Belles Aria Integrated Amp

So far, not so good. Dynamic amp that runs very quiet but lacks any kind of communication skills, especially at low volume.
 
I'll continue to listen to this amp for a few days but so far I'm sticking to my last statement. Next up is a 2018 Lfd Mistral plus.
 
As evening falls on night 2 with the Aria the character of the amp is changing. 36 hours after powering it up and 24 since I started listening the sound is really opening up. Still lacking timing and emotion, a bit, but the improvements are not subtle. Better tonality and denser or richer sound. Bigger soundstage with better imaging. That bigger soundstage is what is being filled in with a fuller sound. Keep on listening!
 
Last edited:
I wonder if the Aria has passive preamp stage? I've found that the integrated's with passive preamp tend to struggle in low volume but become "fun" at higher volume.
 
Last edited:
newworld, I am pretty sure it is an active preamp stage.

Art, have fun with the Aria, looking forward to what you hear with this!
 
Well, I have decided that I am not going to force it. In my system and in my room the Aria doesn't work. A very dynamic amp that performs well where volume is not a limiting factor. However, it doesn't have the low volume performance that my life demands. I have 10x10 listening room in a townhome. The room opposite of this room in my neighbors townhome houses a newborn. They are very nice folks and have never griped about music or volume, and I also have kept it sane, mostly. Also my preference is for listening far under 90db. More like 80. At those lower volumes and in my system the Aria becomes remarkably unengaging. This could be for many reasons but none the less that is where I am at. I reconnected the Elixir for the upcoming weekend. The dealer offered me a very good deal on an LFD Mistral however I simply cannot stretch the budget that far. Great dealer BTW (Gene Rubin). Any products he has that I am interested in he gets the first call.

Just as an aside...I couldn't help but get the feeling that this amp was superbly engineered with design, components and technical performance at the heart of its goals. The end result is rather mixed. Very quiet...I mean you can turn the volume all the way up on the phono without a hint of noise. But also easy to forget that music is playing...that ain't so good. In the right system and for the right listener I am sure this is a great amp.

Next up not an Lfd as I couldn't go it. However an amp that I have always wanted to hear at home is on it's way. The Sugden A21 Signature.
 
Bummer. Was hoping for a better outcome but I’ve had similar experiences in my setup, so many variables. I always wanted a Sugden A21 when I had Tannoy Ardens. I’ll definitely be curious to hear your impressions.
 
Bummer. Was hoping for a better outcome but I’ve had similar experiences in my setup, so many variables. I always wanted a Sugden A21 when I had Tannoy Ardens. I’ll definitely be curious to hear your impressions.

The Belles is a nice amp but just not a fit for my needs.
 
Congratulations Art! I wish you days filled with love, laughter and good health. We are now in our 55th year, seems just like yesterday when we met for the first time!
 
I spent yesterday afternoon and today going back and forth between the Belles and the Heed. No competition really, the Belles wins handily. More later.
 
Last edited:
Ok, so I am going to fess up. I was impatient with this amp and didn’t give it a chance to really warm up. Also I didn’t take in to account how used to the Heed sound I had become. Once I put the Heed back in and listened (after several days to warm up) I quickly realized that something was missing. Detail and micro dynamics were all but gone. However my perception of the Belles was that it was dynamic but not subtle. Just for giggles I put it back in to the system and have been amazed and enjoying it since. Once I gave it a chance and quit romanticizing about the sound of the Heed I was able to hear the Belles through fresh ears. The Heed is a fantastic amp for the money with a great phono stage but the Belles is in another league. I will keep updating this thread as I go.
 
Great to hear! It's unfortunate that there is a gap in between price tiers, but it's hard to turn back once you get a taste of what it's like.
 
How many hours have you got on the Aria now? According to the local Belles dealer, and he got his info straight from Dave, the Aria needs 200 hours to break in.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom