Aries Cerat Impera ll Reference vs Incito S

nonesup

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Someone has had the opportunity to compare these two Aries Cerat preamps.
Could you explain how they compare?
 

morricab

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Apr 25, 2014
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Someone has had the opportunity to compare these two Aries Cerat preamps.
Could you explain how they compare?
I have not had the opportunity to do this comparison...perhaps Michel has (maybe PM him).

Did you get your Kassandra yet? If so, how are you enjoying it?
 

dcc

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I had the opportunity to compare both thanks to Michel as he has both preamps. It was not in my system though. The Incito S is impressive especially considering its price point. The Impera II was more subtle and had more headroom. They both have the same sonic signature.
 

Legolas

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The Incito S is a giant killer pre-ampifier. The Anlogue Fellowship had it on test.
See the review by Dato’ Danon Han.

He had been using the Audio Note M10 137,000 USD 3 box pre-amplifier for over a year. Then the Incito arrived for a review.


"
Is there a component out there in the great audio wilderness that can give you everything you want in one simple package? As Stavros started out on this project, he mentioned that he would like to make things simpler and design a component in the audio chain that seeks to break with traditional thinking and mind set.

The Incito S preamplifier achieves that rare feat of balancing the lovely qualities of both tube and transistor equipment to present recorded music as it should be reproduced. Not an easy task and yet, the Incito S manages to convince me, at a fantastic price point that won’t send me to the poor house, that it can perform against the best out there.

Again, I was very much impressed by Stavros’ great sense of ‘balance’. The ideal package of price, performance and likability is perhaps the culmination of his steely determination and efforts to produce yet another winning product. The Aries Cerat Incito S pre-amplifier is such a product and I predict it will win many new fans over in due time. Hats off to you, Stavros my friend, for listening to us ‘mortals’…
"
 

nonesup

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Did you get your Kassandra yet? If so, how are you enjoying it?[/QUOTE]

Well it seems that I have not been good enough, because neither Santa on December 25 nor "Reyes Magos" on January 6 have brought me .

Well, seriously, he arrived in Madrid on Friday and I hope Julian can install it at the end of the week.
Regards
 

Legolas

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Did you get your Kassandra yet? If so, how are you enjoying it?

Well it seems that I have not been good enough, because neither Santa on December 25 nor "Reyes Magos" on January 6 have brought me .

Well, seriously, he arrived in Madrid on Friday and I hope Julian can install it at the end of the week.
Regards[/QUOTE]
DHL Madrid told me on Friday Martes or Miercoles. I can come over next day, no problem.
 

Aries Cerat

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May 30, 2015
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Hey there

You have been good ,but Santa (DHL and others) choose to not work half of the days this time of the year :(
 

nonesup

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Well, the "friends" of DHL have just delayed the delivery date again.
I think they have decided to give me a joy for my 63rd birthday, which is the ............. July 3.
Nice guys. :mad:
 

Legolas

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Hello Francisco
DHL, UPS, TNT, they are pretty much the same. I think it is the holiday period and the lack of flights from Cyprus over Christmas. It looks like it only arrived in Madrid on the 7th and cleared customs on the 8th. They will supply me with another tracking number, which will send you and that will follow it door to door.

I have dismantled my system already so I have only headphones at the moment (headphone amplifier). The Kassandra out of the Audeze LCD4 Planar Magnetic headphones and my headphone amplifier, it sounds incredible. The DAC is a superb product.
 

microstrip

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(...) It looks like it only arrived in Madrid on the 7th and cleared customs on the 8th. (...)

Just by curiosity, is there any customs between Cyprus and Spain? Are they training for the Brexit? :)
 

nonesup

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Yes, I can understand that, but they have given three delivery dates: Tuesday of this week, Friday of this week and last week next week.
Not that it has great importance (it helps me to exercise my little patience), but you know how we are the "audiophiles" we become like impatient children waiting for our gift. ;)
 

Legolas

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Yes I agree. I must have read 100 reviews on SET amplifiers in the last month. The consensus seems to be the big bottle 845, 211 or 813 tubes have the best sound and bass power, dynamics. In fact the 813 tube has a higher voltage rating and heat dissipation of any of those tubes. It is similar to the Russian GM70 tube which was their copy of the RCA 813 for the military use.

I have heard the Forte beat the Kondo Kagura, similar sound quality (same level) but the Forte was more dynamic and had more drive. The Kagura is over 130K.

I am aiming for tube stage right through, so DAC and pre and power amp. The Kassandra is a match made in heaven, so I am very impatient...
 
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morricab

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Yes I agree. I must have read 100 reviews on SET amplifiers in the last month. The consensus seems to be the big bottle 845, 211 or 813 tubes have the best sound and bass power, dynamics. In fact the 813 tube has a higher voltage rating and heat dissipation of any of those tubes. It is similar to the Russian GM70 tube which was their copy of the RCA 813 for the military use.

I have heard the Forte beat the Kondo Kagura, similar sound quality (same level) but the Forte was more dynamic and had more drive. The Kagura is over 130K.

I am aiming for tube stage right through, so DAC and pre and power amp. The Kassandra is a match made in heaven, so I am very impatient...
Actually, the GM70 is a true triode where the 813 is a pentode wired in triode. I think the Russians actually make an 813 equivalent tube...at least the Chinese do.
 
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nonesup

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Well it seems that DHL's logistics chief is a grandson of Alfred Hitchcock who loves suspense and surprises.
After communicating yesterday to Julian that until the next week the boxes would not arrive, today they have left the two boxes in the domicile of Julian.
He already has his Genus and tomorrow I will have my Kassandra.
Oh yeah ! :D
 

Legolas

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Took some photos, will upload later. Off to Francisco's now.... 2 Kassandra's on my desk, the desk is complaining!

Listened to the new Kassandra last night, through my LCD4s. It sounds superb, right from cold, Went to bed after 3 hours of listening... maybe I need two Kassandra's?
 
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Christiaan Punter

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Someone has had the opportunity to compare these two Aries Cerat preamps.
Could you explain how they compare?
I know this is an old post but just wanted to add that I am currently reviewing both these two preamps. While they both do indeed have that signature “non sound” (very neutral, not tubey, nor solid-state), I would not say they actually have the same sound signature. I will say that if the Impera II is beyond the budget, then you better not listen to it! All will be revealed in the upcoming review on HFA
 

nonesup

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I know this is an old post but just wanted to add that I am currently reviewing both these two preamps. While they both do indeed have that signature “non sound” (very neutral, not tubey, nor solid-state), I would not say they actually have the same sound signature. I will say that if the Impera II is beyond the budget, then you better not listen to it! All will be revealed in the upcoming review on HFA
Thank you, but it is no longer important to me. I left the Aries Cerat way and took the Gryphon way. With the first I had to ask in forums what it would sound like with the second they were quickly at my house to listen on my system.
 

Christiaan Punter

Well-Known Member
Thank you, but it is no longer important to me. I left the Aries Cerat way and took the Gryphon way. With the first I had to ask in forums what it would sound like with the second they were quickly at my house to listen on my system.
No probs, glad you found a good solution! Organic search led me to your post, so perhaps others may benefit from my upcoming conclusions:)
 
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