the holiday’s !