"Aries Cerat Incito S, a tube line stage beyond boundary?!" First review of our Incito S

Aries Cerat

Industry Expert
May 30, 2015
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Hello to the forum

Incito's bigger brother,the Incito S, got it's first review,and it is great.

"""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.
The transparency to each recorded musical note was uncanny and surreal.""

Read more


A big thanks to Dato Danon Han

8FA5A1E1-EA0F-474F-A9B3-164E178103BE.jpeg

CEBBC076-88C3-4D0F-978F-7A433DCFC1A5.jpeg
 

Legolas

VIP/Donor
Dec 27, 2015
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France
Congratulations Stavros on the very positive review.

For the IncitoS to compete (or better?) the $90k Audio Note M10S is a great achievement. I look forward to hearing it one day!

Maybe, but the Kassandra Ref II also kicked my Audio Note DAC 5 into the sale bin - big time, need I say more? It is light years ahead :p
 
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orfeo_monteverdi

Well-Known Member
Jan 16, 2015
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[please excuse my bad English]

Christiaan Punter (HiFi-Advice, Netherlands) has released a YouTube preview of the Aries Cerat Incito S and Helene DAC.
He insists that the sound of the video does NOT do justice to the system: his full-length (written) review will come soon.
- Helene + Genus + von Langa SON speakers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AeTJPTTg2I
- Helene + Incito S preview:

I discovered that Dutch reviewer by chance quite recently, and found his reviews (of other components I own, that I know well) are amongst the most thorough ones.
 

the sound of Tao

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2014
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Addicted to hifi

VIP/Donor
Sep 8, 2020
4,610
2,039
265
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Australia
[please excuse my bad English]

Christiaan Punter (HiFi-Advice, Netherlands) has released a YouTube preview of the Aries Cerat Incito S and Helene DAC.
He insists that the sound of the video does NOT do justice to the system: his full-length (written) review will come soon.
- Helene + Genus + von Langa SON speakers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AeTJPTTg2I
- Helene + Incito S preview:

I discovered that Dutch reviewer by chance quite recently, and found his reviews (of other components I own, that I know well) are amongst the most thorough ones.
Hello to the forum

Incito's bigger brother,the Incito S, got it's first review,and it is great.

"""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.
The transparency to each recorded musical note was uncanny and surreal.""

Read more


A big thanks to Dato Danon Han

View attachment 41259

View attachment 41260
Very nice.
 

Legolas

VIP/Donor
Dec 27, 2015
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387
455
France
I owned both the Audio Note Dac 5 Special, and have heard the Dac 5 Signature as well. I later owned the Aries Cerat Kassandra Ref II. I can confirm the AN Dac is way behind. It is syrup, coloured and I guess I would term it 'half asleep' in signature. I have build a few Audio Note kit DACs as well (different company few parts the same) and did modify my Audio Note Dac 5 to try and 'wake it up'.

Basically the AN Dacs have paper oil capacitors in the signal path, which colours the sound IMO (in this application). And the OPTs are basic, eve though the prices are NOT basic. I could go on. Yes they are better to live with than many 'modern' Dacs I guess, but give up too much to get there.

Plus the AN products in general have stood still for 20 years, and in the Dac world that is not such a good idea.

Hope this helps.
 

skids929

Well-Known Member
Dec 31, 2020
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I owned both the Audio Note Dac 5 Special, and have heard the Dac 5 Signature as well. I later owned the Aries Cerat Kassandra Ref II. I can confirm the AN Dac is way behind. It is syrup, coloured and I guess I would term it 'half asleep' in signature. I have build a few Audio Note kit DACs as well (different company few parts the same) and did modify my Audio Note Dac 5 to try and 'wake it up'.

Basically the AN Dacs have paper oil capacitors in the signal path, which colours the sound IMO (in this application). And the OPTs are basic, eve though the prices are NOT basic. I could go on. Yes they are better to live with than many 'modern' Dacs I guess, but give up too much to get there.

Plus the AN products in general have stood still for 20 years, and in the Dac world that is not such a good idea.

Hope this helps.


very helpful thank you. Were yours all the kit dacs though? AN doesn't make a DAC5 Special or Signature, at least currently anyway, ANK does however..I have a Helene coming to me next week and originally had an order in for the DAC3.1 Balanced from AN. Never did like the price I was paying but I did like the sound of the 1.1 Signature I had heard, so told myself if I go that high up the line I will just get more of what I had heard. I am hoping the Helene will be good enough that I won't feel any curiosities about the AN DACs. I also considered the SW1X DACs as well but just didn't like the overall resale and distribution of those DACs, zero opportunity to listen to one.

I definitely don't want a warm poo sound, but I VERY much prefer the NOS sound in general, so what you've shared above does help. Most of the $10k or less digital I have heard these days really irritates me after a while and I've listened to alot of them. I owned an MSB Discrete for about 4 years if that gives you any idea what I like, although I wouldn't go back to MSB. I am hoping the Helene is a DAC I can keep for a while.
 

Legolas

VIP/Donor
Dec 27, 2015
1,042
387
455
France
very helpful thank you. Were yours all the kit dacs though? AN doesn't make a DAC5 Special or Signature, at least currently anyway, ANK does however..I have a Helene coming to me next week and originally had an order in for the DAC3.1 Balanced from AN. Never did like the price I was paying but I did like the sound of the 1.1 Signature I had heard, so told myself if I go that high up the line I will just get more of what I had heard. I am hoping the Helene will be good enough that I won't feel any curiosities about the AN DACs. I also considered the SW1X DACs as well but just didn't like the overall resale and distribution of those DACs, zero opportunity to listen to one.

I definitely don't want a warm poo sound, but I VERY much prefer the NOS sound in general, so what you've shared above does help. Most of the $10k or less digital I have heard these days really irritates me after a while and I've listened to alot of them. I owned an MSB Discrete for about 4 years if that gives you any idea what I like, although I wouldn't go back to MSB. I am hoping the Helene is a DAC I can keep for a while.
You won't be disappointed in the Helene, I had that here as well recently. The Helene, even though the most affordable DAC by AC, still has the strengths of their DAC sound, i.e. detail but smooth and natural, weight to the midrange (sadly rare in many DACs), solid soundstage and depth, fatigue free. It is basically the NOS architecture, solid power supply and great tube gain stage that makes the DAC. I am betting to stop looking after it lands.
 
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skids929

Well-Known Member
Dec 31, 2020
202
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54
You won't be disappointed in the Helene, I had that here as well recently. The Helene, even though the most affordable DAC by AC, still has the strengths of their DAC sound, i.e. detail but smooth and natural, weight to the midrange (sadly rare in many DACs), solid soundstage and depth, fatigue free. It is basically the NOS architecture, solid power supply and great tube gain stage that makes the DAC. I am betting to stop looking after it lands.
Did you audition it in your own home? Im a big mid range guy so it's good to hear it does that well. What other dacs have you compared the Helene to?
 

Phantom-Audio

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2017
323
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Jakarta
www.phantom-audio.com
In Cyprus, I had the opportunity to experience the Helene DAC, and I was truly amazed by its smooth and fatigue-free sound. Having previous experience with various more expensive DACs, this one was truly shocking to hear, especially considering its exceptional value for money.

The midrange exhibited weight and tonality that sounded completely natural, while the bass and resolution outperformed my solid-state DACs. Overall, the Helene DAC delivered a musical and fatigue-free listening experience without sacrificing dynamics and excitement when called upon.

I realise it's evident that even the entry-level products in their lineup outperform higher-end reference gear from other manufacturers.
 

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