Oh, that's nice. You'll be reading a lot more of it soon. During the summer I had 3 additional AC units (= 6 cabinets ...) in my listening room (and put a lot of strain on my small rack, but especially on my back) and tried out quite a few things and was able to compare some of them with third-party units from friends. Now I finally have adequate racks and space for a bit more Aries Cerat and some of it will come to me soon. I will report back. However, I am very busy at work at the moment (as always), so it may take a few more weeks.
Aries Cerat Ianus Essentia Owners thread
- Thread starter Willgolf
- Start date
DocHi .
Long time I just read all conversations about Aries Cerat . Now I‘m here .
Have AC Ianus Essentia monos ( End gamer in my opinion with amplification ) and Heléne DAC with Incito S pre . Just appreciated to join to the Aries Cerat family after long audio journey from late 80‘s .
If it will be interesting my instagram : https://instagram.com/stereopassion?igshid=xhnzhff0pafm
Best wishes to all audiophiles and music lovers!
Congrats and welsome to the AC club.
What setting do you use on the Essentias?
Hi Willgolf.
With SACD transport Metronome t/AQWO and Heléne DAC( no gain switch) :
Gain: -10 db ( Max -26 db) Essentias( T2 - 112/115. T1-29/30 )
Feedback : Off
Late night listening 1-3 volume controll Incito S pre , otherwise too laud .
Day time listening 9-11 ( sometimes 13) volume controll Incito S
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Congrats DocAlex on your new Essentia’s! As an owner, they are fantastic amplifiers….the Helene DAC and Incito S are also a beautiful combination and work extremely well with the Essentias. If you haven’t tried the AC link connection, I’d encourage you to as from my experience it does make quite a difference. I’ve recently decided to acquire the Helene DAC but will be partnering it with the Impera Ref pre amp which is still a few months away…
Once you experience the magic of Aries Cerat with just one component, you'll find yourself irresistibly drawn to enhance your whole setup. Sooner or later, you'll see every piece of your gear transformed into Aries Cerat. Undeniably, it's among the finest equipment that your money can buy. Welcome to the Aries Cerat family!
Well, you are right. I started with Ianus Essentials. Now I am waiting on the Ageto, Aurora and Kassandra Reference 2.
You've gone all the way Will and I'm sure you'll be over the moon when you get all your gear!
I actually had the Ithaca DAC in my system on loan from my dealer and it was absolutely fantastic! Unfortunately I just couldn't swing the $$$ so I settled on the Helene DAC which, to be honest, is almost an end-game DAC, it's that good! I would have loved to have got the Ageto, but instead went for the Impera Ref which I actually haven't heard but read it's awesome and will pair better with the Essentia's than the Incito S (which is also a killer pre amp that I had on loan).
I find with the Aries gear, even at the entry level, it competes with many products that are much higher priced which is fantastic value for buyers. You'll also got lots of options to climb to their pinnacle products - I'm not sure if Stavros ever sleeps!!
My only concern is that I am giving up my Lampi Horizon for the Kassandra so I hope that given the synergy with an all AC system it will be great. BTW, my only non-AC product is the Lucas Audio LDMS which I love.
My dealer says I will eventually trade the Kassandra for the Ithaca but thank God there is absolutely no space in my audio rack and I promised my wife no more equipment...wink wink.
WOW that quite a Leap!
this system will be epic sounding! the Ageto with the Essentials and KAS ref is somthing out of this world.
btw ITHAKA was one of those jow dropping cant believe what i'm herring moment when i visit Stavros.
i Never heard such a leap in reproduction between dac's
i am also waiting for a few AC units myself, and cant wait to get them!
congrat's!
A
I have a question for the AC Ianus Essentia owners.
I'm also using Incito-S (low gain) / Heléne DAC (with gain switch) and I'm wondering if the Ianus Essentia would have enough current to drive my TAD speakers (CR1tx). Not that I'm listening at high volume (I live in appartement) but I mean to well control the bass. TAD speakers are usually power hungry and have 86 dB sensitivity with 4 ? impedance. Thanks in advance for all your advises
I'm also using Incito-S (low gain) / Heléne DAC (with gain switch) and I'm wondering if the Ianus Essentia would have enough current to drive my TAD speakers (CR1tx). Not that I'm listening at high volume (I live in appartement) but I mean to well control the bass. TAD speakers are usually power hungry and have 86 dB sensitivity with 4 ? impedance. Thanks in advance for all your advises
It would be hard to answer that question as my speakers are 98db. No matter what level I listen to there is plenty of power for me. You may want to ask Stavros.
i have A full system on order to pair with our fairly new Clarisys audio "studio plus" speakers
ordered from AC to be on our Demo room;
pair of QuintEssence
an Impera ref pre amp
the Kassandra mk2 DAC
and the Talos Ref phono stage.
hope to be able to order some more up the scale units from Stavros in the future,
after you have the opportunity to hear and compare his stuff side by side you got converted!
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I recently borrowed home from a local dealer the smallest sibling in the AC family: Genus with only 25W output. The borrow was intended for a pair of Graham 5/9 speaker however I ended up listening to Genus driving my 2 bigger speakers: Kharma Exquisite Grand 3.0 and Kaiser Kawero Classic.
With only 25W, the mission seems impossible however Genus drives the 2 speakers with a satisfying performance (not perfect of course). The music is with good scale, punch (to a certain extend), and sound stage and a very neutral tone.
