Hi Everyone,
So it has been a while since we have bought on any new brands, I actually made a decision a few months ago to refine our offerings and go back to just focusing on the brands we really love, HFL is now in its 12th year and we have tried a lot of different kit and brands over that time so it is really refreshing to know exactly what brands we want to support and offer our customers but you have always got to keep your eyes, and ears, open as something may come along that really excites which really has been the case with Bel Canto.
So in all honestly this one has been a real surprise, now I will listen to anything as that is a great way to learn what is out there so when I was asked the other day if I would like to listen to some Bel Canto kit I thought why not, what’s the harm but with my current thinking of focusing on the brands we have I had no intention of bringing them into the HFL fold, then I heard the £8900 All In One E1X integrated and I was sold instantly.
Bel Canto E1X With our demo YG Cairn Speakers
Like most people into HiFi I am sure the name Bel Canto is one that is known, I had heard the name before but knew nothing about them, but the only thing that matters to me is sound quality and you know when something is right and the E1X really delivered instantly, yes there is a lot of tech inside its sleek box, it is basically an integrated amp with a high quality streamer and phono stage built in but for me the sound quality was so open and natural I was instantly hooked, there was so much space and air it instantly reminded me of some of the valve amps we have here that have that ethereal spacious sound, you can also alter the treble and bass and it is Roon compatible, it really is a hell of an all in one.
Bel Canto Black EX With the Rega Naia and DeVore Fidelity
Then we tried the next level up, the Black EX Integrated, basically a £17k version of the E1X, this sounded amazing, much more than it’s size hinted to what was possible, such a natural and big sound. I have been looking for a Solid State brand that would work well with the DeVore speakers that we love so much at HFL so the next thing to try was to put the Black EX on our DeVore O/Baby’s and 0/96’s and as I hoped It was a great combination, a real alternative to the 300B valve amps that makes them sing normally, I love its simplicity, you can have one of these boxes, a turntable and a pair of speakers and you are good to go with a system that will sound amazing.
Bel Canto Black Control DAC with Wilson Audio and D’Agostino
Next we tried £45k 2 Box Black Control DAC plugged in direct to our D’Agostino Momentum Stereo power amp which was driving our Wilson Audio Alexia V speakers, this is basically a streaming DAC/PRE but what I really love is that like the rest of the Bel Canto range is it actually has analogue inputs and a very high quality phono stage built in so and again you can build a really highend system without loads of boxes, again we got that amazing open sound but just more of it, certainly shone in this system.
Obviously Bel Canto do a whole range of kit so I look forward to exploring some more of their range, I particularly like the idea of the Pre/Power version of the all in ones, but from what I have heard so far I really believe that they will be a great addition to or portfolio as they offer something totally different to what we already offer and sound amazing, I am confident our customers will love it as much as I do.
So at the moment we have all 3 of the above products on demo so please feel free to come in for a listen anytime and please find a link below to Bel Canto on our website –
https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/bel-canto/
All the best,
Paul.
