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Preamp for Aesthetix / Atma-sphere

Hi

I have the Aesthetix Io Eclipse with volume and dual power supplies, Atma-sphere MA-1 monoblocs (140 watts) and Audiokinesis Dream Maker (93 db sensitive) speakers. These are great components. My question is about system synergy, how to make them play together.

I have been running the Io direct to my amps since I first bought the Mk2 version back in 2004. At the time, I had a Krell FPB600, and in that context, it was a blessing, and a great step up from the Krell KAV 250p preamp. I'll never forget my first impression with the Io - it was like going from the wooded hills up into the mountains. There was no going back.

With volume, the Io functions as a preamp. It looks like a preamp. Someone here on A-gon said going direct is best - which I interpreted as: it IS a preamp! So I thought, OK I have a combined phono and preamp - problem fixed. But it wasn't.

From recent testing I have finally become convinced that the Io does benefit from a separarate preamp. Even if clarity and detail is better going direct from the Io to the amps, the punch and "here-ness" of the music is clearly better with a preamp in the chain, at least in my system.

Trouble is, which preamp? I am testing a small solid state Musical Innovation preamp, which helps with the punch but veils the music. An optimal solution might be the Aesthetix Callisto, preferably with dual power - but I don't have the space, and I already have a lot of tubes and tube heat. I have space for one or possibly two boxes.

From what I have heard so far, a solid state might do the job well (in my tube-rich context), however it should not impart any s-state artifacts or reduce the resolution from the Io Eclipse.

The ideal would be to test a few tube and s-state preamps, and then decide. However, this is difficult where I live, so advice is welcome.

My question relates to my own setup of course, but is relevant for everyone with a top phono stage on the one hand and amps on the other. What is best in the middle?

From recent testing I have learned that problems that I thought were related to the speakers, the phono pre, the pickup and so on, were in fact related to the preamp issue. For example, the Dream Makers straight from the Io may sound a bit lazy and washed out in the bass, very clear in mid and treble but not fully embodied. Plugging in the solid state pre, the situation becomes dramatically different, now the speakers are driving, propulsive. Very enjoyable, but some detail is lost and some transistor things added that I don't want.

So I am looking for a solution with most of the plusses, and not much of the minuses. The preamp must be fully balanced with XLR in / out.
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albertporter's avatar
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albertporter
4,949 posts
 
I have not heard the Atma-Sphere MP-1 in my own system in many years.

My suggestion for the Aesthetix was based on what O_holter had already chosen. Safe bet that Aesthetix preamp and phono are a great match up, I know from ten years in my own system.

As Charles1dad and I both pointed out, it's about the tubes. Aesthetix and Atma-Sphere fill that order but the only way to be absolutely sure is to own both. That's difficult at best and why I suggested used Aesthetix (or Atma-Sphere) here at Audiogon.

Purchase at a fair price and take care, you can live and listen long term and see if the magic is there. If it fails you can put it back up here and get most or all your money back.
thekong
203 posts
 
I am also using the IO and Callisto Eclipse, both with dual power supply, and it is a magical combination!

As Albert has mentioned, adding the Callisto to the IO do improve on the dynamics considerably. Even with my previous Callisto Sig with 1 power supply, this improvement could be heard very easily.

To me, with stock tubes, I found the combo slightly too warm to my liking, so I have just started tube rolling on the units. My first step was to put a pair a Telefunken CCa in the V1 position of the Callisto, resulted in tighter imaging, better separation, more air and a slight reduction on the warm, exactly what I was looking for.

Then, I put another pair of Telefunken CCa in the V7 position of the IO and get similar, but much more subtle, result. My next step will be working on those 12AX7s.

Usually, I am not an advocate of NOS tubes, but in this situation, it works!
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o_holter OP
977 posts
 
I have ended up with a used Einstein The Tube mk2 preamp, since I could get it for a good price (in Europe). It may not be ideal (compared to Callisto or Mp-1) but is what I could afford right now. The Io/The Tube combo sounds very good, clear, quite 'muscular', and even if I perhaps don't get 100 percent from the Io, it beats every other combination I have tried (including Io direct to the amps). Perhaps I get the chance to try a Callisto later. (I have the heat allready, the Einstein contributes by running hot.) I agree with the NOS comments. Selected Telefunken ax7s work very well in the gain stages of the Io, notably better than the stock tubes, and I plan to get some (2 6922s and 1 au7) for the Einstein also.
vicdamone
850 posts
 
I had a similar experience as Thekong with the Callisto with different tube mono blocks. Of course its all synergy and taste.

I found a Purity preamplifier to be more to my taste. In your case a conversation with the manufacture regarding compatibility would seem like a must.

http://www.purityaudiodesign.com/contact.htm
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,849 posts
 
The reason we created the MP-1 is that we needed a preamp that used the same direct-coupled technology at its output that our amplifiers use (and were looking for the same transparency thus granted by that approach). This makes it very different from most tube preamps.
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