Aesthetix Calypso Signature vs. ARC REF 3

Swanny... I may be biased as a long time Calypso owner, but, I've owned a lot of gear over the last decade, and I've found the Calypso to have exceptional build quality. It's a rock solid piece, and with the right tubes, it sounds great.

I second Pdreher's response,

I agree w/Swanny76109..Didnt like the build quality..and its too cameleon like changing its sound from tube to tube..I prefer a pre that doesnt wave in the wind with different tubes

Take a look at the build quality of a Pass XP10 which is my current preamp. It is solid state, I admit. But there is no comparison to Aesthetix--Pass is light years beyond and is a company that has been around for a long time. The OP is looking for "the last preamp I buy" and I would not put the Aesthetix in that class based on my experience with it--hence my cautionary note. Not to dismiss the many positive reviews and fans out there who enjoy the Calypso and its sound quality. But like the OP I was looking for my last preamp ever (maybe!) and I think the Pass is it. To each his/her own, as always, and caveat emptor.

I do wonder what it is about the Aesthetix preamp that makes it so prone to comments like, "with the right tubes...." This label seems to have stuck in a way that you don't hear about other tube preamps (certainly not to the same extent), even if you are a tuberoller. If true, it would be one reason for me not to choose it, especially for a lifetime pre, where those NOS beasties will be getting scarcer and scarcer. If a preamp can't sound goos with current production it would be off my list - even if I do use NOS.