The new 22A is $2495.00 MSRP as of this typing. The new Ref 150A is $2295.00 MSRP.
To my knowledge there is no manufacturer sponsored trade in program. I'm not sure if Dave has thought that far ahead. These pieces were to go in for pro photography to be put on the website very soon. I'll take some shots of the units this weekend. My cameras are not here today. I like the look of it moreso than the 21A. The front faceplate is very similar to the current statement line preamps.
I can't tell you yet how the 22A compares directly to the 21A as any comments would be solely based off memory and would be in the context of Carl's system versus my 2 channel system..... which are very different both in equipment and in room acoustics. When it gets more time on it, I'll swap the stock Sovtek 12AU7 for some NOS tubes and I may explore swapping the 6 caps in it to something else. The cap thing will be much further down the road. I'm sure we'll do a head to head with Carl's 21A at some point as soon as it breaks in...
Right now I've been listening with stock cord and Sovtek 12AU7s.... Soundstaging and imaging is amazing. Bass is perfect on the Harbeth Monitor 40.1s... Not the visceral grip, incredible foundation and bloom of the Monads. But rather it is ultra clean, very good pitch, and tight tight tight. I know it is going to get better with a better cord and some NOS tubes.... it isn't the Oracle/Butler Monad combination by any stretch of the imagination. but what it does, it does extremely well and in some ways better than that combination. I'm really enjoying it so far.... It doesn't tip over to the side of too neutral and lean like I've heard with a couple other Belles pieces. It's got a great balance right now that's infinitely listenable. If I could find more than a few minutes at a time to sit and really listen, I might be better able to put some stuff into words. In time, in time..... besides, it's still breaking in and i was warned about a long break in time with these pieces. So I'll give it a few hundred hours before I draw any definitive conclusions. But right now it's impressing me and surprising me as much as the YBA 2 delta amp did... and that's saying a lot....