News
Bel Canto Unveil the VBS • The Virtual Battery Supply!
The Next Step in Pure Power Technology
Our new Virtual Battery Supply offers all the advantages of a 12 volt lead acid battery without the lead, the acid, or the battery! (You will love that!) It offers smoother, even-tempered, well-adjusted DC than previously available. 

It’s All About Power 
The Bel Canto 24/192 differential DAC is the heart of the system; the Bel Canto Digital Control Center. Rather than depending on extra-cost power conditioners for our front end components to do the job John Stronczer builds higher performance into his designs with supplies that curb the crackling storms riding the AC mains. 

Bel Canto VBS System
Consider that your power is shared with fellow apartment-dwellers or houses sharing the same utility transformer. Every device in their home with an on/off switch sends spiky transients and noise through the system while spraying RFI around creating distortion. Air conditioners are prime culprits; lighting dimmers are distortion-producing machines, not to mention cheap wall-wart chargers greedily feeding only at the top and bottom of the 60Hz AC wave causing ripples of distortion when they all “bite” at once. Surges, phase distortion, over-and under-voltage conditions… imagine all that going on while they’re trying to listen! 

Bel Canto’s current power supplies are praised for their low noise and instantaneous power delivery. Put that down to custom power supply rectification and filtering that vastly increases energy storage, lowering noise and reducing sensitivity to power line fluctuations. But since you always want to be in on the latest and greatest, Bel Canto is pushing the leading edge of eco-friendly, efficient power supplies with its newest development, the VBS1.

VBT™ The Next Step In Pure Power Technology
Our Virtual Battery Technology is the next step forward in low-energy-profile, extremely low noise, ultra-efficient, integrated pure power supply designs, providing all the advantages of a 12 volt lead acid battery without the lead, the acid, or the battery for smoother, even-tempered, well-adjusted DC than previously available. 

You techies will want to know that extreme isolation and tight regulation of 100 Joules of energy storage plus high current capacity provide unmatched transparency, dynamics, low frequencies gravitas, and even greater image palpability. You might also want to know the VBS1’s power supply transformer is surrounded by common-mode and differential-mode filtering plus massive energy storage making for extremely quiet, well-regulated and isolated 12 volt DC power for the circuits to feed on. The VBS1 provides over 100dB of isolation and filtration starting below 100Hz up through the audio band and beyond into the RF region. For more, see Nuts and Bolts below!

The Nuts and Bolts
As mentioned, for the techies, the VBS1’s power supply transformer is surrounded by common-mode and differential-mode filtering plus massive energy storage making for extremely quiet, well-regulated and isolated DC power for much improved sound. The VBS1 provides over 100 dB of isolation and filtration starting below 100Hz up through the audio band and beyond into the RF region. The result is up to 100 times lower noise than traditional linear supplies in the audio frequency band. 

What’s important to know is the Virtual Battery Supply powers up to three Bel Canto music products equipped with the 12 volt VB internal power supply board for an incredibly high-value upgrade path. These include the DAC3VB, PRE3VB or PHONO3VB, or any future Bel Canto product with VB 12VDC input compatibility.  The VBS1 is designed to only power the Bel Canto e.One series as designated above and will not drive or connect to the power amplifiers

The Sound
Breathtaking results, a real and obvious overall improvement in sound that you can hear. You'll find greatly enhanced transparency, palpability, soundstage integrity, bass control, midrange texture, treble extension and sweetness. 

Michael McCormick, President Bel Canto Design 
 
Australian Hi-Fi Press Release
Wicked Digital Distributes Bel Canto
Wicked Digital has secured an exclusive deal to distribute Bel Canto Design in Australia 
 
‘Over the next few weeks we will have the entire range in stock, and our pricing will be on par with US prices plus freight and GST, making the products very affordable,’ said Steve Lees, of Wicked Digital, ‘and you are a Premium Member of our web site, you will have the benefit of even better prices.’
 
US-based manufacturer Bel Canto Design has for many years been renowned for its high-end audio products, but over the past few years has carved an enviable reputation with its superb range of Class-D amplifiers, with the REF1000 MkII in particular gaining the plaudits of many well known high-end audio reviewers in the United States. All Bel Canto’s newest series of products offer the tradition of sound and build quality for which Bel Canto have become famous, but now also introduce new ‘green’ credentials, not just because of the manufacturing procedures now in place at Bel Canto’s factory, but also because the high efficiency of the amplifiers, thanks to the use of e.One analog switching circuitry, means very little of the energy used to drive your loudspeakers is wasted in heat.
 
The REF1000 MkII features new custom input stages that have high common mode rejection and wide dynamic range. ‘The new input stages on the MkII improved the drive to the amplifier, resulting in lower noise and distortion and wider dynamic range in real-world operation,’ Lees told Australian Hi-Fi Magazine, ‘so the input section is utterly transparent, enhancing the performance of the core amplifier.’
 
The new input stages use the latest advanced amplifiers and passive components including: Caddock resistors, solid electrolytic ultra-low ESR decoupling capacitors and low-noise regulated power supplies. The power supply of the REF1000 MkII (as well as that of the REF500) has also been upgraded with custom power supply rectification and substantially increased energy storage. Bel Canto claims these improvements result in lower noise, reduced sensitivity to 240V power line effects and better perceived power delivery and dynamics.
 
All Bel Canto e.One amplifiers are gain matched for easy mixing in system building, particularly with multi-channel and vertical bi-amplification applications.
 
