Aries Cerat Protos - class A TriodeFET integrated amplifier in a compact case (can face a 2 Ohm load)

[Perfect sense Audio]

Hi @morricab , when you say AC sources are you referring to Aries Cerat DACs?
To my knowledge they don't currently produce any streamers or music servers/transports correct?

@VoicesInMyHead everytime you respond, it just makes me want to get the protos more and ASAP!
I think this will also be the first amplifier I might make the exception to not hearing first before purchasing.
Anyways I'm sure it's already going to be a big step up from my current amplifier..

Two more questions regarding the protos I am curious about.
From Aries Cerat's website and some of the earliest videos I've seen of protos on youtube, it's cased in a see through top cover that lets you see the wonderful internals of the chassis. But I also see some of them now have solid metallic top covers.
I'm curious if your guys' protos have see through top covers or fully metal? I personally think the see through aesthetic makes it even cooler.

And second, what type of cables are you guys using with Protos? Any recommendations?

Cheers,

The plexi covers are mainly for show/demo units to be able to see the impressive insides. The aluminium top covers are standard and of higher quality.

/ Marcus

 

[VoicesInMyHead]

@VoicesInMyHead everytime you respond, it just makes me want to get the protos more and ASAP!
I think this will also be the first amplifier I might make the exception to not hearing first before purchasing.
Anyways I'm sure it's already going to be a big step up from my current amplifier..

you're welcome! you should tell your retailer to send me a commission... no, but seriously, every day you wait is one more day without Protos in your life. also expect like 3 months delivery time or something like that. it will be the longest 3 months in your life!

From Aries Cerat's website and some of the earliest videos I've seen of protos on youtube, it's cased in a see through top cover that lets you see the wonderful internals of the chassis. But I also see some of them now have solid metallic top covers.
I'm curious if your guys' protos have see through top covers or fully metal? I personally think the see through aesthetic makes it even cooler.

the top cover is solid metal, no see through. I think the see through is just for shows, but maybe it can be special ordered? I don't know. I personally think you should stick to the solid metal. There are color options for the sides though, there is the "standard" orange or what to call it, a blood red color and black! If I had known earlier I would probably have ordered mine in black, but... when I actually got it I kind of appreciated the standard look.

And second, what type of cables are you guys using with Protos? Any recommendations?

I'm using a full loom @Sablon Audio set of cables, I was using them before Protos and they of course work great with Protos also. I think they bring out the best of all my components and I think they're excellent value compared to much else out there. I believe I've written several posts on the forum about when I discovered them, every cable type one by one. Highly recommended by me. I've sometimes thought it could be a nice upgrade to have the yellow power cable between the PSU and Protos upgraded to a special built Sablon cable, but I haven't walked down that path (yet)...

 

[VoicesInMyHead]

btw, there's just one thing to be aware of with the Sablon cables, as they're using the massive Bocchino plugs it's a bit tight with the Protos PSU and the power button. I can just about squeeze my finger in there to turn it on and off, but in a perfect world it would have been positioned a bit further away. if having too big fingers it might be a problem.

 

[ailasrozgue]

you're welcome! you should tell your retailer to send me a commission... no, but seriously, every day you wait is one more day without Protos in your life. also expect like 3 months delivery time or something like that. it will be the longest 3 months in your life!



the top cover is solid metal, no see through. I think the see through is just for shows, but maybe it can be special ordered? I don't know. I personally think you should stick to the solid metal. There are color options for the sides though, there is the "standard" orange or what to call it, a blood red color and black! If I had known earlier I would probably have ordered mine in black, but... when I actually got it I kind of appreciated the standard look.



I'm using a full loom @Sablon Audio set of cables, I was using them before Protos and they of course work great with Protos also. I think they bring out the best of all my components and I think they're excellent value compared to much else out there. I believe I've written several posts on the forum about when I discovered them, every cable type one by one. Highly recommended by me. I've sometimes thought it could be a nice upgrade to have the yellow power cable between the PSU and Protos upgraded to a special built Sablon cable, but I haven't walked down that path (yet)...

Tell ya the truth, from my opinion at least, I feel like you went with the right choice for the "standard" color. It has that iconic aries cerat colorway/ look to it and just a splash more color as opposed to all black. I would understand black if you like an all understated-lowkey-look which, by looking at your aesthetics from the picture you posted, I assume that might be the case. But that little splash of orange along with the iconic aries cerat look gives it a bit of pop, and not too much pop as I feel the blood orange might have.

