[Review] Bel Canto eVo 6 power amp

Bel Canto eVo 6 power amp

So, gave it a bit of a work out at the weekend and this is what I thought. Initial thouughts are that it seems a lot more tame at the frequency extremes. This is quickly dispelled however as you realise it it just fantastically well controlled. Bass lines are now far easier to pick out (Madonna's "Skin" for example). Result being that you can go a lot louder without it sounding tiring. Something like Depeche Mode's "It's no good" was very forthright and harsh in the upper treble (3 different hi-hat lines) Now it just sounds right. Soundstage is much improved also, play Venus Hum's "Wordless May" and I would swear that I'm listening in surround sound. May just be a freak room node but hey it works for me. Hoping it should get better over the next couple of weeks and I haven't thought about a new mains lead for it yet either.
To sum up, this is a huge amount of amp for the price I paid (<£1300) for 6 channels. It can of course, be bridged into 3 channels for even more power (Not tried yet!).
Now where's me remote....

Liam.

 

bridge it!

 

Hmm I had similar experiences with the BC 200.2, I found I could play louder for longer than with the amp it was replacing. And such control ;-)

 

Trying to avoid hearing it bridged - managed (just!) to get it past SWMBO by pointing out that it was only one box instead of two and it looked much nicer...oh and it was virtually free , not sure how she would react when I say "now we need another amp for the rear channels..."

Whilst I'm on the subject does anyone have any opinion on Bel Canto amps and fancy mains cables? Worth the outlay and if so what cables are worth buying? Running the amp straight into the wall atm and everything else via the Trichord power block - does that seem like the best option?

Liam.

 

i've heard they quite like decent mains cable. although mine runs on pvc quite happily

 

To my surprise the BC benefited more than the Wadia boxes to fancy main cable, in fact to date its the only box in my system with a mains cable of note.

 

Quick update - things just get better and spent a few hours last week experimenting with bridging it and spinning a few CDs. was listening to the excellent Bowie album "Heathen", (track 5.15...) - sounded great as usual but changed to bridged mode...WOW! didn't realise that the boomy bassline could be tamed - so much more solid now! Arse!...had to get a Sonic Impact T-amp for the rears... at least that was only £35....
Fantastic side effect is of course that the centre channel is bridged as well and even regular TV sounds better. Turned down the sub again!
Liam.