Aesthetix Mimas vs. Calypso + Atlas?

I have gone from the Calypso/Atlas to the Mimas with a pit stop in between. I owned the Calypso/Atlas for many years driving a pair of Vandersteen cloth Quatro’s. It was a great combination and I lost all system envy for those 5 years. My Aesthetix pieces were the standard versions.

I had to sell the system when I moved to Italy and when I came back I moved into a loft and no longer had a dedicated listening room. I bought a different system with an Ayre Integrated and Harbeth SHL5+ speakers. Harbeth’s play better at low volumes than any other speaker I have heard and that was important to me. I lived happily with that system for a few years.

Last year I heard the Mimas paired with Vandersteen Treo CT’s and decided to make the change. The Mimas seems to have a more musical character than what I remember of the separates though not by much. My dealer thinks that the simpler circuit and the use of only 1 tube per channel may be the reason. Aesthetix now makes a preamp, the Pallene, that uses the same circuit and he likes it better than the Calypso. AGON member tomstruck uses this combination with his Quatro’s.

With all of that said I would keep the Calypso if I were you. I have not heard it with the Belles amp but every Belles amp I have heard sounds great. I heard the Belles Virtuoso with the new Vandersteen Kento’s and it was amazing. I have heard the Vandersteen 7’s with an Eclipse Atlas and the new Aesthetix Metis preamp and I think it sounds better than any of the amps I have heard with the 7’s including Richards wonderful monoblocks. Just my opinion of course.

I agree with Tomic on trying to get the CT version of the Quatro’s if you have the opportunity. The CT tweeter is a major upgrade and finally allows the Vandies to sound good at low volumes.

You can also have the Calypso upgraded to Eclipse levels. You might want to contact JohnnyR (audioconnection) if you are looking for a used Atlas as I believe he may have one. He’s also a Belles dealer and I am sure he can give you some good advice.

Good Luck!

I am thinking about making the move from Atlas/Calypso to Mimas also. Any input will be appreciated. At the moment I am using Usher 8571 speakers with the Atlas/Calypso

Thanks