Super interesting though, thank you for pointing out that you can choose colors! I did not even know that until know! These are the information I strive for and I really am appreciating members of this forum thus far.

Would you mind sharing which dealer you got it from? I am located in the US. I can DM you directly for details if preferred.

 

[VoicesInMyHead]

Tell ya the truth, from my opinion at least, I feel like you went with the right choice for the "standard" color. It has that iconic aries cerat colorway/ look to it and just a splash more color as opposed to all black. I would understand black if you like an all understated-lowkey-look which, by looking at your aesthetics from the picture you posted, I assume that might be the case. But that little splash of orange along with the iconic aries cerat look gives it a bit of pop, and not too much pop as I feel the blood orange might have.

yep, that's exactly how it is. I know my wife would have appreciated the black color more, and it would have been a better "fit" with the aesthetics of the room, but I agree with the color giving it a bit of a splash and life to everything white and black. I like it and I'm glad it turned out the way it did.

I don't know, but I'm feeling Aries Cerat might not be super convinced themselves about the color options, maybe keeping it a bit under the radar? it's classic for a reason...

my local dealer whom I bought from is actually here as @Perfect sense Audio, he did a super job as always. much appreciated!

 

[ailasrozgue]

Hi guys it’s me again…picking up my protos from a local seller this weekend. I cannot wait!

I am going to surround my entire system around the protos and helene as my center.
Any recommendations as to what type of speakers work best with protos?

My dedicated listening room isnt that large at all, around 11x15 ft

Thanks!

 

[morricab]

Hi guys it’s me again…picking up my protos from a local seller this weekend. I cannot wait!

I am going to surround my entire system around the protos and helene as my center.
Any recommendations as to what type of speakers work best with protos?

My dedicated listening room isnt that large at all, around 11x15 ft

Thanks!

Small Horning speakers the Zeus or Grandinote Mach 2 Estrema or Mach 4. Bigger models from those brands might be too large for the room. Also the Avantgarde Uno SD (G3) would fit. Finally the Odeon Helix or Celeste would work well as we have a lot of good experience here with Odeons and Aries Cerat.

 

[ailasrozgue]

What do you guys think about the Deadelus Athena V2s?
I know it’s not top tier but it’s an interesting speaker and I might have the chance to pick one up for a very good price currently

 

[morricab]

What do you guys think about the Deadelus Athena V2s?
I know it’s not top tier but it’s an interesting speaker and I might have the chance to pick one up for a very good price currently

Never heard them, sorry.

 

[Perfect sense Audio]

Hi guys it’s me again…picking up my protos from a local seller this weekend. I cannot wait!

I am going to surround my entire system around the protos and helene as my center.
Any recommendations as to what type of speakers work best with protos?

My dedicated listening room isnt that large at all, around 11x15 ft

Thanks!

We've had wonderful results with Tobian and Odeon (as already mentioned), but the Protos can also handle many high efficient dynamic speakers well such as Stenheim and more - all depending on room size, listening levels etc.

/ Marcus

 

[VoicesInMyHead]

Hi guys it’s me again…picking up my protos from a local seller this weekend. I cannot wait!

I am going to surround my entire system around the protos and helene as my center.
Any recommendations as to what type of speakers work best with protos?

My dedicated listening room isnt that large at all, around 11x15 ft

Thanks!

Hey, congrats to an amazing buy! I hope (and think!) that you will be just as happy with your purchase as I've been. Protos and Helene sounds like everything one could wish for.

For speaker recommendations on a forum I think you can get suggestions from all over the place, I would start with what you can listen to at home from a local dealer.

As Aries Cerat themselves are quite into horns I have of course been tempted going down that road as well, or maybe some hybrid at least. Currently I'm using Kroma Atelier Thais I was using before I got Protos and they still sound great.

Btw, make sure you get help to carry and unpack those boxes! They're heavy.

 

[ailasrozgue]

Guys so I have chosen the Tobian 12FH as my next speakers I feel like they are going to mate very well with the Protos.

Quick question regarding the Protos itself, - have any one of you guys experienced any weird sound coming out of your speakers when powering on the Protos? @VoicesInMyHead @morricab @Perfect sense Audio

Thanks for the responses!

 

[Samsoum]

Guys so I have chosen the Tobian 12FH as my next speakers I feel like they are going to mate very well with the Protos.

Quick question regarding the Protos itself, - have any one of you guys experienced any weird sound coming out of your speakers when powering on the Protos? @VoicesInMyHead @morricab @Perfect sense Audio

Thanks for the responses!

Congrats on your protos!
I use mine with atc scm 40 (85 db) and he handle them very well!

 

[VoicesInMyHead]

Guys so I have chosen the Tobian 12FH as my next speakers I feel like they are going to mate very well with the Protos.

Quick question regarding the Protos itself, - have any one of you guys experienced any weird sound coming out of your speakers when powering on the Protos? @VoicesInMyHead @morricab @Perfect sense Audio

Thanks for the responses!

No weird sounds powering on or off here. Kroma Atelier speakers.

 

[morricab]

Guys so I have chosen the Tobian 12FH as my next speakers I feel like they are going to mate very well with the Protos.

Quick question regarding the Protos itself, - have any one of you guys experienced any weird sound coming out of your speakers when powering on the Protos? @VoicesInMyHead @morricab @Perfect sense Audio

Thanks for the responses!

Yes, I got a high pitched squeal, which with my high sensitivity speakers was alarmingly loud. I was assured though it is only tiny amount of power. It turns out my flat ribbon speaker cables had an effect. Switching to other cables made it stop doing that.

 

[ailasrozgue]

Yes, I got a high pitched squeal, which with my high sensitivity speakers was alarmingly loud. I was assured though it is only tiny amount of power. It turns out my flat ribbon speaker cables had an effect. Switching to other cables made it stop doing that.

If you don't mind me asking, which speaker cables did you switch to that made the sound non audible when starting up Protos?

 

[Hiyono]

Guys so I have chosen the Tobian 12FH as my next speakers I feel like they are going to mate very well with the Protos.

Quick question regarding the Protos itself, - have any one of you guys experienced any weird sound coming out of your speakers when powering on the Protos? @VoicesInMyHead @morricab @Perfect sense Audio

Thanks for the responses!

Hi, I just got my Protos few months ago to use with headphones. I notice this issue when no output is plugged in or paired with many of my headphones is plugged in. The headphone would scream.

I asked Aries Cerat . Stavros said it’s because the amp wants to see a 2-8 ohm load. Without a load or a higher impedance , it would make that screeching noise. I tried a headphone with 8ohm and it went away.

Stavros said this in email.

“The Protos does not have any zobel network attached to the outputs. We believe that if it is not needed, then do not use it. However, in case the load is very high impedance, or high impedance on high frequencies(some speakers have inductive behavior), or without load, the amp will whine.
What we do, we offer an optional zobel filter which attaches to the output and makes the amp "see" a lower load. We do not recommend using this in all systems, only once needed, and it kills the whine.We can send this filter of course directly to you.”

I have received the zobel filter from AC and it has made the sound go away at startup .

 

[morricab]

If you don't mind me asking, which speaker cables did you switch to that made the sound non audible when starting up Protos?

I was using Goertz foil cables…perhaps the high capacitance was triggering it?

 

[Aries Cerat]

Hi to ali
A highly inductive load will trigger this on start up, and power down (pre revision versions).
It is benign in that, it does not hurt the speaker or amp but it is annoying.
We do offer a zobel network to all units that are to drive high inductive loads (say, speakers with rising impedance in high frequencies, some speaker cables etc).
It is my opinion that, if you don't need one , don't use one, this goes for the zobel networks as well.

Latest units come with a automatic shunt relay that shunts the outputs during power up and down.


Best
Stavros

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Hi WBF Members,
Maybe a big ask;
Just wondering if anybody has used the Aries Cerat Protos with HifiMan Susvara headphones and also ideally compared the Protos directly with the Genus both using speakers and Susvara headphones ?

Also is the headphone impedance / load output for the designated power output of 20W from the Protos the same as for the Speakers impedance / load output i.e. 8 Ohms ?

I currently use the HifiMan EF1000 Headphone & Speaker Integrated Amp (Hybrid - tube pre with SS power amp giving 20W pure Class A at 35 Ohms load for the headphones and 50W pure Class A at 8 Ohms load and 110W Class A/B at 8 Ohms load) which was specifically designed and built to power the inefficient (60 Ohms impedance) Susvara's (which it does to great effect).

So I am wondering if the Protos is equal to or even better than my EF1000 for my Susvara headphones from a quality of sound etc. prospective ?