Calypso Arrived to Rescue System During Quarantine

BayStBroker

BayStBroker

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The last 24 hours since an Audiogon-sourced Calypso arrived have been among a handful of peak experiences I've had that make this hobby so persistent and irresistible for me. I regularly tell my family that I love my stereo and never get bored of listening. But this upgrade is so good, so comprehensive and overwhelming that I can hardly believe it. My old preamp was holding me back without my realizing it. Suddenly my Magicos are imaging 100% better and the soundstage is huge and well defined. It sounds more musical and more detailed. Even my wife is gushing.

Paul McGowan of PS Audio emphatically praised the Aesthetix Calypso in his blog and I've wanted one ever since. This one came with some sweet NOS Amperex "Bugle Boy" 12AX7 tubes. For now I have no idea the extent of their contribution because they are all I have. Anyway, I'm ready for two more weeks of social distancing. As long as I have Tidal (and maybe some toilet paper), I'm all good!
 
What was the previous preamp that was “holding you back “..... if you don’t mind me asking.

Cheers.......
 
Hi MRJAZZ: It is a two-box customized tubed preamp from (recently defunct) Blue Circle Audio. It is really a strange and marvellous creation. There are more than 400,000 mF of capacitance in the power supply, which weighs a ton from all the capacitors. The design is dual mono (like the Calypso) but has two handmade Shalco volume controls with separate resistors for each step. Gilbert Yeung, the Blue Circle designer, built his equipment by hand; so everything is point-to-point wiring. I've loved it for several years and I thought it sounded great. Then this hussy named Calypso came into the listening room and there is just no comparison...
 
Congratulations!

That’s great news. Always love reading about getting the one piece you’ve wanted for a long time and it’s as good or better than expected.

Enjoy in great health.
 
Glad to hear you’re loving your Aesthetix pre! I’ve always been intrigued by their gear.
 
And your Calypso can be upgraded to signature or eclipse level if you ever want more. I really like that compared to flipping equipment to upgrade. This month's TAS has a rave review of the Altas Eclipse

Blue Circle had some cool stuff. Looks like amherstaudio.com is selling the Blue Circle designs with Gilbert's help.
 
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