Heh, guys your pictures look just fine and are very nice to have. Photography fetishists can't whine here, this place is for the other kind of crazy.
illkemist, the GS-1 would definitely make a strong contender if it wasn't for the price, which is around 900€ after shipping & taxes. The BCL goes for around 600€ and the Solo for a bit less (or for much less without the fancier PSU -- I wonder if it makes a real difference).
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Originally Posted by Patu /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I just upgraded from Stello HP100 to BCL. And I really mean upgraded. BCL wipes the floors with HP100 when used with HD600. More dynamic, punchier, livelier and faster sound. The most obvious difference is the liveliness of BCL. HP100 sounds boring in comparison. Very recommended little amp. I got it used for a good price.
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Well, this was really good to hear. Also a bit surprising, given that Stellos are also quite highly regarded around here (AFAIK).
I guess in the end it's a matter of taste, both sound-wise and musically. A fast and energetic amp would definitely match well the music that I listen to, although so would the Solo with its reportedly punchy, aggressive bottom end, just like illkemist said. Many have also said they preferred Solo's slightly warmer sound especially with the HD650. While on the topic of sound signature, everyone seems to be saying that the BCL is really energetic and at the same time they say it's laid back. I can't really see how it can be both at the same time...? It must be like the dualistic nature of light (photons or electromagnetic waves, depending on the situation).
Quite frankly I'm almost ready to give Lehmann's amp a go. Unless new contenders arise, the last remaining opponent is the Solo. At the moment, if I had to give points, and this is without actually hearing the amps myself, I'd give the BCL 2 points and the Solo 3 points for sound. Then I'd give the BCL another 2 points for the better looks (and that wonderful knob!).
Both are within budget, so the Solo won't get points for lower price. (I'm a mean referee) The thing to remember is that even when I'm not listening to anything, I can see the amp (almost right in front of me on my desk) but when I'm listening to something, I can only guess if I would have liked the other amp's sound any better.
I'm beginning to feel I'm getting close to the point where someone comes in on this thread and tells me I need to shut the hell up and make up my mind already. I'll probably wait till I have the DAC running nicely first, or until I get home some late evening piss drunk and go ahead with the order (that's how I usually order the hardware that I've been hesitant about).