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The S300i is a 150Wpc integrated amplifier, and the 'u' suffix means it's been outfitted with a USB-input-only DAC (a $200 option)," Stronczer explained. "We're pretty excited about it, and we think it's a logical first step for someone who has never seen the point of high-end audio before. It's good enough to be demonstrably better than mainstream stuff, and it's affordable enough to attract music lovers who don't 'get' high-end. Plus, it's 150Wpc, which is pretty impressive even to people who might scoff at something sounding better." The S300iu looks remarkably similar to the DAC3. As members of Bel Canto's e.One line, they share the same shape and appearance: a half-width front panel, a central green display, and, on the right, a single black knob for controlling the volume and selecting the source, framed within the faceplate's radiused recess.
The S300iu's dual-mono ICE amplifier modules have dual-mono regulated switch-mode power supplies. "We've done a lot of research into switching power supplies, from the time we were working with Tripath-based amplifiers," said Stronczer. "I was impressed by what a well-executed switching supply could do in terms of midband clarity. If implemented correctly, it brings a lot to the party
I installed the S300iu in my smaller dedicated listening room, driving the Usher Be-718 speakers using my Apple G4 iBook as a USB source, and the combo of McIntosh MS750 and Bel Canto e.One DAC3 driving a line-source input. I also used the DAC3's USB input with the iBook, just to compare its performance with that of the S300iu's DAC. All digital files were encoded in Apple Lossless Coding (ALC) or non-DRM 256kbps MP3 Maybe the e.One S300iu isn't perfect—nothing ever is. But show it to a music lover who wants more out of his recordings, and it just might show him his recordings already have it. And once he finds it, he'll want more of it.
If the S300iu can get me that worked up, imagine what it could do for someone new to the High End. In the e.One S300iu, Bel Canto may have made the most significant contribution to high-end audio since 1962, when J. Gordon Holt decided to start his own magazine.
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