2. amps-preamps
  3. 149395-120076

Aesthetix system – with or without a line stage?

Hello!

I have been slowly building a stereo and HT system in my living room. I don’t have much experience with high-end audio, I used to have a modest surround AV system but now I am really into the great sounding stereo sound.

So far my “new” system is the following: Aesthetix Atlas Eclipse Power Amp and Aesthetix Romulus Standard CD/DAC. I also have an Anthem D2V which I use as a pre-amp for now. I stream the music from my NAS with a Lumin U1 mini, and my speakers are Martin Logan Montis’s.

As the Romulus Standard is not DSD compatible and my Atlas is an Eclipse version, I have decided to upgrade my Romulus DAC to Eclipse as well.

The question is, at the time of the upgrade shall I add an optional volume control to the Romulus and connect it directly to the Atlas, or would it be much better adding a Calypso line stage to this system?

There is a significant price difference between these 2 options. My dealer recommends the Calypso whenever I can afford it, and until that just use the Lumin’s digital volume control without any pre-amp. Obviously I don’t want to spend $1500 on a volume control if that is not a good solution, but with my limited experience and knowledge it is hard to understand the benefit of the additional line stage, as I don’t plan to add anymore analogue sources to my system…


Thanks in advance for the recommendations!


kzs70
kzs70 OP
31 posts
 
Thanks for all advices!

Based on them, my budget and Aesthetix's recommendation I have placed on order for a Calypso Eclipse to mate with my Atlas Eclipse.

The new Calypso shall be ready in 8 weeks.

I am still not sure about the Romulus upgrade but I will ask about that in the “Digital” topic…

 

Thanks, Zsolt


sgunther
187 posts
 
Well Zsolt you should have had the Calypso Eclipse for a couple of months now; what do you think? 
kzs70 OP
31 posts
 
Well, thanks for asking but I have not received it yet. It is hard to believe but after more than 4 months waiting it is still not ready. It seems they have serious supply and resource issues. If I don't get it in November I will look around on the second-hand market, but that would be very disappointing...
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