Response Audio Bella EXtreme reviews

EXtreme Hurricane 200DT Modification

Yes, the hurricanes arrived safely. I unpacked them, set them up, biased them and ran them for about 40 hours (low volume music). Then I sat down for an initial listening session. HOLY CRAP !!! The difference is not at all subtle !!! Yes, I liked the pre-modified hurricanes: they were very detailed, had good liquidity and did space very well, but the modified hurricanes are in an altogether different league. The detail and space portrayed is far better, but the entire musical tapestry is still woven as one cloth. I've had these gentle giants turned on for over 80 hours now, unfortunately not much listening due to other commitments. However, this weekend I did some serious listening and they are getting better, no doubt the capacitors breaking in. Prior to the modifications I enjoyed very much listening to the hurricanes but always would find some areas where improvement would be welcome. However, to date, I cannot find any wrong doings. I dare to say that at some points in my listening sessions I would swear that I had some large solid-state units installed, especially during some bass and/or very dynamic passages. But then the continuousness and spaciousness reminded me that tubes were at work. Marvelous...

Audio Note Custom SE6550 Integrated amplifier

Happy New Year Bill,

The Kit 2 is sounding glorious. I am not sure it is fully settled in as it seems to still be improving daily. But it has to be getting close. I got a nice NOS closely matched pair of Tung Sol 6550's on ebay for $177 and they are, for *me*, the bomb in this amp. I will keep one pair each of the new TS 6550's and GEC KT 88's. The new TS 6550's I got were cryoed. My first shot at cold tubes so I don't know how they are without the treatment. They are OK but the NOS TS's beat them handily in this amp. NOS tubes really sing in this circuit. I really wish you could hear it now. I will post a review in a few more weeks. I want to be sure it is fully burned in B4 I do that. Black Gates can take a long time to really settle in.

Audio Note Custom L3 Deluxe Preamp

Hi Bill,

The preamp and amps arrived this evening. All looks great. I'll fire up the amps tomorrow.

As for the preamp: I'm stunned by what I've just heard on the first cd I spun. Your custom L3 is a remarkable accomplishment. None I've owned before come remotely close to the L3 in performance - and this is apparent in the first 45 minutes!

I am privileged to own it.

Bill,

While I'm always grateful for the work of others and diplomatic in assessing new audio gear even when they impart little or no positive change, this is different. No doubt that I now have in place the other components of a really well-matched, high quality system, but your custom L3 is by far the single most musical piece of audio gear I've ever experienced. For the three weeks prior I'd listened to the same system either with Scott Endler stepped resistor volume controls or a fairly pricey solid state active preamp that uses a boatload of bipolar FK Black Gates, Schottkys, tantalum resistors etc and has a massive outboard psu with 1.2 Farads capacitance. Nice and nice. With the L3 the music became palpably alive and stunningly real. Every recorded nuance, no matter how faintly present in the mix, is distinct and audibly 3 dimensional. Hearing a lead vocalist up front in the center of the soundstage with proper depth is one thing - to extend such detail and depth to the subtlest instruments/background voices/venue sounds is certainly a first for my system. Add to that the uncannily realistic portrayal of voice and instruments (attack/decay, timber, etc). The L3 has no backgound noise. I cannot believe there is a significantly better preamp available at any price. I cannot say that about any of my other system components, as good as they are (as you know).

I'll call you when I get some extended "r&r" time, probably at month's end.

Warm regards,

EXtreme Adagio Jr. Loudspeakers

Hi Bill,

Well, the speakers are sounding great. It was a combination of burn-in time, integrating the sub, and much tweaking. I must admit that I was missing my electrostats a great deal. I didn’t know if I would ever dial the Adagio Jrs. in. I live near a reviewer for Enjoy-the-Music.com and his reference system is always my benchmark. In his house, the music just floats through the air. Well, I’m getting very close. Oddly enough, the biggest shift occurred when I double isolated the tube monoblocks (two tiers of isolation underneath). I was astounded at how significant the change was. I guess my amps are much more sensitive to vibration than I realized.

So, I’m a happy customer. Thanks again!

follow-up

Hi Bill,

All that I can really say is that I never though that I’d replace my electostats with box speakers but with your mods on the Adagio’s, I’m a happy guy.