If one has Aries Cerat Ianus Essentia amps, what Preamp would best be suited to pair to the Essentia's? What would the sonic differences be between the Impera Reference and Signature and Ianus Ageto?
Aries Cerat Preamps differences
- Thread starter Willgolf
- Start date
No Experience here, however, the Ageto was designed for the Triode FET Amplifiers. I believe Stavros has a specialised Link RCA Connection from the Ageto Pre-amp to the Ianus Amplifiers and this would give you a better advantage over the Impera models.
If I am correct you might be making reference to the Aries Cerat proprietary AC Link technology , which is also built into the Impera line of pre amplifiers.
Hi, for Essentia, you would definitely need Ageto. Gains matched
Best
Vess
Best
Vess
Which preamp to use with the Essentias? Well, I would say it depends. After all, there are the Imperas ....
Yes, an Impera is actually much too loud for the Essentia. This combination therefore only works if you have Essentias with TVC. With TVC, you can adapt the Essentias to the Impera wonderfully. So it works if you want it to. Therefore, there are actually several alternatives to choose from (there are many Imperas ...), not only the Ageto.
Compared to the Imperas, the Ageto is the more linear preamp. Or rather: the combination Ageto/Essentia sounds more linear than the combination Impera/Essentia. The Ageto sounds very clean and very tight without being sterile. The bass, for example, is noticeably tighter and more contoured. The background is blacker, you can hear more precisely what is happening on stage.
Nevertheless, an Impera Signature could be worth serious consideration. With the Impera, in my experience, it sounds more involved and, above all, more full-bodied.
I listened to both in direct comparison and had the impression that it really "clicks" between Ageto and Essentia. They are really made for each other. I considered switching to Ageto, but I liked the more involving of the Impera and especially the better physical imaging of the Impera more. However, my comparison was not very extensive. I will repeat it and I am curious to see what result I will come up with.
By the way: It's cool to make such comparisons and to be able to choose between such high-quality components - they are different, but they are all very, very awesome.
Yes, an Impera is actually much too loud for the Essentia. This combination therefore only works if you have Essentias with TVC. With TVC, you can adapt the Essentias to the Impera wonderfully. So it works if you want it to. Therefore, there are actually several alternatives to choose from (there are many Imperas ...), not only the Ageto.
Compared to the Imperas, the Ageto is the more linear preamp. Or rather: the combination Ageto/Essentia sounds more linear than the combination Impera/Essentia. The Ageto sounds very clean and very tight without being sterile. The bass, for example, is noticeably tighter and more contoured. The background is blacker, you can hear more precisely what is happening on stage.
Nevertheless, an Impera Signature could be worth serious consideration. With the Impera, in my experience, it sounds more involved and, above all, more full-bodied.
I listened to both in direct comparison and had the impression that it really "clicks" between Ageto and Essentia. They are really made for each other. I considered switching to Ageto, but I liked the more involving of the Impera and especially the better physical imaging of the Impera more. However, my comparison was not very extensive. I will repeat it and I am curious to see what result I will come up with.
By the way: It's cool to make such comparisons and to be able to choose between such high-quality components - they are different, but they are all very, very awesome.
Thank you for your insight. I do have the TVC on my Essentias. Have you ever tried running your DAC direct to the Essentias? I am not sure what DAC you have. Currently, I do not have a preamp and the music is incredible. I keep debating in my mind whether I need to make the $50-75K US dollar investment in a Pre.
Thanks for sharing Verdier. I’m currently testing the Aperio amp but looking at different options….are you using the Impera Sig or Ref preamp In your system?
I’m also interested in your comment that the Impera is too loud for the Essentia’s, unless adjusting with the TVC. Is that just due to the different series having different specs on their output / input? The Essentia’s from my listening of the Aperio provide a very clean, transparent sound, so it would be interesting to hear what else the Ageto brings to the music…
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Hey Willgolf - hope you’re enjoying the new amps…are you running XLR or RCA from the Horizon into the Essentia’s? I’m assuming you are also using USB?
Are you using any of the gain / feedback adjustments on the amps?? It sounds like the Lampi works well with the AC gear which is good to know, but like you, I also wonder what / how much a good pre amp will add to the music.
I found this article quite interesting about the value of a preamp in a digital chain - if you haven’t seen it, worth a read…https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/am...g-preamplifiers-in-a-digital-streaming-world/
I always use a preamp because I mainly listen to vinyl. That's why I've never tried connecting my DAC (currently a PS Audio) directly.
I have an Impera Sig. Before that I had an Impera Ref. Just look for the threads I opened (there are only a handful) where I described these preamps and their differences in great detail.
If you are happy with your current solution, you might not want to listen to a preamp. It could be expensive.
levitator
Great article and very helpful in my decision on whether I need a Preamp or not. I have spent the last two days swapping tubes in my Horizon and have found multiple tubes that are very enduring to my ear. However, maybe I am still missing detail and SQ by not having a Pre. So now, I guess it is a matter of The Impera Signature or Ianus Ageto.
Currently, I use RCA so I am in a SE mode. I do use USB from my Lucas Audio MS to the Horizon but I also use a Sternklang S/PDIF cable. I like the S/PDIF sound better than USB.
I am not using any of the gain features of Essentia. I am happy with the factory settings but I suppose at some point I will test them out.
The Essentia has been everything I could ever have imagined and more. Now, I just need to convince my wife I need to spend $50-72K for a Preamp for maybe a 5% gain in SQ.
The Ageto since it was designed and voiced with the amplifier in mind. I would imagine it will be allot more than 5% Gain.
No worries! What I can tell you is that I tried my Lampi Baltic direct into the Aperio in bypass mode effectively switching off the pre amp, and them compared with the pre amp switched on. Quite noticeable the difference with the pre active so I would imagine that an external pre amp would add quite a bit - as always, depends on your budget and own system synergy / preferences!
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Of course, it will but every listening room is different. The Pacific is a great DAC and Aries Cerat makes great amps. I am sorry but I do not know what an SE 833 is? Do you have a music server?
I‘d suggest checking with Stavros to be sure - the Incito is a great pre for the $$
I often regard a pre-amp as the core of any audio system because all sources connect to it and the power amps. A high-quality pre-amp can significantly influence a system's performance - it can either enhance or degrade it. In this context, I am confident that it will not just function adequately, but also elevate your system's performance several notches.
Over the years, I have had experiences with various types of pre-amps, including passive, active, SS, DAC direct to amps, and so on. From my personal exploration, active tube pre-amps, which have the capacity to drive the power amps effectively, consistently yield the best results.
I am asking because Incito is the lowest in Aries Cerat preamp hiearchy and L. Pacific is almost the highest of Lampizator . So if I understand corectly your opinion is that Incito will elevate Pacific performance?
I would ping @christoph on this topic as he has Pacific and all possible Lampi DACs on his hand as well as Incito preamp. Diff amps and speakers of course than you but can advise properly on the synergy Pacific -> Incito.
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