Updated Review Links!
The Wall Street Journal Raves: “For bookshelf audiophiles who like their separate components down to the
individual power supply, Bel Canto's full range of modular matching half-size power amps, CD players, FM tuners
and digital-to-analog converters (for your PC music) is a dream come true. Though they're about as small as '80sera microsystems, these handmade-in-Minneapolis stackables deliver enough sound and power for speakers 10
times their size.” Click here for the entire article.
Stereophile’s CES 2011 Online Report: “The Metrodome may have collapsed but Minneapolis-based Bel Canto
sure hasn’t. Brand new at CES is the C5i, a DAC/integrated amp/headphone amp that sells for the feel-good
price of $1895. … This was my first room of CES 2011 and it was a great start!” Click here for the entire article.
Stereophile’s CES 2011 Online Report Part Deux!: “All of Bel Canto’s equipment was powered by their VBS1
Virtual Battery Supply ($1495), which effectively takes their equipment off the electrical grid. … New this year is
the VB-Ref power cable which connect the 12V output of the VBS1 power supply to the component. Having tried
these cables out in my own system at home during my audition of the Bel Canto DAC3.5VBS, I can testify to their
ability to bring out the best in this new Bel Canto gear.” Click here for the entire article.
Positive Feedback Online’s CES 2011 Online Coverage: Find our coverage on page 4 of PFO’s report. Click here
for the entire article and search for Bel Canto.
SoundStage Global’s CES 2011 Online Coverage: Click here for the entire article and screen-down to find Bel
Canto in the Image Bar and click.
Computer Audiophile’s CES 2011 Online Coverage: Click here for the entire article and either page down or
search for Bel Canto.
Magazine Audio’s CES 2011 Online Coverage: Click here for the entire article and… it helps to speak a little
French!
CNET’s Steve Guttenberg on Cool Running Bel Canto REF500S: “For such a little thing (8.5 by 3.5 by 12 inches),
the REF500S is seriously powerful, it can deliver 250 watts into 8 ohm speakers; 500 watts into 4-ohm-rated
speakers. … [It] uses top-quality parts, including Caddock resistors, special ultra-low ESR decoupling capacitors,
and low-noise regulated power supplies. That's all on the inside; I think the amp looks really cool. … The REF500S
sounds stellar on my Magnepan MG 3.6/R speakers, which are one of the toughest speakers to drive well.” Click
here for the entire article.
Positive Feedback Online’s Rave of the REF500M: “The Bel Canto REF500Ms are far from being mere raw
125ASX2 modules hidden inside handsome boxes. Like the power conversion components imbedded in so many
advanced amplifiers based on other underlying technologies, the ICEpower 125ASX2s are but central building
blocks of a comprehensive design, optimized to yield astonishingly high musical performance. … Harmonic
exposure, development, and congruence is wholly convincing … Give the Bel Canto REF500Ms a long audition:
you will be amazed by their surprising authority, seduced by their agility, and will fall in love with their superior
musicality.” Guess Guido Corona liked them! Click here for the entire article.
CNET’s Steve Guttenberg tackles the new REF150S on CNET: “Minneapolis-based Bel Canto Design introduced a
new superefficient dual-mono (stereo) 150-watt amplifier, the e.One REF150s ($1,695). I really love the sound of
Bel Canto amps, and I love that they draw very little power, usually less than 30 watts from your wall outlet.”
Click here for the entire article.
Finland’s Inner Magazine Reports! “The DAC3.5VB brought a totally new control and level of quality to the
whole variety of my digital music collection. … When the Bel Canto DAC3.5VB was part of my system, I found
myself feeding the CD transport with CDs after CDs, and I felt again the joy of this wonderful hobby.” Click here
for the entire article.
USB Link 24/96 on Engadget: “Wait just a second there, vaquero. We know you're invigorated, but you should
probably attempt to digest the price tag here before blowing a gasket in excitement. Bel Canto -- not known for
trickling out low-end gear -- has just introduced the $495 USB Link 24/96, which presumably does an impeccable
job at converting high quality USB audio (up to 24-bits and 96kHz) to S/PDIF via a single 75-ohm BNC cable.”
Click here for the entire article.
SoundStage BackStage No. 131: “Bel Canto has also introduced two new two-channel power amplifiers: the
e.One S125 ($1195) is rated at 65Wpc into 8 ohms or 125Wpc into 4 ohms, and the e.One REF150 ($1495) is
rated at 75Wpc into 8 ohms or 150Wpc into 4 ohms. Like the other amps in Bel Canto’s REF series, the REF150
boasts carefully selected, high-speed, low-noise rectifiers and high-voltage film filter capacitors that are said to
minimize noise and increase the power supply’s energy storage. Finally, Bel Canto also has a new FM tuner on
the way, the FM1 ($1495), which will utilize digital processing, and have a 24/48 digital output so that it can be
used with any Bel Canto DAC.”
“Recently, Editor-in-chief Jeff Fritz told me how impressed he was with the performance of the DAC3VB, and
with how much innovation and high-quality design the compact chassis of Bel Canto’s entire product line now
feature. I have to concur. I also appreciate that Bel Canto now offers the discerning audiophile a wide range of
complete audio systems at a variety of prices. Bel Canto is hoping to begin shipping all of these new products in
April.”
10 Best Gear Awards 2010 in Home Entertainment – CD2, DAC3, REF500: “I’m just guessing, but Bel Canto’s
founder and CEO John Stronczer must be a contrarian. Don’t get the wrong idea, he’s a perfectly nice guy; it’s
just that Bel Canto’s compact, lightweight, cool running e.One Series components use just a tiny fraction of the
AC power consumed by their hotter-running, bigger and heftier competition.” Click here for the entire article.
