Blue circle ELD-BD or another choice advice please

[RoseKloud666]

Im seriously saving for a new amp and my main focus for a few months now has been the Blue circle ELD-BD

 

 

 

 

I can get it for 5k Canadian (Total price) .

 

 

 

 

i presently have Dynaudio focus 340s for speakers .

 

 

 

 

(presently use a simaudio 220i amp)

 

 

 

 

I like my simaudio , and thought i could stay with that brand ,then quickly realized that for the same price

 

 

 

 

Simaudio 330 A offers Ie 120 watts into 8 ohms

 

 

ELD_BD is 300 watts into 8 ohms (600 into 4 ohms)

 

 

 

 

To equal those BC specs will increase the price substantially ( i may be wrong , but a few checks by myself reveal equal specs(Minus tube) are near 1000.00 more or more) .

 

 

 

 

 

 

ELD-BD also offer the hybrid tube section as well . i ve heard it , its a serious amp .

 

 

 

 

5k is my ceiling price within a 100 or so dollars as well

 

 

My concerns are

 

 

 

 

1.The warranty on BC is a wee 2 years for a 5k item , simaudio is a 10 year warranty

 

 

Should that be a concern with a BC amp that is reportedly so well constructed ?

 

 

Plus ,within the 5k ceiling , the 330 A has a better warranty , but its paid for in a lesser amp .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. The BC is always on . No off switch . This seems odd , and is this offer any concern , esp, in the long run , it could be on for months to years (seems a waste when its not being used) . perhaps someone can explain to me this always on philosophy ?

 

 

 

 

BC doesnt appear to be that widely known , many shops have never heard of BC ,and google gets minimal hits ,most are BC itself .

 

 

 

 

But where BC is known , Gilbert gets lots of respect .

 

 

 

 

Is there some reason such good amps/products arent more widely known ?

 

 

 

 

Im open to all advice/suggestions to guide me in my decision ,beyond what i ve asked here as well .

 

 

 

 

Cheers

[17629v2]

You can get a Behringer NU3000 for $230 US. It has 2 x 1500 Watts into 2 Ohms; 2 x 880 Watts into 4 Ohms; 2 x 440 Watts into 8 Ohms, and comes with a 3 year warranty.

[firedog]

I don't think the warranty issue is a biggie. Generally electronic components will have an issue early in life or only once they are quite old. If they "stay healthy" for a few months generally nothing goes wrong for a long time - till they start to age/wear out.

 

Small outfits like BC aren't well known, and especially among dealers, b/c they don't work through a large network, and do sales online. BC is basically a one man operation, and so doesn't do a lot of marketing. Pretty much all time is taken up in assembly and R&D.

 

Isn't that a class D amp in the power section? So I don't think the lack of on/off is a big deal. My understanding is that it does have an off switch for the tube section so you don't wear out the tubes. The hybrid/SS switchable feature of some of the amps is a cool one.

 

Does BC have a home trial period during which you can return the amp if you aren't satisfied? Is there a dealer nearby where you can hear the amp?

[RoseKloud666]

I don't think the warranty issue is a biggie. Generally electronic components will have an issue early in life or only once they are quite old. If they "stay healthy" for a few months generally nothing goes wrong for a long time - till they start to age/wear out.

 

Small outfits like BC aren't well known, and especially among dealers, b/c they don't work through a large network, and do sales online. BC is basically a one man operation, and so doesn't do a lot of marketing. Pretty much all time is taken up in assembly and R&D.

 

Isn't that a class D amp in the power section? So I don't think the lack of on/off is a big deal. My understanding is that it does have an off switch for the tube section so you don't wear out the tubes. The hybrid/SS switchable feature of some of the amps is a cool one.

 

Does BC have a home trial period during which you can return the amp if you aren't satisfied? Is there a dealer nearby where you can hear the amp?

 

Thanks for an informed helpful reply

 

Yes it is a D class

 

Thanks mate

[odelay]

I have a great respect for Gilbert's work. I wouldn't be put off by BC's small profile.

 

I haven't heard any of his amps, but am very happy with the x6 Sillycone filter.

 

Always best to try before you buy, of course... maybe ask about a money-back guarantee?

