Calypso Amplifier Matching - Krell?

I spoke with Musical Surroundings, the sales organization for Aesthetix and they confirmed with me that the Calypso has coupling capacitors at the output which protect against DC from going to your solid state amps. If you have a Krell, this means you do not need to activate the coupling capacitors within your krell amp to run the Aesthetix Calypso (and from what I understand, their other preamps as well).

Also, I spoke with Steve at MS (above) who runs his Aesthetix with a Krell FPB amp and he has reported excellent results and a great deal of satisfaction.

Hi,

Sorry I only just came across your thread.

I normally use a Krell KRC HR with my FPB300c power amp in my system but a friend who has a Calypso lent this to me while he is on vacation and I used it with no problems at all with my FPB. The sound was excellent, warmer than the KRC with a richer mid bass balance though it can be argued that the Calypso does not have that last nth degree of crystalline clarity & resolution. On the other hand, the Calypso allows more midrange detail to come through than the KRC, especially on brighter recordings. The sound stage is less wide than with the KRC though this may be due to the fact that my friend's Calypso is using standard tubes.

Overall, I have to say I am tempted to get one though I am at present undecided yet.

And it is true the Capypso is capacitor coupled which will prevent any DC offset at its output.

Hope this helps.

Solntgreen, Thanks for your comments. I am a bit surprised that the sound stage was not as wide with the Calypso. I have read very positive comments on the sound staging ability of the Calypso.

I figured I would give up some "crystaline clafity" due to the tubes. I look forward to getting it this week and hooking it up next weekend.

I also read that the sound stage performance of the Calypso is excellent, though there were also comments in Calypso tube rolling threads that this only comes through with better tubes.

Havig said that, the KRC HR is no slouch on sound staging and in my system, its ability to better my friend's Calypso is clear. The time I had with the Calypso in my system also showed that the KRC has excellent soundstage depth, matching, possibly also bettering my friend's standard tubed Calypso in this area. This was interesting as depth was the only negative point mentioned against the KRC HR in Stereophile's review a few years ago.

But apart from sound staging, it has to be said that the Calypso's midrange and mid bass sound, and its warmer balance, especially with brighter recordings, is very appealing and I am still very tempted. Before deciding on this, I will try to arrange to hear a Calypso with better tubes.

Yes, I figured I would have to do some tube rolling with this unit to maximize performance. I typically like to run a new tubed unit at least a month before commencing with tube rolling to break in the unit and also familiarize myself with the standard tubes. I will do more work on learning of what tubes others are recommending and get some on order. I already have a decent stock of NOS 6922 family of tubes that I liked in my previous Kora Hermes DAC. My system is highly resolving, so typically I can get a pretty good feel for tube changes rather quickly.