I understand the desire to avoid paying a fortune on power cables as I have avoided the same. With the Aesthetix Callisto Sig and Io models, and with the other components in my system, power cord differences were minimal at best until I got a power conditioner. This alone was like upgrading every component in my front end as the PC opened up the sound with each piece subsequently added to it. Now that I have this, power cable differences are VERY evident.
With the help of two local audiophiles, we tried the Electraglide Epiphany and EpiphanyX, IsoClean, Kubala-Sosna Emotion and my NBS Stmt. The Electraglides where very detailed (maybe a wee bit too much) but there was an intermittent hum in my system with them. Don't know if this is an issue with the Aesthetix or the CAT amps. The NBS and IsoClean were not at all as open and resolving as the Electraglide. My favorite was the K-S Emotion into the Callisto.
And several weeks ago, Joe Kubala was here to load up my system with the K-S Emotion and this was phenomenol. Tonal coherency was excellent. And what these cables did for dynamics with the CAT amps was wonderful.
I have since tried Purist Dominus cables with the Callisto and Io. There is clearly more midrange texture and longer decays with the Dominus but the background is not as black as with the K-S Emotion. I find that I like a Dominus Rev C on the Callisto and a Rev B on the Io. The C is more tonally coherent with the B being a bit more lively.
Rather than consider these top K-S or Purist models, perhaps stepping down one level in each product line might be just what the Dr. ordered. With my recent listening comparisons of Purist Dominus vs. Venustas ICs, there is a definite "house sound" here with the Venustas being very good! I gotta believe this is true for their power cables as well.
And by the way, I was also using PS Audio xStreme Stmt and Plus power cables in some places and once I got the PC, as good a value as the PS Audio can be, there was no going back to them once I heard the K-S or Purist.
John
With the help of two local audiophiles, we tried the Electraglide Epiphany and EpiphanyX, IsoClean, Kubala-Sosna Emotion and my NBS Stmt. The Electraglides where very detailed (maybe a wee bit too much) but there was an intermittent hum in my system with them. Don't know if this is an issue with the Aesthetix or the CAT amps. The NBS and IsoClean were not at all as open and resolving as the Electraglide. My favorite was the K-S Emotion into the Callisto.
And several weeks ago, Joe Kubala was here to load up my system with the K-S Emotion and this was phenomenol. Tonal coherency was excellent. And what these cables did for dynamics with the CAT amps was wonderful.
I have since tried Purist Dominus cables with the Callisto and Io. There is clearly more midrange texture and longer decays with the Dominus but the background is not as black as with the K-S Emotion. I find that I like a Dominus Rev C on the Callisto and a Rev B on the Io. The C is more tonally coherent with the B being a bit more lively.
Rather than consider these top K-S or Purist models, perhaps stepping down one level in each product line might be just what the Dr. ordered. With my recent listening comparisons of Purist Dominus vs. Venustas ICs, there is a definite "house sound" here with the Venustas being very good! I gotta believe this is true for their power cables as well.
And by the way, I was also using PS Audio xStreme Stmt and Plus power cables in some places and once I got the PC, as good a value as the PS Audio can be, there was no going back to them once I heard the K-S or Purist.
John