[Blake]

If you can audition the amp in your system, obviously that is ideal. If not, I'd roll the dice and go with the BC amp and don't look back. I've been running my BC-202 hybrid amp non-stop for about 10 years and I have not had one single problem and I truly love it. The only time I've ever had a "wandering eye" for a different amp was only due to curiosity about Gilbert's latest designs, but then I realize how satisfied I am with my current setup and go back to listening to music.

[mrvco]

Are you planning on adding a pre-amp? The 330 A is a power amp rather than an integrated amp like your current 220i. Simaudio's current integrated offerings are the 240i and 330i.

 

With regards to BCA, I've been very happy with their power conditioning products and haven't read a bad word about Gilbert or his products.

[RoseKloud666]

I have a great respect for Gilbert's work. I wouldn't be put off by BC's small profile.

 

I haven't heard any of his amps, but am very happy with the x6 Sillycone filter.

 

Always best to try before you buy, of course... maybe ask about a money-back guarantee?

 

thank you

[RoseKloud666]

If you can audition the amp in your system, obviously that is ideal. If not, I'd roll the dice and go with the BC amp and don't look back. I've been running my BC-202 hybrid amp non-stop for about 10 years and I have not had one single problem and I truly love it. The only time I've ever had a "wandering eye" for a different amp was only due to curiosity about Gilbert's latest designs, but then I realize how satisfied I am with my current setup and go back to listening to music.

 

Thank you that is good infos

[RoseKloud666]

Are you planning on adding a pre-amp? The 330 A is a power amp rather than an integrated amp like your current 220i. Simaudio's current integrated offerings are the 240i and 330i.

 

With regards to BCA, I've been very happy with their power conditioning products and haven't read a bad word about Gilbert or his products.

 

OOpz now theres a important fact .

 

I would need a pre . So ,no im thinking i would not buy the 330A

 

Im a tad embarrassed i had not considered that fact

 

But im enjoying all resposes still

[17629v2]

OOpz now theres a important fact .

 

I would need a pre . So ,no im thinking i would not buy the 330A

 

Im a tad embarrassed i had not considered that fact

 

But im enjoying all resposes still

 

I'm a bit confused as to what you're goals are? If you read your posts one way, it looks like you're making a choice based on specs. But you're equipment would suggest that you know better. Some clarity would be helpful. The only solid advice I can give you, is that if you're planning to replace your Sim with a Class D amp, you better listen to it first.

[mrvco]

No worries, it's an easy thing to overlook. I just happen to be in the middle of deciding whether to go back to separates or stick with an integrated. While I wouldn't hesitate to give a BCA product a try, have you had any luck finding out what other Dynaudio Focus owners are using that's within your budget?

 

 

OOpz now theres a important fact .

 

I would need a pre . So ,no im thinking i would not buy the 330A

 

Im a tad embarrassed i had not considered that fact

 

But im enjoying all resposes still

[RoseKloud666]

I'm a bit confused as to what you're goals are? If you read your posts one way, it looks like you're making a choice based on specs. But you're equipment would suggest that you know better. Some clarity would be helpful. The only solid advice I can give you, is that if you're planning to replace your Sim with a Class D amp, you better listen to it first.

 

Thank you for a reply

 

 

 

 

Yes your correct in the based on specs part ,but my failing is i was not clear enough .

 

 

 

 

My apologies .

 

 

I m/was making an assumption , and i was nt clear on that here (maybe unwise) that all things being at least equal(quality/parts/workmanship etc between the sim and the BC ,that the deciding difference would be the output power .

 

 

Im bad at analogies , but the best i can explain it is it being a choice between 2 products that are equal up to the point of ,what offers more power . i hope that makes sense ? im assumuning(unwise?) in this case that the sim (i ve also since been reading about their 340i and was a tad sidetracked ) and the BC are meticulously crafted products

 

 

Again an assumption , as i ve never heard a bad knock on Gilberts work , and plenty of praise .

