Aesthetix Calypso VS ARC Reference 3


Half price off course ($5000 VS $10000) , but suppose cost is not an issue: what you think are the sonic differences between the two pre-amps ?
duonri
I am absolutely certain Rwwear is wrong.

So who is right?

There is no possible winner here, and the debate has been driven so far into the ground that it ought to qualify as a nuclear fallout shelter.

I am convinced that we all hear differently. Some better than others. Some significantly so. Just as we all have stronger and weaker senses of touch, smell, sight and taste. We're unique biological beings, and as such our senses differ as much as our physical appearances and our internal physiologies.

I like your taste in music, Rwwear. I think we should keep the discussion there...or on the topic of this thread, because where this thread is presently headed there are no answers that will satisfy everyone.

What you think you hear is not what you hear.

I agree, the experience of hearing is not thinking. Sometimes the best listening involves no thinking at all.

Audio ergo sum,
Tim
Rwwear,
I disagree totally with you.
My friends and I have done double-blind testing between the stock power cords on my JC-1 monoblock amps, and inexpensive Signal Cable Magic power cords, and the sonic differences and/or improvements with the Signal Cable PC's are clearly audible to all 4 of us... How do you explain that???
i guess i accidentally opened that can of worm ...

I wasn't a believer, and trust me, the best power cord I have right now (!) are the generic 14awg ones came with the amps. I have some other generic PC power cord kicking around.

What happened on that day I was swapping the power cord for some reason I don't remember, and I swapped the 14awg cord out from the Calpyso with a generic PC cord (i guess it was either 16 or 18 awg).

My wife walked in and said:

"what did you do? it sounds like cr*p!!!!"

Needless to say, I'm now a believer.
I used to be a non-believer in power cords as well...No more!
While I do not believe in spending big bucks on power cords, I will say this:
I have never heard two power cords that sound alike.
They may just be "a few feet of wire between your component and the outlet", but all have their own unique sonic signature for whatever reasons that I cannot explain.
I can also pick out upgrade power cords over my stock one blind, and quite easily.
And, on top of that, my girlfriend can tell the difference if I change out power cords while she is away, and I fire up my system, and she is not an audiophile or critical listener in the least.
She will ask, "what component did you change out this time?"
I will ask her what she means, and she will reply:
"You bought some new component, I can tell, cause your system sounds different."
She only says this if I have actually made a component or wiring change to my system.
It blows her mind when I tell her the only difference is a different power cord! LOL!