Aesthetix Romulus tube CD Player/DAC

[NoahG]

Apexorca,

How many hours of use does the Romulus have on?

Aesthetix says it needs 400 hours of burn in.

[Apexorca]

Originally Posted by NoahG

Apexorca,

How many hours of use does the Romulus have on?

Aesthetix says it needs 400 hours of burn in.

This is a demo ex and probably it´s more like 200h I think.

[Apexorca]

Originally Posted by bart

Wonderful pics!

Thanks!

[Elberoth]

Wow, great images !

Need to borrow the Analog DAC from my dealer. Unfortunately, he has one with the standard 'brick' PSU.

AFAIR msb Analog DAC with VC, USB input and Power Base is around $12k vs $7k for the DAC only Romulus with VC. Quite a difference.

[Msegal]

I have had my Romulus for three months. It has about 400 hours on it. I have not been able to compare it to a similarity priced DAC since none are available locally. I can only say it is fantastic. A fellow enthusiast also purchased the same, his with VC and mine without.

I have been comparing digital vs. analog, Rhea phono ( non sig) to Romulus. TT is Clear Audio Ovation with BM SLR cartridge.
speakers Focal Utopia Scala

With a Pathos Inpol2 integrated amplifier the vinyl would kill the digital every time. Comparing Supertramp COTC MFSL CD to modern nonMFSL vinyl was a staggering demonstration of vinyls superior tonal quality. True the vinyls bass was less taught and dynamics more compressed than the digital but the vinyl sounded more natural.
As the Romulus has broken in I hear less of the harshness of digital and more naturalness. I am not sure if it is "softening" of the tubes or true break in. I have not tube rolled either unit.

I have replaced my Pathos with McIntosh C6300 and two MC275LE monos. The digital now sounds very close to the vinyl and sometimes surpasses it. I think NBT (nothing but tubes) and vinyl may be too much of a good thing. Digital and NBT might be in the Goldilocks zone. YMMV of course.

Regardless, I have heard better digital than the Romulus but not at its price point.

Mike S.

[Apexorca]

Originally Posted by Msegal

Regardless, I have heard better digital than the Romulus but not at its price point.

Mike S.

Hi Mike!
Romulus is great. I think so too.
I agree with you. Best at it's price.
But I have also heard better.
What digital source have you heard that you like better?

[Msegal]

Better unit I have heard is the top of the line Wadia player. I am sure players such as multibox contraptions from DCS and MSB would better it. I would be interested to hear some of the lower end MSB product since it offers an upgrade path.
It is clear that the strength of the Romulus is in its analog stage. The Burr Brown DAC is nothing special regardless of implementation. I would like to see JW utilize the ability of the DAC in the Romulus to decode DSD, perhaps even a SACD disc upgrade.

I would also have preferred to have a choice of digital filters since the standard digital filter has pre-ring which I personally find objectionable.

[nnck]

Does anyone have an opinion on the Romulus CD player in comparison to Ayon's tubed CD players? Some of the Ayons are in the same price range , I think

[Tomictime]

I heard the high end Ayon player today at Acoustic Image in Studio City, CA.

Thoughts, which are hard to distill as room and system I had never heard before. messenger pre, near custom tube amps do not recall mfr. Dali speakers, Kubala cables. In general, IMPRESSIVE sound.

massive 2D sound stage. excellent timbre, drive, dynamics, no edge to high end, very percussive piano a super treatment of female vocal. track 11 of Krall Live in Paris.

i am shopping for DAC, it is in my top 5 so far, downside no DSD.

Jim

Originally Posted by nnck

Does anyone have an opinion on the Romulus CD player in comparison to Ayon's tubed CD players? Some of the Ayons are in the same price range , I think