Aesthetix Callisto signature or ARC Ref3

I suspect the Kondo will be hard to beat.

But the price for kondo is $60.000(M100 MKII) and M77 $40.000, against $10.000 for the ref 3,also I ask: may I improve the sound of REf3 with betters caps?

You may replace the 6550 tube in the PS with NOS TungSol Black Plate 6550 from the mid 50s (or second tooling Gray Plate from the 60s), and 6H30 tubes with some NOS types from early 80s.

I'm awaiting NOS TungSol Black Plate 6550 tube myself as we speak, so I will let you guys know.

I had a reamp party over at my place a while back that included these two pre's..... Email me if you want the details.

Chris

I too would like to know if anyone has compared the Callisto Signature to the Audio Note Kondo M77, Tron Syren, or Harmonix Reimyo CAT-777.
The Callisto is the best linestage I've heard but I haven't heard these others.

Regarding the Audio Note, whether there is a difference or not (I'm sure they sound different); I can't possibly imagine any possible difference that could be worth the difference in price; unless you have basically unlimited assets (the money just does not matter) and you happen to prefer the sound of the Audio Note; which is not a given. I also wonder, does anyone (not a dealer, a member of the press, or someone who works at AN) actually have one of these Audio Note preamps in their home system?

I agree that the M77 is ridiculously priced. Assuming you could pick one up used at half-price, however, that would be around $21k for a phonostage and linestage.

I think the Aesthetix Io phono and Callisto line with dual power supplies would be around $26k brand new.

The new Aesthetix Eclipse would set you back even more.

I'm not sure what the current ARC combo goes for.

The final Audio Perfectionist Journal reviewed both these preamps, and (in?)directly compared them.
I don't have my issue around, but I think I remember the reviewer felt the Callisto produced more of holographic space, and perhaps a more natural presentation... I think the ARC was also reviewed highly, and had slightly more of its own "character"... you might want to check that issue for their viewpoint...

Will

Which SS are you considering? Their seems ot be a lot of ARC/PASS combo out there.