Review: Bel Canto e.One C6i DAC Integrated Amplifier & e.One Stream2 Network Bridge

A stack of Bel Canto. But a stack that includes an integrated amplifier with a DAC inside and a streamer that has a DAC inside? What gives?

What gives is choice. Seeing as the Bel Canto e.One C6i DAC Integrated Amplifier includes a number of digital inputs (2x Toslink, Coax, and USB) and a DAC inside, you can run with a computer or outboard streamer, add speakers and hit Play. Or, you could use the Bel Canto e.One Stream2 with any outboard DAC, or, since it has its own DAC inside, let it handle D/A conversion and connect its analog outputs to your amplification device(s) of choice.

For this review, I’m mainly going to talk about the two together, using the e.One Stream2 as DAC, sending an analog signal to the e.One C6i Integrated Amplifier. A stack of Bel Canto.

The Roon Ready e.One Stream2 Network Bridge is a streamer, digital preamp, and DAC all-in-one that supports PCM resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz (higher PCM resolutions and DSD are converted to 24-bit/192kHz and 24-bit/176.4kHz PCM respectively). Digital outputs include AES, Toslink, and Coax S/PDIF, while the USB Type-A input is for attaching FAT32 formatted USB storage. The e.One Stream2 is also an MQA Renderer, sending out a fully decoded MQA file through the analog outputs. In addition to using Roon to control playback, which is what I did for the duration of this review, you can opt to run with Bel Canto’s free SEEK app for iOS which supports Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, VTuner, playback from network attached storage (NAS), and more.

The e.One C6i DAC Integrated Amplifier uses custom Hypex NCore-based amplification to deliver 125 Watts of output power in a box that’s not much larger than a big book weighing a very friendly 13 lbs. The feature-rich C6i also houses a headphone amp and an internal DAC that can process resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz and DSD128 through its USB input. There’s also a MM Phono input in addition to the single line level RCA input. A volume-controlled line level out allows for adding a second amp or a powered subwoofer.

The front multi-function knob provides menu navigation (for Balance control and to set Max Volume Level), input selection, and volume control, and there’s an included 36-button infrared remote that controls everything from as far as 30 feet away.

As you can see, Bel Canto’s e.One line of components, that also includes the DAC2.8, Pre5, PHONO, CD3t CD Player, and two amplifiers (REF600M monoblocks and REF501S stereo), come in matching chassis finished with a silver or black aluminum faceplate. I am a fan of the e.One’s size and minimal looks, and the volume control wheel on the C6i is a joy to rotate. Overall, they offer a handsome understated appearance.

I paired the Bel Canto pair with a number of speakers including the overachieving Q Acoustics Concept 50 (review), the GoldenEar Triton One.R Tower Speakers (more info), the DeVore Fidelity O/96, and the Credo EV 1202 Ref. Loudspeakers (more info).

Let’s get the digital side sorted up front. I tried a few combinations of digital options including using the e.One Stream2’s Toslink output to feed the e.One C6i, the e.One Stream2’s analog outputs to the e.One C6i, and the review sample EMM Labs NS1 Streamer’s Toslink out to the e.One C6i’s Toslink in. My performance preferences aligned with that order, as I liked the EMM Labs/C6i combination the best, and the C6i’s internal DAC the least, with the e.One Stream’s internal DAC sitting happily in the middle. From a system-building perspective, I preferred the Bel Canto stack as the EMM Labs NS1 puts too much of the budget in the wrong place, imo, even though it is a heck of a network player/streamer in its own right (review forthcoming).

All to say that the following listening impressions are based on using the e.One Stream2 as a streamer and DAC, and the C6i as phono preamp, preamp, and amplifier.

Laurel Halo’s film score for Possessed is, like all of her music, ethereal and captivating, with acoustic and electronic elements dancing happily in sync. There’s gobs of atmosphere here and the Bel Canto stack paired with the Q Acoustics Concept 50 did an astounding job of delivering a big, broad, and airy version exploding well beyond the confines of the speakers. The Bel Canto stack offered a wonderful sense of tone and texture as well, with every creak, blurt, pulse and piano strike sounding fully formed and physically present.

