Aesthetix Metis Linestage

Reinhard

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Mar 24, 2012
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Anyone heard this preamp and or is able to talk about technicle Details.

What are those ACM modules?

Regards,
Reinhard
 

jfrech

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Ron Resnick

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As of July of this year I believe that Jim was still working on the design. He seemed pretty excited about it!
 

DetroitVinylRob

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I’m currently looking into the Metis as it would pair with my Rhea Signature that’s about to become an Eclipse. Really need the range in volume control as well.
 
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DetroitVinylRob

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I’ve got one coming! A Metis on the way.
 
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DetroitVinylRob

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Just got this, “like new” Metis in the front door, out of the box, on the Yamamoto rack, warming up, and all connected. Oh my, this thing is a 47lb solid beast. This should be fun! As you can see the black monolith between the 12AX7 and the 6DJ8 is the floating “invisible“ power supply. And no output capacitors. The previous owner left a beautiful full set of “dead quiet” Telefunken smooth plates with it. A kind gentleman for sure. In advance, thank you Glenn at Aesthetix for throwing a wrench in my idea to refurb an old Callisto three box. Looks gorgeous. We’ll find out if I made the right choice…
 

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Kcin

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Wow!!

you have to report back on this with the Io, congratulations !
 

DetroitVinylRob

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Wow!!

you have to report back on this with the Io, congratulations !
So far it is as good (if not better) as anything I have (ever) heard. No regrets. Dead quiet operation and background, very dynamic, endless soundstage, and seemingly limitless layers of detail. The utter space between each performer is so vividly apparent. As a point of reference; I sat in front of a Callisto three box and Io three box (not sure what rev) set up for years, both loaded up with Andy of VTS best valves, but it has been quite a while, so audio memory can’t be completely trusted. I can say the Metis has all the characteristics someone familiar with Aesthetix gear would expect. The chassis control knobs take a bit to get the logic, yet are an eloquent approach. The remote is very straightforward and has nice weight. Can’t wait to get my Rhea Signature Eclipsed!
 
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Kcin

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Very nice….. did you pick this up in the secondary market?
They are rare in the wild.
 

DetroitVinylRob

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Very nice….. did you pick this up in the secondary market?
They are rare in the wild
Yes, ever so slightly used. Question if it is fully broke in.
 
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DetroitVinylRob

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When the sound is spot on, here is what happens to my side…
 

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Backpacker

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I am picking up mine this Saturday at Audio Connection. It will replace a Calypso Eclipse and I will have both preamps for some time so I can compare.

As another data point for you:
Audiogon Discussion Forum
I heard Jim's system a couple of years ago as I bought my Romulus Eclipse from him. He did not have the Metis in the circuit when I was there, my exposure to the Metis is from hearing it at Audio Connection. His system was Vandersteen 7s (now Vandersteen System 9) in a big loft-ish space and quite high resolution.
 

Backpacker

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Jul 12, 2020
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This thing takes forever (minutes) to come out of standby. It is worth the wait (more on that later). I think it very slowly raises the power supply as part of the process.

The owners manual says you must not use after market footers. I am guessing its because they want everything to rest flat when in standby. Here is a photo of the bottom.
@DetroitVinylRob - I think that black box between the tubes is the coupling module. Basically a potted circuit that is doing whatever magic is necessary to avoid the capacitors. You can see the Calypso Eclipse has many more caps.
 

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DetroitVinylRob

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Dec 29, 2016
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This thing takes forever (minutes) to come out of standby. It is worth the wait (more on that later). I think it very slowly raises the power supply as part of the process.

The owners manual says you must not use after market footers. I am guessing its because they want everything to rest flat when in standby. Here is a photo of the bottom.
@DetroitVinylRob - I think that black box between the tubes is the coupling module. Basically a potted circuit that is doing whatever magic is necessary to avoid the capacitors. You can see the Calypso Eclipse has many more caps.
I stand corrected about the coupling modules vs power supply.

The reason for the instruction of NO aftermarket footers is because one of the key performance components of the Metis is, as they say:
“ "INVISIBLE" SEPARATE POWER SUPPLY (ISPS)
The Metis chassis is designed around a suspended inner core that, when set on a flat surface, physically decouples from the main chassis. The power supply is housed in this inner core creating an "invisible" separate power supply chassis. When sitting on a rack, there is no physical connection between the power supply assembly and the main chassis, save for the connecting wires. This innovative design means Metis enjoys the sonic benefits of a separate power supply without the disadvantages of an additional chassis including extra cost, space and heat.”
 

