Has anyone used the aesthetix calypso preamp?

Jadem6....any possibilities of getting your hands on a Rhea Phono stage to check out that combo?

RWD

Mine is *Supposed* to be here Monday...i won't hold my breath.

I used the Calypso with Pass X-600 mono's to drive the Talon Khorus MK II for about 5 months before I sent it back to the dealer. Traded up for a new Ayre K1-X and WOW--what a difference. In my system the Calypso was uninvolving and noisy. I found that I had better results plugging my Accuphase DP-77 CDP directly into the amps. There was a further improvement still when the Ayre arrived. I won't knock Aesthetix because I am sure if paired with the right electronics they are very attractive in their price class--they just didn't work for me.

Rwd, no I have no access to one. Write me if you want to discuss trying some tubes.
Msaines, My opinion with standard Sovtek tubes fits yours. Very noisy and uninvolving. With good tubes this pre-amp simply is silent, great depth and excellent detail in all frequencies. My Placette is as quite as any pre-amp and transparent and dynamic like no other. The Aesthetix matched it in this area but with better soundstage, more realistic definition of insturments. The Placette always was extremely natural to me, untill I found the Aesthetix with the Telefunken or Mullard tube, now it sounds electronic.

Jim White has said that he didn't know where the 50k figure came from but the preamp would easily drive much, much lower impedance than that listed. He siad not to worry with most any impedance.