Belles SA100 Power Amplifier. Absolutely Stunning Sound.

Description

Hello. I have very much enjoyed my time with this amplifier. So let me try to convey what this amplifier did in my system. First, I’m driving a pair of large Legacy Focus speakers with this amplifier. These speakers have a huge and very revealing sound. If you run these speakers with ‘Mid-Fi’ electronics, you’ll not be satisfied. I went from a B&K 200.2 power amplifier which is pretty neutral overall and very powerful at 350 Watts per channel into 4 ohms which these speakers are. Obviously, there was big bass and decent slam. Midrange and highs were a bit forward but overall, pretty good. Imaging was decent.
When I switched to the Belles, wow. Just wow. I now know what a truly high-end amplifier sounds like. Let’s start at the bottom. Bass is now iron fisted controlled with amazing accuracy and slam. Deep bass is tight and stops on a dime. The B&K was loose and flabby in comparison. Bass drum sounds like a bass drum. Tight and quick. Dampening factor on this amplifier is 2000. Anything above 100 is considered good. “What’s power without control?”
Midrange floats in the center with electrostatic resolution. It’s eerie actually. Smooth and ‘real’ sounding. No sense of glare or hardness. Horns have bite without hardness. Vocals are palpable.
Highs are wide open and smooth. I’ve never heard air like this. Cymbals go on forever. Imaging is truly breathtaking. Wide open. Never before have I heard instruments so accurately placed in their space.
I’ve read some reviews and comments online and the rumor is that this is David Belles’s favorite amplifier from back in the day. I’ve seen people say it’s “Involving” that’s probably the best way to describe it. It’s you and the music. Not electronics. Some say it is the most involving amplifier regardless of cost. You’d have to spend way more to better it, that’s for sure.
It’s rated at 100 Watts per channel into 8 ohms and 200 Watts per channel into 4 ohms. I read that someone actually measured 258 Watts per channel into 8 ohms. It wouldn’t surprise me. Even at loud levels, this amplifier never showed any sights of backing down. The 8 output transistors per channel is indicative of a typical 200 watt per channel amplifier. This is also a true dual-mono design with two separate toroidal power transformers. The only flaw that I can find is a very fine scratch on the top cover on the right, rear (pictured).
This amplifier was 00 new. I’m going for some high-power tube amplifiers so this is for sale. Let me know if you have any questions.
I’m open to offers. Don’t be shy!
Ed