Backpacker

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Jul 12, 2020
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For the last couple of months I have been able to compare the Calypso Eclipse to the Metis in the same system. All listening was digital due the unfortunate demise of my record collection in a flood a few years back.

The Calypso, in its Eclipse edition, is a great preamp. I could live with it indefinitely. Even after hearing the Metis. The Metis is definitely better, sometimes startlingly so, but the Calypso sounds great. Neither preamp is “mean” to bad recordings; the Metis just gets you more. As it should for the price…

While the Metis has a trick power supply that decouples it from the preamp chassis, there are other preamps with separate power supplies. The decoupled power supply is a nice trick which I appreciate because I don’t have the rack space for another component. The coupling module seems to be unique and it eliminates the distortions inherent in capacitors. I used to own a CAT and I am pretty sure they make their own capacitors. Aesthetix uses different capacitors in the standard, signature and eclipse versions, which also underscores the sound of capacitors. So elimination of caps from the signal path via the coupling module is intriguing from a technical point of view.

As is typical for anyone after an upgrade, I spent a lot of time going through old favorites. One of the Metis coupling modules failed with infant mortality so I had a good chunk of Calypso time after hearing the Metis. Jim was able to help me isolate the problem and they shipped a new module. For what it’s worth, that is the first electronics failure I have had with my Aesthetix gear and infant mortality is a thing (its why manufacturers burn in new gear prior to shipping). I also have the Romulus Eclipse DAC and the Atlas Eclipse amplifier. My Atlas and Calypso were upgraded from Signature to Eclipse.

Overall, this is what I noticed with the Metis:
  • Used a wider range of gain (both softer and louder)
  • Periodically startled by things sounding real.
  • Instruments and musical lines are more separated, distinct and natural sounding.
  • Massed voices sound more realistic.
  • New things in old favorite tracks. When I go back to the Calypso I can hear them, but the clarity of the Metis had me noticing them for the first time.
  • Some favorites sound much better, either by sounding more realistic or having better attack/tone/decay. My wife called the Metis “warmer” which is her highest compliment.
  • Tighter bass. I think the Metis is more accurate, but sometimes the fatter Calypso was initially more satisfying
  • Longer listening sessions
And some impressions on recordings….

Fooled me real….

Pie Jesu off John Rutter Requiem. I was shocked when the full choir came in. It sounded slightly less real at this point with the Calypso. Not so with the Metis….

“Maria Wiegenlied” off Cantate Domino

“La Sainte Ligue” off Venezia Millenaria (Jordi Savalli). Wow. Just wow.

More open and distinct ….

Sophie Hunger “Le Vent Nous Portera” – More of a sense of distinct instruments during the loud parts. No strain. Great reference recording IMO since it covers the range from solo vocalist to a fair amount of things going on.

“Angelina” off Marbles – The guitar distortion jumped out like never before.

“Goodbye” off Wrecking Ball – The soundstage was always ginormous but this is better in every way….Probably most important is that I hear more expression in her voice. “Sweet Old World” off the same album is killer as well.

“I Never Will Marry (with Dolly Parton) “ – really natural sounding voices

Warning – I am a bass freak. Some of these tracks I like may sound bad on otherwise wonderful systems. This because the speakers won’t get the low bass notes but the amplifier may strain trying to reproduce them.

Madonna, “The Power of Goodbye” – I always thought this recording was a little muffled and tubby in the bass. I loved listening to it, but it didn’t sound top tier. That changed with the Metis. Her voice sounds real, no electronic artifice at all, everything opens up more and the floor shakes with well-defined bass.

The Hip Abduction, “Float” (live) – Fun song and a pretty powerful bass line. I have never heard them live but I think they would sound like this…..

Billie Eilish “Your Power”

Natalie Merchant “Opheila (Live Version)” – Her voice is so smooth and realistic. The power of the low stuff is just awesome. Biggest noticeable change with the Metis is her voice.

Overall, a pile of money well spent IMO. I would like to thank Mike Lavigne for his postings on what a really good preamp can do. Given the possibility of DAC direct to amplifier for digital only systems, I was wondering about going for an expensive preamp.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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Thank you for this very interesting and comprehensive report!

Would you please explain how the Metis sounds "warmer" but the Calypso sounds "fatter"? (I find "warmer" and "fatter" to be different sonic attributes, but somewhat in same sonic direction, so I am just curious to better understand what you mean.)
 

Backpacker

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2020
25
39
78
68
Fatter was in the context of bass response. Most noticable in the Madonna track.

Warmer was in the context of midrange and it was pervasive. Everything sounded a little "warmer" and more realistic. This may be due to subtle noise or distortion that the Metis gets rid of versus a frequency response change?
 

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