Aries Cerat Ianus Essentia Owners thread

[Zappadaddy]

Having experienced life with the QuintEssence Amplifiers, and having been the owner of potentially nearly every variety of amplifiers, including Solid State Class A, Class B, Class D, as well as Push Pull Tubes, SET, and lastly my OTL Amplifiers (of which I've explored various models), I can say that my understanding and appreciation of these devices have greatly expanded.

Undoubtedly, these have been the finest amplifiers I've ever owned. Interestingly, it's the only amplifier whose sound I can't categorize as either Solid State or Tube Amplifier - it possesses an uncanny blend of both, yet doesn't distinctly sound like either. Harmonically its spot on, it's robust yet nimble, dynamic with finesse and control.

I haven't yet tested the amplifier with heavy-load speakers that dip into the 2-ohm ranges, but so far, it has performed with various speakers (all reasonably easy to drive).

In my opinion, if you're seeking a musically rich and emotionally magical experience devoid of any typical amplifier shortcomings, these represent the zenith of amplifier design.

Being a Class A amplifier with 60 watts at 8 ohms or 100 watts at 4 ohms, it's compatible with most speakers.
My experimentation revealed that it controlled four 12-inch bass drivers more effectively than the Class D Hypex Amplifiers.

It appears to exhibit the same level of transparency as my OTL Amplifiers, but with an added touch of finesse and a richer resonance in the midrange. Moreover, it exerts greater authority and control over the lower frequencies. I've observed that it doesn't compromise on transparency, yet it manages to blend the entire musical picture into a cohesive whole. The details are clearly presented, but they're never forced upon you

Are Essentia in same league? Are they also TriodeFed?

 

[byrdparis]

Are Essentia in same league? Are they also TriodeFed?

they are. and they are fabulous!
till you hear the QuintEssence Amplifiers. they are GEN3 and the most advanced in AC range of amplification.
its the NEXT step IMHO of anything i heard to date.

 

[Phantom-Audio]

Are Essentia in same league? Are they also TriodeFed?

While I haven't had the opportunity to compare the Essentia amplifiers in my rooms for extended periods, from what I recall, distinguishing between them (Quint vs Essentia) can be challenging unless you're engaged in critical listening. However, contrasting them with other amplifiers is much simpler.

Regardless, you can't go wrong with either choice. I believe these are currently some of the most underrated amplifiers available. They're largely undervalued and underappreciated, primarily because Aries Cerat Amplifiers haven't yet been reviewed in major publications. Furthermore, without the usual industry hype, they're somewhat flying under the radar.

I've experienced the CH, Gryphon, Audionet, and several others in the solid-state category, but they never particularly resonated with me. While they're decent amplifiers, they're not ones I'd choose for long-term personal use. Initially, many of these amplifiers sound impressive, but the crucial element of forming an emotional connection with the music is often lacking.


Setting personal preferences aside, my keen interest in the Aries Cerat TriodeFet Amplifiers was primarily driven by considerations of maintenance costs and convenience. I was in search of an amplifier that didn't exhibit the typical sound of a solid-state device, yet I was weary of the continual upkeep of tubes (including buying and selling). The struggle to keep tubes in the chain due to noise issues, among other things, was becoming tiresome.

Achieving the merits of a tube amplifier's midrange and engagement with a solid-state amplifier seems near impossible. Granted, a few companies in the solid-state market, such as Dartzeel, are attempting this, and Goldmund, to my ears, also outperforms CH and Gryphon. However, getting these amplifiers to truly resonate like a well-crafted tube amplifier remains an elusive goal.

 

[Willgolf]

I would second Phantom's comments above. I have the Essentia. Prior to that, I had the Canary Audio Grand Reference 300B amps with 16 Western Electric 300B tubes. TBH, I was tired of dialing in the 300B tubes every month and they ran super hot. I also had a few tubes go out and this was just a nuisance for me. I do not have this issue with the Essentia. The only thing I can do on the Essentia is just increase or decrease the bias which is a very slight turn of a knob. This is a much simpler, easier, and less expensive way of rolling tubes.

