MUSE Erato II - Anyone using this player?

Bob, I have e-mailed them with some questions on Sunday and have not heard back. Since a couple of the questions were technical in nature, Kevin will probably be elected to answer them and I suppose he has been busy. The Erato II will be an upgrade from a Thalia/Nine. I am inclined to go ahead with the upgrade but I want to know more about the remote and about the attenuator module, which I am now considering as part of the upgrade. Thanks for checking back.

As an update, I did hear back from Kevin at MUSE and we are discussing details for the upgrade to Erato II. The attenuator module is indeed an active device that has a maximum output of 6.5V RMS, an output impedance of 150 ohms (or 150+150 ohms in balanced mode), and it can be controlled by the remote. Even with the attenuator module, it still comes with the fixed outputs so it can be used with a preamp.

Mitch, I really think it's worth considering. I found it to be a marked improvement over my Krell Preamp. Please let me know if/when you order and how it works out for you. I think it is an all out winner. Kevin is a genius...Bob

I've come to this a bit late but I had an Erato at home for a few weeks earlier this year. The reasons for not purchasing were purely practical. I found it beguiling and now that I have an Emm Labs CDSAse I'm not 100% sure I did the right thing. It seemed to have a natural character that when I think back drew me in more so than I've experienced before or since. The system I run now is better but not neccessarily in a natural way certainly more hifi, greater resolution etc. The likelyhood of trying it again and comparing is slim but I'd definately love to.

Thanks Defride, for weighing in - any information is helpful. I have been considering the Erato II in order to simplify my system by running all solid state equipment that should better serve my erratic listening habits. I have been curious about how few folks here own MUSE equipment even though their gear has been universally well-regarded. I have been told, MUSE has a larger following overseas than here. In the Stereophile review of the MUSE Polyhymnia, they concluded the Polyhymnia was basically at the same sonic level as the Ayre C5XeMP, but with a slightly different sound of it's own, and MUSE considers the Erato II [sonically] "the better of the two devices," when compared with the Polyhymnia. HiFi+ considered the Erato II basically equivalent to the very highly regarded (and much more expensive) AR CD-7, and called the Erato II a "digital benchmark." Therefore, based on those reviews at least, the Erato II is a very well-regarded player.

Another reason this has been a tough decision for me is that my Lector CDP 7TL MkIII still sounds great, and IMO beats the Thalia/Nine (that I purchased as a back-up) by providing a more realistic portrayal of wood, brass, and strings, and better micro dynamics (the Lector is simply more fun to listen to). Therefore, I am taking it on trust that the Erato II is a large step up from the Thalia/Nine and will be at least the equivalent to my Lector (and hopefully much better). Kevin at MUSE and I are working out final details and I am sending the Thalia/Nine in for the upgrade this week. I must also add that after owning MUSE equipment on and off for years, and going through several upgrades to their digital units and preamp, IMO a person would be hard pressed to find a better company (along with Ayre and a few others) to work with based on their responsiveness and commitment to upgrading existing products while still staying on the cutting edge of new developments, year after year.