This system, Bel Canto/Q Acoustics, gelled as if they were designed for each other offering a completely engaging musical experience. As I said in my review of the Concept 50, these $2999 speakers offer a price to performance ratio that is shockingly smile-worthy, and the Bel Canto stack brought out their best. If you’re looking for a relatively small, unobtrusive system that delivers a hefty helping of music’s sonic wonders, I recommend this pairing without reservation.

The Plains is Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) & Jess Williamson and their debut album I Walked With You A Ways is filled with songs and sounds that hearken back to simpler times, with achingly lovely harmonies throughout and pure country backing. The Bel Canto stack delivered all of these simple goods mated to the Concept 50, with Crutchfield and Williamson out front carving a beautiful sound image in the Barn. The backing band is packed fairly tightly together in space and sound on this recording but the Bel Canto/Q Acoustics system kept all of the voices, tones, and textures clearly distinct, ripe for exploration. I’m sure you’ve read that ‘Class-D amplifiers’ can sound a bit threadbare and lean, but a few minutes listening to this combo dispels any such simplified notions.

Exister from Luis Vasquez’ The Soft Moon sits in the industrial camp, with that spare, vast, and at times abrasive sound that are its hallmarks. Big chunky beats, driving throbs of bass thunder, heart-pounding drums, mix and mingle with electronic noise and Vasquez’ crooning vocals for a wrenching ride through darker territory. I paired this music with the Bel Canto stack driving the GoldenEar Tritons because these self-powered sub towers deliver a lot of punch.

The GoldenEar are also capable of throwing out a vast and very physical sound image and the Bel Canto stack drove them to dizzying powerful heights. With Exister, the Barn was filled with super-sized energy and more volume and force than I could comfortably bear. Think beautifully controlled boom coupled with a very nice sense of nuance and scale. Big drama!

Switching to records, Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher from 2020 remains a favorite for its clever yet touching lyrics, Bridgers’ assured yet sweet vocals, and accompaniment that is adventurous without distracting from the song form. Nice. At present, I only have the overachieving Nagaoka MP-110 MM Cartridge which I mounted on the Michell Gyro SE’s TechnoArm 2 arm, but even this budget cartridge dug out a nice amount of Punisher’s heart and soul. The Bel Canto C6i’s included phono stage mated well with the Nagaoka, but this setup did not offer the last word in weight, tone, and texture which I’d largely attribute to the Nagaoka. Budget gear like the Nagaoka can do a lot of things right, but expecting everything is a tall order.

All things considered on the analog front, I could easily live with the C6i’s included phono stage and would just be on the lookout for more robust-sounding cartridge (more on that in the not so distant future). To my mind, when buying a fuller-function integrated amp, potential buyers should expect some tradeoff in performance over separates, which is one reason why Bel Canto offers a complete line of components in the e.One range, for people willing to pay more for more boxes. All to say of course you can get better vinyl replay performance by adding an outboard phono preamp but I’m not a fan of paying for features I don’t intend to use.

What I do enjoy is surprises and the Bel Canto stack had their fair share to offer. Namely, I was not expecting such a meaty and timbrally rich sound from them but even I can fall prey to assumptions based on nothing more than rumor. I like to remind myself, and readers, that Bel Canto was founded in 1991 by John Stronczer and the company’s first product was a (handsome) single-ended amplifier built around the 845 power triode. I mention this because it helps dispel silly notions of camps, or even worse tribes, in hi-fi. The beauty of a hobby dedicated to the enjoyment of music is there’s no room or need for divisiveness and I prefer the open arms approach as opposed to close-minded dogma any day of the week. So if you think all amplifiers employing a particular topology sound the same, you haven’t been listening.

When paired with the DeVore O/96, the Bel Canto stack proved to be up to the task of coaxing a healthy helping of these speakers’ rich voice out and into the Barn. I’ve been addicted to Boy Harsher’s Careful from 2019 of late and playing this record, I deemed it vinyl-worthy, well into the darker hours proved to be rich, rewarding, and kinda creepy. Careful’s skeletal sound, goth-ish Joy Division-like sparseness, sounded perfectly big and punchy through the DeVores with Bel Canto in charge. While I’ve heard the O/96 sound bigger and richer, I was not left wanting sitting in the dark with Boy Harsher providing the soundtrack for thought-travel beyond the concerns of the day. This music needs real control and punchy dynamics which is something the Bel Canto stack delivered with every speaker I paired it with. Nice.

