Audio Research PH2 or Aesthetix Rhea?

I've never heard either but the Rhea is much more flexible when it comes to loading and has plenty of gain. It has a remote for changing settings also. I believe to change loading with the AR you have to solder in different resistors. It only has 48 Dbs of gain.

I've owned both and still have the Rhea. Very different sounding units. The Rhea feels more stereotypically "tubelike". Warmer and more liquid sounding. The ARC walks that classically ARC line between a tube sound and SS sound. You get a somewhat leaner sound which feels meaningfully more detailed and articulate. Depending on the rest of the system (mine features an LS-25 and VT 130 SE) one or the other is likely to be a pretty easy call. In my system, the ARC was a little too much of a (ARC flavored) good thing.

BTW - as noted, the Rhea is MUCH more flexible.

One more caveat: Many early production Rheas (like mine) had noise issues. Jim did a no-charge mod for me, but if you're buying used, look for a later example.

Good Luck

Marty

Thanks for your answers!

Best regards.

The PH-2 is a keeper, contingent upon replacement of mediocre stock MIT/Multicap PPMFX coupling caps. I have not heard Rhea, but subject to its limitation of 48db gain, a well-modded PH-2 is competitive with other top fully balanced units such as Atma MP-1 and BAT VK-10.

Rhea is not limited to 48dB gain!

I think Dgarretson meant the AR Steve.

Yes. I use ARC PH-2 for MM and MOMC only, and have never tried it with a SUT as would be necessary for LOMC.

In addition to the additional gain and loading flexibility, the Rhea has three inputs (individually configurable) and 2 main outs - SE out and BAL out. I use 2 tables and run the SE out into my Joule pre and the BAL out to my LS-25. Different amp/speakers follow each pre (effectively 2 systems with common sources in the same cabinet), and each system can detect either of the 2 'tables, switched via remote by the Rhea. For me, this is really useful. To my knowledge, there's really very little out there with as much flexibility as the Rhea.

OTOH, its sonic "flavor" will fit better in some systems and the ARC's will in others.

Marty