 

 

As it turns out when i auditioned the Dynaudio focus 340s , the amp driving them was the BC ELD-BD . i was focused on the dyns at the time , and was later informed that when i started looking into a more powerful amp , and i was reading good things about Gilberts work , that i had already listened to the ELD-BD

 

 

I fell in love with the 340s ,and i was un wittingly influenced by the ELD-BD

 

 

Tho my 220i sounds quite nice , im curious to how much more i can get out of my 340s with a more powerful amp (not just blindly going for power ,but also considering quality of such , which led me to BC and ELD-BD)

 

 

So i wasnt just blindly making a decision based on the power output specs (And i was failing to not be more clear. My apologies ).

 

 

 

 

You seem versed in this areana , and the way you said " if you're planning to replace your Sim with a Class D amp, you better listen to it first." raised an older concern of mine , being Class A Vs Class D etc

 

 

Many years ago , still making assumptions , i thought class A , D etc was a quality grading system ,and always wanted the A .

 

 

But now ,after some research it becomes more complex than that . I welcome you or anyone to jump in and correct my errors .

 

 

It appears that a well constructed class D can perform as good (and has massive efficiency in the back end) as an equally well constructed class A .

 

 

i should nt be blinded by the false idea that A beats D .

 

 

The difference being class A is on all the time (full speed) ,class A/B is switching , and class D has massive efficiency in the back end .

 

 

In recent research , im embarrassed to admit i always thought of the class A , D , as same as a school grade , my folks were more pleased with my A s , and frowned on my D s .

 

 

It appears this does not translate to the audio world .

 

 

So when you cautioned the purchase of a class D , it raised some previous concerns .

 

 

If you , or anyone wishes to elaborate more on that matter , or any , im pleased to learn .

 

 

What would the concerns be in moving Ie from my 220i (or choosing it over Sims 340i ,ive decided against 330A as ive realized it doesnt have a pre) to any class D , and most notably one of Gilberts Class D , most likely the ELD-BD ?

 

 

5k is not a drop in the bucket , im looking near to retirement , so another 5k dollars for these luxuries may not be available . This could be my last amp before my kids inherit it -

 

 

Your assistance is certainly appreciated

[17629v2]

You can have 2 amps that look the same on paper but sound very different when you listen. And there's many reasons for that. Generally speaking, class D amps usually sound noticeably different than an A or A/B. I say different because not everyone likes the same the same thing. I haven't heard a class D amp that I really liked, but some people prefer them. Its a matter of personal preference, not better or worse. So, if you drop a D in the system, I would expect it to sound very different than what you're used to.

 

With amp specs, you have to be careful. There's no common standard that all manufacturers must use to rate an amps power. They all do it their own way. For example, one company may rate an amp for 100 watts into 8 ohms with 2% distortion. If you gave the exact same amp to a different company to rate it, they could say 2% distortion is too much. For them, 1% distortion may be acceptable. So, the same amp may run at 75 watts at 1% distortion. Its being held to a higher standard.

[RoseKloud666]

You can have 2 amps that look the same on paper but sound very different when you listen. And there's many reasons for that. Generally speaking, class D amps usually sound noticeably different than an A or A/B. I say different because not everyone likes the same the same thing. I haven't heard a class D amp that I really liked, but some people prefer them. Its a matter of personal preference, not better or worse. So, if you drop a D in the system, I would expect it to sound very different than what you're used to.

 

With amp specs, you have to be careful. There's no common standard that all manufacturers must use to rate an amps power. They all do it their own way. For example, one company may rate an amp for 100 watts into 8 ohms with 2% distortion. If you gave the exact same amp to a different company to rate it, they could say 2% distortion is too much. For them, 1% distortion may be acceptable. So, the same amp may run at 75 watts at 1% distortion. Its being held to a higher standard.

 

Thanks again You have given me things to consider

[firedog]

If I was you, I'd get in touch with Gilbert. He seems to think his Class D designs are at least as good sounding (if not bettter) as his earlier models.

 

Ask if you can buy and return if not satisfied. Most companies these days will give you an in home audition, possibly will charge a re-stocking fee if you return the item.

[RoseKloud666]

If I was you, I'd get in touch with Gilbert. He seems to think his Class D designs are at least as good sounding (if not bettter) as his earlier models.

 

Ask if you can buy and return if not satisfied. Most companies these days will give you an in home audition, possibly will charge a re-stocking fee if you return the item.

 

Thank you