My Review of the Belles Aria Integrated

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Ulises, Jul 21, 2018.

  1. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    No hum, just silence until the music starts.
     
    Ivand likes this.
  2. cut-out

    cut-out Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA, USA
    After a maddening 6-week wait for delivery, my Aria is finally here. I'm about 30 hours in, playing as much as I can. I hope the initial reports about needing extensive break-in are right: I'm hearing a lot of treble graininess, thinness, and some bass muddiness at times. There have also been some spectacular sounding moments as well, but sheesh, even though I read about the break-in this is more obvious than I imagined. The manual reports it needing 250 hours! Trying to remain optimistic :) and keep the anxiety/remorse/angst at bay.
     
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  3. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    I believe my first comments about the Aria on another forum reflected similar feelings. I said that I believe this amp has serious communication issues. I heard real improvement at about 75 hrs and it just gets better. Leave it on 24/7 and feed it a good source and you will be rewarded. What cables are you using? Only asking because I never experienced graininess or bass muddiness.
     
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  4. cut-out

    cut-out Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA, USA
    Interesting re: cables... I'm using the stock cable from my Planar 3 into the Aria phono inputs, and my speaker cables are 25 year old I-don't-remember-whats that my dealer back then (North Country Audio/Cadence) made for me. Perhaps it's time to replace those? Although I should probably hold-off until the Aria breaks in more, right? Thanks for the advice!
     
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  5. head_unit

    head_unit Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles CA USA
    That's because they idiotically put in a non-defeatable 70 Hz huge boost! There is a new version without that.

    The Aria sure looks nice! Er, does it have a remote?
     
  6. Ulises

    Ulises Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    Indeed it does. Not a fancy one, but it does the job.
     
  7. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    It’s definitely time to replace the speaker cables.
     
    cut-out likes this.
  8. ubiknik

    ubiknik Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago, IL USA
    The Aria just sounds better everyday it seems.
    I don't get so much listening time this time of year and I can only guess that I am near the 200+ hr mark, I mostly listen to one line input with a Border Patrol dac/spdif coax /cd player, but have been running the phono stage a good deal and another line in with another tt /Lounge Audio lcr mk 3 preamp (I want to either replace this or send it back for upgrading, I am strongly considering the $1k Channel Islands dual mono phono stage with the $300 power supply -mainly because I don't want to spend what it costs to get a Sutherland 20/20...).
    A very satisfactory purchase and experience overall, music across the board just sounds right, detail galore with all elements in their place, well balanced and sporting a more than abundant soundstage.
    The phono stage is excellent and getting better. The Lounge must have found an ideal match working with a longhorned Grado gold on a classic Sony PS X-6 tt because it sounds better than it ever has somehow ( I did spend a lot of time setting that Grado up and experimenting with treatment at the headshell, somehow it worked out).
    For me this has all been a wierd experiment because I put together a bunch of new pieces and I am hearing it all break in together, Aria, Tekton DIs, BP dac, new interconnects (Anti cables phono and coax & Analysis Plus rcas), Analysis Plus 4 way power strip and new speaker wire from Anti Cables and Analysis Plus (the AP speaker wire I have not put to use yet).
    Lately all I've been doing is sorting CDs according to how good they sound by listening sessions, my basic potential strategy is to start ripping discs to build a music server setup so I can do some serious shuffle play at some point.
    Basically though I am having fun just listening.
    Anyone owning the Aria who is doubtful has just not given it enough time to burn/settle/break in,
    it is well worth the effort.
     
    BilboAlaska, Ulises, cut-out and 2 others like this.
  9. cut-out

    cut-out Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA, USA
    Still hanging in there with mine; up to about 100 hours. Still hearing grain (and 'etched' sound w/ vinyl). Last night I was trying to track down bass distortion from both vinyl and cds... I did upgrade my speaker cables to Audience Ohno III (used from Cable Co.) but they haven't helped.

    My Aria is just the first step in total system upgrade; I thought it would be best to do it in phases so that I'd know the sound signature of each piece, but now I think I should've just gone all in with everything. The Aria break-in is having me doubt/question my sources and speakers anyway.

    SO, it's certainly a journey. I haven't felt that it's gotten better as it goes along; waiting impatiently for the enjoyment phase to kick in! Of course it could be that the Aria is just showing me that the rest of my system needs to go.
     
  10. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    I think perhaps you should sell it or send it back if you bought it new. Either it's not going to make you happy or perhaps defective. I am not hearing any of the weaknesses in mine that you are with yours. I've owned some pretty good amps and this one is right up there with the Sonneteer Alabaster.
     
