Bel Canto Amplication

[Telstar]

Originally Posted by Robinson_A

I didn't have any issues when using my Mac as a source, however, I did control the volume via the S300iu. I don't know much about PC's anymore since being a Mac convert some years ago but Mac's have two places to adjust volume, one in iTunes or on the keyboard and another is in the system pref menus. Is it possible your PC has an overall system pref to control total volume output that is to low? With my Mac's volume set around 75% to 100% I had plenty of room to play with the S300iu's volume giving me all the room filling sound I needed. In terms of gain, the Denon was a bit louder out of the gate but I was able to match levels successfully with my computer.

Thanks for the reply Andrew.
John replied saying that the windows volume should be set to 100. I verified with my friend and indeed it was set very low. For some unknown reason the ASIO drivers do NOT completely bypass windows (crappy) kmixer and for the S300iu to work fine, the volume must have been set to max in windows controls.

Besides this, John said to me that the difference is about 7-8dB between the CDP source and the USB input DAC.

My computer source won't use XP and the player that I'm going to use XXhighend (in Vista) completely bypass windows volume controls.

[deacongreg]

Andrew Robinson, first,

Merry Christmas to you and your family. Question, did I miss somehow the Mcintosh 7 channel amplifier review in avrev.com? I read the Bel Canto review.

[Robinson_A]

Originally Posted by deacongreg

Andrew Robinson, first,

Merry Christmas to you and your family. Question, did I miss somehow the Mcintosh 7 channel amplifier review in avrev.com? I read the Bel Canto review.

Thanks, and Happy Holidays to you. No you did not miss the McIntosh review. It should post January 1st. While I will be sending it back to McIntosh now that the review is over, I throughly enjoyed my time with it. Its sound has gotten me thinking about getting their big tube stereo amp for my reference two channel rig to go along with my Hovland HP-100 preamp.

[deacongreg]

Originally Posted by Robinson_A

Thanks, and Happy Holidays to you. No you did not miss the McIntosh review. It should post January 1st. While I will be sending it back to McIntosh now that the review is over, I throughly enjoyed my time with it. Its sound has gotten me thinking about getting their big tube stereo amp for my reference two channel rig to go along with my Hovland HP-100 preamp.

Excellent. Now, the big question. Have the Bel Cantos, now taken that coveted spot in your audio world that Mcintosh has enjoyed for so long?

[beden1]

I read this in Audio Review from an individual reviewer who owns a Bel Canto amp, and I'm not sure what it means? Any ideas what he was referring to: Weaknesses:
"Cannot be used in common ground situations."

[deacongreg]

Originally Posted by Robinson_A

Thanks, and Happy Holidays to you. No you did not miss the McIntosh review. It should post January 1st. While I will be sending it back to McIntosh now that the review is over, I throughly enjoyed my time with it. Its sound has gotten me thinking about getting their big tube stereo amp for my reference two channel rig to go along with my Hovland HP-100 preamp.

Andrew, I know your busy, but i wanted to know if you did take the plunge and get the Mac tube amp? And if so, how does it mate with the Hovland HP-100 preamp?