 
Bel Canto Design debuts the USB Link 24/96 for your Computer
Bel Canto Design debuts the USB Link 24/96, the must-have component for computer hard disc music systems. We all know what audiophiles want: Take what’s there and make it better. At the last Rocky Mountain Audio Fest a number of rooms played high resolution music from hard disc, like Bel Canto and Joseph Audio. The sound system in both rooms – totally amazing of course – featured the new Bel Canto USB Link 24/96.
 
Bel Canto USB Link 24/96 
This timely device converts a computer-derived USB input of up to 24 bits and 96kHz to SPDIF and outputs the signal on a 75 ohm BNC. The USB Link 24/96 includes a Stereovox XV2 BNC/BNC cable with RCA adaptor to feed your audiophile DAC of choice – most likely a Bel Canto DAC3! Significantly improves the sound of your 16-bit 44.1 kHz music files as well!
 
Convenient Audiophile Features
  • Converts USB computer-sourced files to SPDIF output
  • Compatible with native drivers on Mac and Windows
  • Accepts high-resolution audio files with data rates up to 24 bits and 96KHz
  • Quality Stereovox XV2 BNC/BNC with RCA adaptor connects to any quality DAC
  • USB Link 24/96 disables system volume control
  • Low-jitter clock recovery features reference crystal oscillator
  • Self-powered via USB input benefiting from LC filters and low-noise local regulation
  • Galvanic isolation between computer and audio system prevents high-frequency noise from polluting signal
 
A Snap to Set Up
Simply connect a type-B USB cable from computer to the USB input on the Link; a red LED indicates power. Your MAC or PC automatically recognizes the unit as Bel Canto 2496 USB in the Sounds and Audio Devices control panel. Connect the supplied Stereovox XV2 cable between the USB Link into either a RCA or BNC SPDIF DAC input with the handy adaptor provided and you’re ready to rip! Pardon our enthusiasm; you’re ready to play high quality music from your computer!
 
Bel Canto music products merge artfully with your lifestyle, your music, and your audiophile passions. They’re compact, sleek and hip enough to flatter any room. Designer John Stronczer uses less power to do more with elegant, efficient designs that always get you closer… to the experience.
 
Bel Canto Design has developed award-winning products for more than 15 years via the highest standards of design, engineering and production practices. Included in the Bel Canto line are a series of CD players, DACs, integrated amps, mono and two-channel amplifiers, plus the e.One Pre3 stereo analog preamp with balanced I/O and the PHONO3 featuring adjustable cartridge loading.
 
CES 2009 New Product Announcements
Amplifiers • We begin with the mighty REF1000MKII monoblocks. Best to let Stereophile’s Kalman Rubinson have his say from the March 2009 issue:
 
“The Bel Canto Ref1000 Mk.II can be compared with the cream of the other amps I’ve had in my system: the Classé CA-3200, Mark Levinson No.433, and Ayre Acoustics V-6xe. Each of these distinguishes itself in different ways, and particularly with different speakers. Because of this, 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.”
 
Thank you, Kal. The input stage of the sweet-sounding REF500 monoblocks at CES feature the same upgraded power supply and input boards as the ‘1000MKIIs. The ‘500s are perfect for the less-than-totally power mad; 500 Bel Canto watts supply loads of headroom for firm grip and control. Learn more about the REF1000MKII and REF500 monoblocks here.
 
Besides offering the refined stereo S500 amplifier, Bel Canto played the updated S300iUSB integrated amplifier at CES ’09 fitted with John Stronczer’s new 24/96 DAC board. Now this 300wpc powerhouse has the same 24-bit/96kHz performance as the standalone USB Link 24/96 offers, dramatically improving existing 16-bit/44.1kHz and, dare we say, MP3! Just add a laptop, speakers, and you’re in high end soundsville.
 
We demoed a pair of the new, dynamic and engaging Joseph Audio RM-7XL on a Mac and everyone at CES loved the sound! Click here to read Stereophile’s online report about our 300iUSB integrated with one of many pictures of John Stronczer with his surprisingly cool-running, efficient and diminutive creations. You can also read about our upcoming FM-1 Tuner here in Stereophile’s show report.
 
“Although it’s a called a ‘tuner’ the new FM-1 (price not yet set) from Bel Canto Design is much more than this label would indicate. How about a built-in DAC, volume control, digital inputs and outputs, and analog outputs on both RCA and XLR connectors? Yes, the FM-1 includes all that. It could very easily be the centerpiece of a high-quality compact audio system.”
 
Joseph Audio played their new Pulsar stand-mounted monitors on Bel Canto electronics at CES including a CD-2, DAC3 and REF500 set-up. Standard and high-resolution music flowed from an Apple PowerBook outfitted with the new Bel Canto USB Link 24/96. Verdict: a knockout! The main Bel Canto room featured the elegant Joseph Audio Pearls.
 
Digital • The USB Link 24/96 raised a lot of eyebrows; the must-have component for computer-based music systems. The ‘Link significantly improves the sound of high resolution recordings as well as 16-Bit/44.1kHz music, even MP3s! This inexpensive high-tech device converts the USB output from any computer – up to 24-bit/96kHz – to SPDIF and outputs the signal to a 75 ohm BNC. The USB Link 24/96 includes a Stereovox XV2 BNC/BNC cable with an RCA adaptor to feed the input of your audiophile DAC of choice – most likely a Bel Canto DAC3!
Click here to read Stereophile’s show report about it.
 
Power • The VBS — Virtual Battery Supply.  An intriguing upgrade for perfectionists offering the low noise, isolation and transient current capability of a lead acid battery without the lead, acid or the battery! Extremely high isolation and regulation from 100 Joules of energy storage and high current capacity ensure Bel Canto’s unmatched dynamics, powerful low-frequency foundation, and stability of image and sound irrespective of the power at the wall.
 
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