Aesthetix Calypso or Joule Electra LA150

Bigtee,
Exactly how does it win out? What does the rest of your system comprise?

I think the easiest thing for me to say is it just sounds more natural to me. It seems to capture the essence of the music better. It's not one of those cut and dried things like this is better or that is worse. It is the overall performance. The Calypso just sounds more right to me. The JE actually had a tiny touch of hardness in comparison and just didn't exibit that total ease of reproduction.
My system consists of the Calypso, the Theta Dreadnaught I, a Wadia 861se with AQ balanced Cheetahs and biwire Kilimanjaro's. I use Vandersteen 3a Sigs (soon, very soon, to be replaced by the 5A's.)I was using a pair of 2Wq's but they have since been sold to make way for the upgrade.

Phil- did you ever listen to the phono stage?

Unfortunately no. I got out of the phono stuff back in the early 90's and never returned. I used a VPI HW MKIV with a Rega RB300 with Incognito wiring and a few other goodies as my last table. I quit to concentrate on CD, SACD and the like. However, I'm reconsidering the plunge now that it looks like SACD and/or DVD-A will become a niche at best. (Too bad the 24/96 CD's didn't catch on. They really do sound good also!)I would like to find a nice Linn table at some point and build from there.
I've read good things about the Janus (Calypso + phono or Rhea)but I know there are plenty of really excellent phono pre's out there now with some at good prices.

OK, thx.