  11. cut-out

    cut-out Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA, USA
    Thanks. I bought it new; calling the shop tomorrow.
     
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  12. ubiknik

    ubiknik Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago, IL USA
    I was browsing forums today about music streaming and came across one where an individual just hated how their SotM sMS 200 Ultra sounded, ...until well over 200 hours were put on it, I think they said 217 or something specific hour wise.
    So at about that time it just opened up and sounded great -I have heard nothing but good about these devices.
    A few people did chime in that theirs sounded great much earlier or even out of the box.
    I then stumbled on some info about using SotM USB clock boards or some such on a custom server that sound even better than the 200 ultra... I got on this kick of reading this stuff because of all the positive reviews of the SotM sound with regards to their endpoint streamers like the ultra 200 and of course it's all about quality power supply and cleaning up the connectivity pipe, it just goes on and on though...
    I think in general every system is so different right down to the power that flows to it, that blanket observations don't always prove too helpful.
     
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  13. cut-out

    cut-out Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA, USA
    I spent all day today playing cds through the Aria, and heard none of the bass distortion I was hearing before. So who knows!
     
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  14. mikecole

    mikecole Forum Resident

    Location:
    Longmont, CO
    Has anybody tried out the headphone portion of the Aria? I have a pair of easy to drive 32ohm Meze Classic 99s and was wondering if the headphone output of this is just OK or as good as the speaker output seems to be. I currently have a Croft Phono Integrated and this is my reference as far as musicality goes. It does not have a headphone output though and I was looking for something equal to the Croft but with a headphone output so I could get rid of another box (Schiit Audio Magni3 headphone amp) and set of cables.
     
  15. Ulises

    Ulises Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    I have been using mine on occasion with HD650s and Fostex THX00. I used to have a Vali 2 in the setup and do not miss it. My assessment is that the headphone amp is uncommonly good for an integrated—definitely not an afterthought.
     
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  16. mikecole

    mikecole Forum Resident

    Location:
    Longmont, CO
    Oh, cool, good to know and especially since you were using a step up from the Magni.
     
    Ulises likes this.
  17. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    Just added a Raven Soniquil power cord to my Aria. Very nice!
     
    cut-out, ubiknik and Ulises like this.
  18. PhilinSC

    PhilinSC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tega Cay SC
    The Aria intriques me - I'm now just getting back into audio after a long lapse - well, life happens.

    Years ago, I worked at a shop that sold Belles, and often lusted after the A and A-Mods; and enjoyed a Model II preamp for a few years. Probably drove Dave crazy with weekly calls while he finished up the design & manufacture of the early units.

    So I'm somewhat familiar with his design philosophy & his products always offered a very good value proposition.

    But being away from this hobby for so long, how would the Aria compare sonically to one of the JC designed Parasound's or in tube, a recent Prima Luna offering? I throw those out only because they too offer good value for the $$, and are pretty neutral.

    Thanks in advance, look forward to your input.
     
  19. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    I haven't owned a Parasound or Prima Luna for a number of years but I did own a couple of their products. Can't say how they compare but I can say that after run in the Aria is the best amp I've used in any system I've owned. Dead quiet, great resolution and excellent boogie factor. It has a nice blend of open midrange openess, tonality and resolution. There doesn't seem to be any compromises. My Harbeth's are overjoyed!
     
    Strat-Mangler likes this.
  20. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Thought PrimaLuna was more on the warm/lush side?
    Which tubes amps have you tried? Currently am owning a Line Magnetic 508IA but still am curious about these as I also own Harbeths.

    Oh, and I love that avatar. ;)
     
  21. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    I had a Prologue 2 which was exceedingly bright and awful. I tried a number of tubes and tube dampers. The midrange was sweet but the rest was not. It was paired with a pair of ProAc speakers.

    ...and yes that has become my avatar everywhere!
     
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  22. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Never had any but ProAc seems to have a reputation for being bright. When I heard them in the audio shop I briefly worked in, they were anything but.
     
  23. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    Yeah, the ProAc Studio series were voiced with tubes and sounded really nice in the shop. I really didn't blame them. That whole experience and the dealer and distributor's response almost had me leaving the hobby.
     
    Strat-Mangler likes this.
  24. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Had a similarly disgusting experience last year.
     
  25. PhilinSC

    PhilinSC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tega Cay SC
    Haven't messed around with tubes in years. Actually, decades. But the Prima seems popular with dealers around here, I've heard it with ML electrostatics & most recently, with the biggum Paridigms - the Persona 7F's.

    I'll concede the point of the Prima being just a bit warm. Like a big golden retriever, a 'friendly' amp.
     
    Strat-Mangler likes this.

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