Regarding the sound, there is a difference in sound characteristics between the 300B vs the Essentia. I would categorize the 300B as musical and definitely on the warmer side. The Essentia, I would say is a cross between a tube and SS amp. I have the detail, bass, and soundstage with a touch of tube warmth. The Essentias are my last amplifier. They are built like a tanks but are cool to the touch. My music preference is to hear as much detail at all decibel levels as I can. The Essentia does that and more.

 

[Phantom-Audio]

I would second Phantom's comments above. I have the Essentia. Prior to that, I had the Canary Audio Grand Reference 300B amps with 16 Western Electric 300B tubes. TBH, I was tired of dialing in the 300B tubes every month and they ran super hot. I also had a few tubes go out and this was just a nuisance for me. I do not have this issue with the Essentia. The only thing I can do on the Essentia is just increase or decrease the bias which is a very slight turn of a knob. This is a much simpler, easier, and less expensive way of rolling tubes.

Regarding the sound, there is a difference in sound characteristics between the 300B vs the Essentia. I would categorize the 300B as musical and definitely on the warmer side. The Essentia, I would say is a cross between a tube and SS amp. I have the detail, bass, and soundstage with a touch of tube warmth. The Essentias are my last amplifier. They are built like a tanks but are cool to the touch. My music preference is to hear as much detail at all decibel levels as I can. The Essentia does that and more.

Utilizing precise tuning with the Ageto pre-amplifier and the Quintessence bias controls, alongside a well-chosen selection of tubes, I've managed to strike an optimal balance in my setup. The midrange now boasts the tonality and density of the finest single-ended triode (SET) amplifiers, with just a hint of warmth, yet without any loss of dynamics or microdynamics. The transparency rivals that of the best output transformerless (OTL) amplifiers I've experienced to date. The speed and bass controls, combined with the weight, yield a musical landscape you can easily lose yourself in.

I'm eager to see how these amplifiers perform with speakers that have lower efficiency and present more challenging loads. I've already been impressed by how it's managed to control four 12-inch woofers better than both Class D amps in my room, even though I'm using a 60-watt Quintessence against 400 watts of Class D power.

 

[Zappadaddy]

Utilizing precise tuning with the Ageto pre-amplifier and the Quintessence bias controls, alongside a well-chosen selection of tubes, I've managed to strike an optimal balance in my setup. The midrange now boasts the tonality and density of the finest single-ended triode (SET) amplifiers, with just a hint of warmth, yet without any loss of dynamics or microdynamics. The transparency rivals that of the best output transformerless (OTL) amplifiers I've experienced to date. The speed and bass controls, combined with the weight, yield a musical landscape you can easily lose yourself in.

I'm eager to see how these amplifiers perform with speakers that have lower efficiency and present more challenging loads. I've already been impressed by how it's managed to control four 12-inch woofers better than both Class D amps in my room, even though I'm using a 60-watt Quintessence against 400 watts of Class D power.

I wonder as well. Are Essentia going to be enough for Clarisys Studio plus to drive them to concert levels if nedeed????

 

[morricab]

I wonder as well. Are Essentia going to be enough for Clarisys Studio plus to drive them to concert levels if nedeed????

Alsyvox would be better from a sensitivity perspective…

 

[Zappadaddy]

Alsyvox would be better from a sensitivity perspective…

It did not answer my question.

 

[morricab]

It did not answer my question.

If you think about it…it did …

 

[Argonaut]

It did not answer my question.

I would recommend, in the first instance , that you contact the designer Stavros Danos , either here via pm or via the AC website … who better to advise you upon the load capabilities of the Essentia amplification .

 

[Aries Cerat]

Hello guys

Driving capabilities of an amp is one thing (not falling apart in dynamic passages, behavior in non-resistive speakers, impedance drops etc) and max spl is another aspect alltogether.

For max spl, there are a number of calculators, one of which here:

Peak SPL Calculator

where you can input your power and speaker sensitivity, distance, number of speakers etc and calculate the max spl. Pretty handy for those not familiar with the equations of power/spl .

Best
Stavros

 

[Phantom-Audio]

concert levels ?? 100db to 120db?