Just for fun, I substituted the more costly review Prima Luna EVO 300 Hybrid Tube Integrated Amplifier (more info) for the C6i to see how well the e.One Stream2 plays with others. Cuing up the digital version of Careful answered that question—swimmingly! The Prima Luna is lush, rich, and powerful and this system—Bel Canto e.One Stream/Prima Luna EVO 300 /DeVore O/96—delivered even more impactful yet delicate and detailed sound. Sometimes more is more. As a streaming DAC, the Bel Canto e.One Stream2 tells a very convincing story, and in this system it offered a smooth, punchy and rich sound. For its asking price of $1995, I think it represents great value and great performance through its analog outputs. If you’re on the hunt for a streaming DAC, I recommend adding the e.One Stream2 to your short list.

Back to Bel Canto, the last speaker pairing saw the stack driving the review Credo EV 1202 Ref. Loudspeakers that employ a MTM array, with a pair of 5.5″ sliced paper cone mid-woofers over and under a 1″ coated textile done tweeter. Credo claims full-range performance with a frequency response from 32Hz – 20kHz from these slim towers.

Danish composer Sofie Birch’s Holotropica is a subtle slowly shifting work, more of a mood piece than a collection of songs. Categorized as ambient, a genre tag that is not among my favorites, I find this largely synth-based music that’s dappled with saxophone, harp, flute, birdsong and more to be delicate and deeply moving. Here, with the Credo EV 1202s, the Bel Canto stack proved, once again, to be up the task of delivering all of the atmosphere, air, and delight to be found in Holotropica, while embracing every bit of subtlety and nuance. Each of the distinct voices are there for the taking in a sound image as vast as a rain forest. The Barn felt like it was dripping in atmosphere.

I am a fan of buying into a company by way of a stack. Who better to help build a system than the people responsible for designing products that are meant to work together, or so my thinking goes. The Bel Canto e.One C6i Integrated Amplifier and e.One Stream2 Network Bridge worked as a perfectly seamless team with every speaker I paired them with, consistently offering up a rich and rewarding musical experience that went well beyond questions of topology and parts. If you’re intrigued by the idea of a one stop shop for a streaming digital source, phono stage, and amplification I recommend adding Bel Canto to your to-do list.


Bel Canto C6i DAC Integrated Amplifier
Price: $3195

Specifications

Amplifier Section:

Power Output 1% THD: 125W per channel
Minimum Load: 2 ohms per channel
Peak Output Current: 12.5 amperes
Frequency Response: +/-3 dB 1.5Hz-90KHz
THD+N: 0.003% 1W, 1KHz, 4 ohms
IMD (CCIF): 0.0003%, 1W, 14:15KHz, 4 ohms
Output Noise: <30uVRMS A-weighted 10Hz-20KHz
Damping factor: >400
Output Impedance at 100Hz: <20 milliohms
Dynamic Range: 120dB

Digital Inputs:

Maximum Data Input Rate
24bit Data at 192KS/s: SPDIF RCA x2, TOSLINK x2, USB

Analog Inputs:

Line in impedance: 47 Kohms, 2Vrms max
Phono in impedance: 47 Kohms//150pF
Phono accuracy: +/-0.25dB, 50Hz-15kHz

General:

Output connections: 2-sets of WBT NextGen Binding Posts, RCA Line Out, Headphone Output
Headphone Output Current and Voltage Level: 100mA peak
Line Out Impedance: 500 ohms
Power On usage: 14W
Power Off usage: 0.0W
Internally Set Operating Voltages: 100-120VAC or 230-240VAC 50/60 Hz
Size: 8.5 x 3.5 x 12?, 216 x 88 x 305mm (W x H x D)
Weight: 13lbs, 6.5Kg

Bel Canto e.One Stream2 Network Bridge
Price: $1995

Specifications

Maximum Digital output to 24/192 AES, SPDIF, TOSLINK
General
Power Usage On: 15W Max
Power Usage Off: 0W
Internally Set Operating Voltages: 120VAC/60Hz or 240VAC/50Hz
Dimensions: 8.5” W x 12.5” D x 3.5” H (216mm x 318mm x 88mm)
Weight: 15lbs (7kg)

Company Website: Bel Canto