Gracing the cover of US audio magazine The Absolute Sound’s January issue are Californian electronics specialists Aesthetix’ new Pallene and Dione hybrid preamp and power amp duo. Reviewer Wayne Garcia takes a deep dive into this price / performance barrier-breaking pair, and lines up a conversation with designer Jim White.

The Pallene Preamplifier and Dione Power Amplifier are the latest additions to Jim White of Aesthetix’ Saturn series. Both models are hybrid designs, and both build upon “the challenges and breakthroughs” that created Aesthetix’ multi-award winning Mimas integrated amplifier.

First launched in 2019, Mimas is an amalgamation of Aesthetix’ Calypso pure tube linestage and Atlas hybrid power amplifier (tube input, solid-state output). “Developing this integrated amplifier presented numerous technical challenges, as we wanted the highest performance possible while including a headphone output, an optional phono module, and an optional DAC module,” explains White.

“One of the things that make us unique is our willingness to do things the hard way,” he adds, with a glint in his eye that suggests he wouldn’t have it any other way.

I can personally vouch for that, having spent time with Jim while visiting Aesthetix in California some years ago. To say that he’s a perfectionist or that he pays particular attention to detail would be an understatement. For example, while most high-end audio companies will tell you how carefully they select their components, few go as far manufacturing all of their own transformers in-house. This is a process “so completely different an undertaking from audio manufacturing that it’s like having a whole other company,” admits White. Not only does this give him total control of the process, it has also revolutionised his growth as an audio designer over the past 8 years. “My designs before and after making our transformers are night and day,” he notes.

Reviewer Wayne Garcia is also a multi-tasker: he is, among other things, a wine merchant, which makes for some extremely interesting comparisons in his review between the needs and language of an audiophile and those of an enophile. I’ll leave you to read the detail for yourself – it’s an excellent review (link below), high on pertinent detail and entertaining to boot – suffice to say here that the number one quality that Garcia especially prizes in both wine and hi-fi is transparency, and the Aesthetix duo lives up to his thirst for it.

And, on the subject of thirst, Garcia is also refreshed by a final word from Jim White who, despite his high-level engineering skills and his range of products that often tend to be in the ‘ultra high-end’ category, says, “Even though I enjoy designing equipment at the bleeding edge, I also derive great satisfaction out of creating products that break price/performance barriers.”

Which he does, since the Pallene preamplifier and Dione power ampliifer retail at US $6,500 and $7,500 respectively.

Read /download Wayne Garcia’s review in full online here

Find out more and track down your nearest UK dealer at www.aesthetix.net