 

[byrdparis]

I wonder as well. Are Essentia going to be enough for Clarisys Studio plus to drive them to concert levels if nedeed????

i was wondering this for myself a few month ago, when i had the "studio plus" in , and made an order from AC .
initially i was in to the Essentia but i couldn't be sure it will be enough for me, im listening a lot of classical music and need the dynamic range and headroom. im pretty sure they will do the work, but the Quint' will get it a lot better i assumed. so, i was ordering the next level to be 1000% it will be perfect in any case.
Btw - im not listening very loud in a regular basis... around 90db with some higher picks are the "fun" spot for me in my room... and sometimes when i want to have a blast i will crank it a little more.
so also the Essentia and the Quint will do that, but the Quint' will have more reserve i think and i will psychologic feel they are giving me more at all time. now that i have the AUDITORIUM more so.
now we just need to wait and try when the AC order will actually come.... and compare it to my full CH PRECISION electronics.

 

[wil]

i was wondering this for myself a few month ago, when i had the "studio plus" in , and made an order from AC .
initially i was in to the Essentia but i couldn't be sure it will be enough for me, im listening a lot of classical music and need the dynamic range and headroom. im pretty sure they will do the work, but the Quint' will get it a lot better i assumed. so, i was ordering the next level to be 1000% it will be perfect in any case.
Btw - im not listening very loud in a regular basis... around 90db with some higher picks are the "fun" spot for me in my room... and sometimes when i want to have a blast i will crank it a little more.
so also the Essentia and the Quint will do that, but the Quint' will have more reserve i think and i will psychologic feel they are giving me more at all time. now that i have the AUDITORIUM more so.
now we just need to wait and try when the AC order will actually come.... and compare it to my full CH PRECISION electronics.

90 db average is “not very loud”??

 

[byrdparis]

90 db average is “not very loud”??

mmm for classic music in a 50m2 room for full dynamics, its really fun spot. you can do even more no problem with the Clarisys auditorium, and i guess the Essentia or best of- the Quint' wont break a sweat.
but i was saying around 90 avr is "FUN" place not my average day to day listening volume. i am listening over 10 hours a day, so no chance to hear that loud all that time.

but, i will test it (hopfully) soon. and gladly report back.

 

[wil]

mmm for classic music in a 50m2 room for full dynamics, its really fun spot. you can do even more no problem with the Clarisys auditorium, and i guess the Essentia or best of- the Quint' wont break a sweat.
but i was saying around 90 avr is "FUN" place not my average day to day listening volume. i am listening over 10 hours a day, so no chance to hear that loud all that time.

but, i will test it (hopfully) soon. and gladly report back.

Spl meters can vary, particularly the phone app ones. I’ve run into apps that read 10 db higher than my dependable meter.

For most of the music I listen to an avg of 90 db would have a lot of peaks up to 105 db. Maybe fun for 15 min, but a recipe for permanent hearing loss over extended periods.

I was just struck by this being described as not very loud.

 

[byrdparis]

Spl meters can vary, particularly the phone app ones. I’ve run into apps that read 10 db higher than my dependable meter.

For most of the music I listen to an avg of 90 db would have a lot of peaks up to 105 db. Maybe fun for 15 min, but a recipe for permanent hearing loss over extended periods.

I was just struck by this being described as not very loud.

you are right. i was checking with two different meters, they are vary 3-4db not 10... but i get your point,


Regarding what I wrote, I'm sorry I didn't clarify, as I tried after, the 90avg and peaks beyond is for "fun" time...
my many hours of listening is lower than that of course.

so,
"I'm not listening very loud on a regular basis... around 90db with some higher picks are the "fun" spot for me in my room... and sometimes when I want to have a blast I will crank it a little more."

means around 3 volume spots.

* not so loud

* fun spot

* have a blast

 

[Zappadaddy]

If you think about it…it did …

true

 

[Zappadaddy]

I would recommend, in the first instance , that you contact the designer Stavros Danos , either here via pm or via the AC website … who better to advise you upon the load capabilities of the Essentia amplification .

I asked but Stavros is not answering and I do understand. We are making him busy and ordering quiet few components lately.

 

[Argonaut]

I asked but Stavros is not answering and I do understand. We are making him busy and ordering quiet few components lately.

As you say , a very busy guy.