How quite is the Aesthetix Calypso Vs Bat VK3i


Hi all,

Hope someone can provide some insights into how the Aesthetix unit compare with Bat. I have had the Bat close to 7 years and have paired it with a Plinius SA100MkIII. This combination worked so well that I have not found a combination that is significantly better.

The only reason I am looking at the Aesthetix is that it has two balanced outputs which could be used to biamp two Plinius amps in the future. Otherwise I am not really borthered by the performance of my Bat.

One thing I have noticed is that there are a lot of comments about how noisy this preamp is. I unfortunately can't audition the unit as I am buying used. The other thing that bothered me is that you can't actually contact the company or their distributor unless you go through a dealer. Where as I have been used to getting communication from Bat.

The dealer I contacted told me that if I believe whats on the net then I should not buy the unit. What's your experience with Aesthetix customer service?

I finally got the number of the distributor and will give him a call discuss. But just wanted to get some input from owners Stateside before I jump on this deal knowing that there is no warranty.

Thanks
jazzao1
Jazzao1, Check out Techtalk forums. Find the thread "How to bi-amp preamp with 1 pair of XLR's" (Date 08-22-09), there are five web site address there that sells XLR splitters. Hope this help.
Agree verbatim with Dopogue's comments. My Calypso is superior to my previous preamps (BAT VK30 & Joule LA-150 MKII). However, good NOS tubes are required to make the Calypso sing... think Amperex white label 6922's & Mullard CV-4004 in the 12AX7 slots. I also use a Plinius amp (SA-102).
Pdreher, was the Calypso superior to the Bat even with stock tubes. I am already stretching my budget with the purchase and don't want to have to invest hundreds on NOS tubes to make it sound good in my system. Thanks
I think you'd be wasting your money if you plan to use the Calypso with stock tubes. Suggest you look at alternatives / older preamps from Audio Research & Conrad Johnson, or the Joule preamps. I'm just not a fan of BAT gear, although my experiences have been with mostly their entry level models.