The November issue of US audiophile magazine The Absolute Sound features the review team’s annual Buyer’s Guide, which somehow wouldn’t seem complete without an abundance of entries for Californian valve / tube experts Aesthetix.
Aesthetix’ Mimas dual-mono, hybrid integrated amplifier “could be just another high-performance entrant in the uber-integrated sweeps. However [it] is something much more than that,” writes the magazine. The Mimas “is, in a way, an old musical soul. Hip and striking with its clean, precision machining and uncluttered design… [it] embodies many of the classic sonic virtues from the golden era of tubes, but with the ease, control and extension that are the hallmarks of today’s finest solid state.” In essence, this is “the very definition of what we all seek from an integrated amplifier.”
Two Aesthetix preamplifiers are singled out: the all-valve Calypso and the Janus, which combines the Calypso with a scaled-down Rhea phonostage (see below) in a single chassis. The two “share numerous qualities: speed and detail; highs without a glint of shrillness; a low noise floor; dynamics that are almost reference-caliber; precise rhythms and a laid-back perspective,” all of which “add up to long hours of glorious, fatigue-free listening.”
The above-mentioned Rhea is also highlighted in its own right. It’s “a versatile phonostage” that delivers “transient quickness, effortlessness on crescendos and a deep, layered soundstage”. In terms of investing in the unseen parts that lie ‘under the hood’, this is a product that “vividly demonstrates the value of component quality”.
The Atlas power amplifier is available as either a stereo amp or a monoblock, and both versions are highlighted in The Buyers’ Guide. The stereo edition was “Aesthetix’ first foray into power amps” and is “an unqualified success”. It “creates a cloud of air around each instrument and a deep, convincing sense of space. Indeed, its resolution, timing and imaging are beyond reproach.” The monoblock edition “is a powerhouse, easily getting the best performance from [even inefficient loudspeakers] without strain or compression.” It “does not impose any particular sonic signature upon the music” and “reveals air, space and detail lost on lesser gear.”
Moving on from amps, the all-tube / valve Romulus CD player and DAC “is one of the great bargains of high-end audio. What makes the Romulus special is that it sounds so non-digital”. Instead, it couples “expansiveness with an unusual (for digital) sense of top-octave air and openness”, while “the tonal balance is rich and warm in the bass”. What’s more, the design and build quality “are beyond what’s expected at this price.”
Find out more about Aesthetix’ multi-award winning range and locate your nearest dealer at www.aesthetix.net
The Absolute Sound’s Buyer’s Guide 2024 is out now, in the November issue of the magazine.
David Denyer PR | The hi-fi specialist 