Aesthetix Calypso or Pass Labs Preamp

I have compared the Calypso with the X-0 and the Pass was a good bit better in my system. The dynamics of the Pass and low level detail were superb. The Pass could be a little bright on some material though.

I've never tried Pass gear, but had the Calypso for three enjoyable years, then regrettably sold it to save some money by going with a few different integrated amps. Now I've realized how much I missed my separates and have purchased a Calypso Signature and I'm happy with my system once again! The great thing about the Calypso is you can tailor/change up the sound of your system by rolling different tubes. Really can't say enough good things about the Calypso. I'll be hard pressed to sell it again and make the same mistake twice.

Swanny - I'm really surprised that you think the build quality of the Calypso is suspect? I've owned quite a few preamps from the likes of BAT, Joule Electra, YBA & Conrad Johnson and have enjoyed my time with the Calypso the most, by a very wide margin and I've never had a hint of a problem... and they are noise free. Did you experiment with high end NOS tubes when you had it... Amperex, Telefunken, Mullard? If not, you really didn't get to hear what the Calypso is capable of. Night & day difference with the Calypso when using high quality NOS tubes vs. the stock tubes.

I ended up with the PS Audio PCA-2 which I preferred over the Calypso and was in some ways better than the Pass and a lot less money.

To other posters who mentioned the X1, The X1 Pass is not comparable in any way to the XP series. I had the X1 before I moved up to the XP10. Completely different sonic signature and attenuation/gain. Pdreher, I had an issue with a used Calypso that I purchased here, and when it arrived there were some nuts that had loosened up and were knocking around. I opened the unit and did not like the build quality versus other gear I have owned, like the Pass. Not in the same league in my opinion. The casework does not compare to other equipment I have used. But that is only my brief experience. The tubes were new standard issue tubes. I did not try other tubes. The noise to which I allude is the excessive gain the pre provides (and i had it on the low setting, but that was too much gain for my system, Bel Canto Ref 1000 mk 2 amps, which are completely silent noise floor, so you can hear up the chain easily. I decided I am really a SS guy for my stereo, even tho I play a tube guitar amp.

Guys, thanks for all the input. I ended up getting an XP-10. I have yet to find anyone that has anything negative to say about this amp, while the Calypso appears to have both die hard fans and detractors. I should have my XP-10 in a week or so. Exciting stuff.