I use Dartzeel 18+468 as a reference. I feel a much smaller gap in terms of SQ than the price gap. Genus got me a big interest in the AC lines.
Considering to simplify my system, I’m contemplating a one-box amp. Therefore, I’m thinking Ianus Aperio. However I’m still struggling therefore would like to seek for some advices:
Genus is a pure good surprise with its humble output level and price. But I can see the Genus is reaching its limit in driving the 2 speakers. I wrote to Mr. Stavros and he shared with me the Aperio is a higher level amp with more drive and better SQ than Genus and I trust him wholeheartedly. However, would Aperio be “enough” good to drive the Kharma and Kaiser Kawero?
I could find very limited information about Aperio on the internet, in most cases, it drives high sensitivity speakers. Both my speakers are at 92db, not a tough one But with multiple big woofers.
Appreciating the sound of AC, the other option is switch to an AC setup: local dealer also has a pair of Concero 65 (and 25) built-in power version and a Virgo in stock. This is not such an obvious match since Virgo is much higher up the product family than Concero. This also brings another concern of space. Concero and Virgo and 4 pieces are in big size and weight.
Thanks in advance for advices especially the real-world experiences with the aforementioned AC amps.
With only 25W, the mission seems impossible however Genus drives the 2 speakers with a satisfying performance (not perfect of course). The music is with good scale, punch (to a certain extend), and sound stage and a very neutral tone.
I use Dartzeel 18+468 as a reference. I feel a much smaller gap in terms of SQ than the price gap. Genus got me a big interest in the AC lines.
Considering to simplify my system, I’m contemplating a one-box amp. Therefore, I’m thinking Ianus Aperio. However I’m still struggling therefore would like to seek for some advices:
Genus is a pure good surprise with its humble output level and price. But I can see the Genus is reaching its limit in driving the 2 speakers. I wrote to Mr. Stavros and he shared with me the Aperio is a higher level amp with more drive and better SQ than Genus and I trust him wholeheartedly. However, would Aperio be “enough” good to drive the Kharma and Kaiser Kawero?
I could find very limited information about Aperio on the internet, in most cases, it drives high sensitivity speakers. Both my speakers are at 92db, not a tough one But with multiple big woofers.
Appreciating the sound of AC, the other option is switch to an AC setup: local dealer also has a pair of Concero 65 (and 25) built-in power version and a Virgo in stock. This is not such an obvious match since Virgo is much higher up the product family than Concero. This also brings another concern of space. Concero and Virgo and 4 pieces are in big size and weight.
Thanks in advance for advices especially the real-world experiences with the aforementioned AC amps.
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Where are you located? Morricab may be able to provide you some insight into the Aperio. I was considering Aperio but ended up with the Essentias.
I can only share what I heard and my thoughts from experience projecting your "problem" (and mine at the time).
First of all, I have a friend who owns the Genus and he is powering a Kharma db11s with it, his other amp is a ch precision A1.5 for comparison (with full CH set behind it). he also told me though the genus does not hold the bottom end of his kharma as the CH, the SQ from the AC is to die for. hence his abilities to drive them depending on SPL, room size and music orientation.
My experience with almost *all* of stavros amps side by side, beginning with the Protus (20w) through the Aperio, Essentia and then the big boys I can tell you I was amazed!
i was also "afraid" of numbers when it shows on specs... 20w, 40w, etc... especially when you have "real life" speakers and not 110db horns to drive.
but what i experienced with AC line of amps (and now you too, though for the moment with one of them, but not triodfet tech.... ) is they are much more powerful and handling from what we expected.
for 92DB speakers, the Aperio will be match perfect. its a monster of an amp with so much technology to tailor his sound to your liking!
of course if you have the room and the pockets, going up the scale with the monoblocks and a good preamp will suit everything from here to your end game whenever it will come.
one more "hint" if i may,
Stavros and AC in general have Holistic approach from start to end. their units talk to each-other in a perfect note like nothing else.
His sources are as important as many of his amps!
gather your thoughts and calculate the gain relationship between your system units with everything you bring or buy. just to be sure you can get the most of it. like intend too.
good luck!
First of all, I have a friend who owns the Genus and he is powering a Kharma db11s with it, his other amp is a ch precision A1.5 for comparison (with full CH set behind it). he also told me though the genus does not hold the bottom end of his kharma as the CH, the SQ from the AC is to die for. hence his abilities to drive them depending on SPL, room size and music orientation.
My experience with almost *all* of stavros amps side by side, beginning with the Protus (20w) through the Aperio, Essentia and then the big boys I can tell you I was amazed!
i was also "afraid" of numbers when it shows on specs... 20w, 40w, etc... especially when you have "real life" speakers and not 110db horns to drive.
but what i experienced with AC line of amps (and now you too, though for the moment with one of them, but not triodfet tech.... ) is they are much more powerful and handling from what we expected.
for 92DB speakers, the Aperio will be match perfect. its a monster of an amp with so much technology to tailor his sound to your liking!
of course if you have the room and the pockets, going up the scale with the monoblocks and a good preamp will suit everything from here to your end game whenever it will come.
one more "hint" if i may,
Stavros and AC in general have Holistic approach from start to end. their units talk to each-other in a perfect note like nothing else.
His sources are as important as many of his amps!
gather your thoughts and calculate the gain relationship between your system units with everything you bring or buy. just to be sure you can get the most of it. like intend too.
good luck!
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