Bel Canto amps

Steve@3dai

Has anyone ever had any experience with Bel Canto Designs amps?

http://www.belcantodesign.com/index2.html

They look unbelievable!! Digital amps are the way to go, I think personally.

- Steve

hoosier21

Look very cool, and pricey

CHRIS

Steve-They look and very interesting. Might be the wave of the future. Thanks for the post.

Steve@3dai

Keep in mind these run so cool they don't need heatsinks

You can put your hand on the chip without worry.

Some monoblocks allow you to cook eggs off of them hahaha

- Steve

Aaron

I haven't listened to them, but the EVo 200.2 is on my short list of amps once I'm ready to make a purchase (AKA have more money). That amp has gotten some good reviews by Stereophile and SoundStage (I think). It definitely is unique.

Aaron

Steve@3dai

I'm not a huge fan of tube amps, so this would fit my bill perfectly. Kinda funny how they are the complete opposite of tube, digital and non-hot

Now I just gotta muster up $1600 for the two channel version hahahaha riiiiight

- Steve

madmax

Digital amps are supposed to be very high efficency. They state 90%. Typical amps are only 60%. That 40% difference is all heat that is being disapated. The basic idea of the digital amp is that there are several logic steps rather than two logic steps like most digital equipment. They use what is called an H driver if you are interested in finding out how it works. The H driver circuits are normally used for motor control. My take on the whole thing is that in it's most basic form it is a lesser design than mosfets from a fidelity standpoint but far outclasses them for power efficiency. In the past they were used only for low frequency audio designs such as subwoofers because there were problems making them work well at higher frequencies because of sampling rates and such. It is very cheap for the designer to create huge power outputs. The first drivers were made to operate at low frequencies to drive motors. Sounds like they are more refined now but I would be surprised if the sound is equal to typical mosfet designs. When you go to a digital type format to replace an analog one you normally give up some good properties to achieve others. It would be interesting to compare because some aspects will be much better and others will be much worse. Certainly if you want maximum power at maximum efficency and lowest cost this has more potential than anything else. (so long as the tone is there)
madmax