USB Link 24/96 on Computer Audiophile: “I've used and listened to many other converters at all price ranges
and consider the Bel Canto USB Link a great product to link the traditional world of High-End audio to the new
and improved High-End 2.0 where music servers reign and high resolution is the norm. The USB Link is a great
tool in my toolbox as a reviewer and is a great addition to most listeners’ audio systems for everyday use.
Incredible flexibility, true high resolution capability, and true plug n' play operation make the USB Link a really
smart selection for many audiophiles.” Click here for the entire article.
REF500Ms in SoundStage: Hot off the presses and reviewed by Dan Davis AGAINST JADIS JA-80s! “My extended
time with the Bel Canto e.One REF500Ms put to rest all doubts or misconceptions I’d had about class-D
switching amplifiers -- they could play with the big amps of any class. The REF500Ms displayed excellent
transients and dynamics, legitimate high-end microdynamics, and good depth and soundstaging, among their
other attributes. And for Manhattan apartment dwellers and others with limited space, their small size is a huge
asset. The e.One REF500M represents good value for what, these days, is a reasonable price in high-end audio.
It’s hard to go wrong with these beauties; they prove that small can be beautiful, even in the high end.” Click
here for the entire article.
Stereophile Covers Our New DACs: “Bel Canto has clearly been busy on the digital front. Three new DACs are on
display: the e.One DAC1.5 at $1,395, e.One DAC2.5 at $1,995, and the e.One DAC3.5VB at $3,495. The company
explains that the core of all three products is the ‘jitter-eliminating’ Two-Stage Master Reference UltraClock.”
There’s more, just click on the link. Click here for the entire article.
Stereophile Covers Our New Amplifiers: “Minneapolis-based Bel Canto Design (props to my homies) brought a
new amplifier to CES this year. The e.One REF150s ($1495, shown on the lower rack) is a fully balanced dualmono amplifier that will put out 150Wpc into 8 ohms This may be a wee-sized amplifier, but it sounded huge
strapped to a pair of new Joseph Audio bookshelf speakers.” Click here for the entire article.
Positive Feedback Online on the LightLink, DAC3.5VB and CD2: Page down about half-way… “Bel Canto system
and all with TAD loudspeakers. Nice and big sound that was easy to be drawn into... as opposed to one that
pushes you out the room. If you know what I mean.” Click here for the entire article.
SoundStage Covers New DACs: Click here for the entire article and click on Bel Canto DAC image for the full
write-up.
Audio Junkies Covers DAC Triple Threat: “Bel Canto has released not one but three new follow-ups to their
popular e.One DAC3VB, called the DAC1.5 ($1,395), the DAC2.5 ($1,995), and the DAC3.5VB ($3,495). The
current DAC3VB is staying in the range, with the new models filling out Bel Canto's line of digital processors
below and above. All models feature Bel Canto's Two-Stage Master Reference UltraClock anti-jitter circuit,
AES/EBU, BNC, Coaxial RCA and Toslink inputs, and 24-bit digital volume controls.” Click here for the entire
article.
Stereomojo Covers New Amplifiers and DACs: “Bel Canto showed a new e.One REF150s amp which at $1495 a
fully balanced, dual-mono amplifier makes 150Wpc into 8 ohms. How do they get that much power out of
something so small?” Click here for the entire article.
Positive Feedback Online’s Audio Ramblings Covers the USB Link 24/96: “Yeah, the Bel Canto Link is killer.”
Click here for the entire article.
Smart House Covers New Processors: “According to Bel Canto Canto, the DAC technology in its High Dynamic
Range converters is surrounded by Virtual Battery Power and the Master Reference UltraClock anti-jitter
filtration allows the D-to-A conversion to occur in ‘a pristine environment, isolated from outside interference
from the AC power grid or broadband jitter induced noise.” Click here for the entire article.
Other Rave Reviews
Home Entertainment Magazine and CNET Review the CD2/DAC3/REF500M: "I love the REF500s' power without
guilt, power without heat, and high performance without compromise…” Click here for the entire article.
Positive Feedback Online Reviews the REF1000M: “You will be excited by their authority, seduced by their
agility, and will fall in love with their musicality.” Click here for the entire article.
Home Entertainment Magazine and CNET Cover the REF1000M Update: “I think I must keep the Bel Canto
Ref1000 Mk.IIs as a reference amplifier—an easy decision even when based solely on its sound, but also: in my
living room, none of the others can be so easily hidden in plain sight.” Click here for the entire article.
SoundStage Global reviews the REF500: “The REF500 monoblocks delivered on the promise of low noise, as
evidenced by good detail retrieval and heft amidst notable dynamic drive and power.” Click here for the entire
article.
Stereophile’s Wes Phillips in his McIntosh MS750 Music Server Review: “I heard the Bel Canto as more
articulate, clean, and quiet. I could hear more of the acoustic … Switching back to the McIntosh made individual
voices sound less distinct from each other, and lost much of the precision of attack that distinguishes the
Scholars from lesser choirs.”
Read what Wes Phillips says on web page two about the DAC3 in comparison to the earlier Benchmark here. And
if you’re just can’t manage to reach your mouse… “Against the benchmark Benchmark: I compared the Bel Canto
e.One DAC3 with the original version of the Benchmark DAC1 …. No doubt about it, the Benchmark DAC1 is still
an excellent-sounding product, with well-extended, well-defined lows, a natural midrange, and clean highs. And,
of course, it doubles its utility by having two pairs of headphone outputs. But the Bel Canto DAC3 scored with its
slightly silkier high frequencies and its wider, deeper soundstage.”
Bel Canto Powers Your Imagination!
Bel Canto Design, Ltd. • Minneapolis • MN • USA • www.belcantodesign.com