Aesthetix Mimas

摘要

What you get in this compact box, offered in silver or black, is music to a purist's ears, especially when you discover that all of its five inputs are available on both balanced XLR and single-ended RCAs. The £8750 Mimas is a tube/ solid-state hybrid: a merged version of its Calypso/Atlas pre/power amplifiers. It uses the same volume control as the Calypso, with 88 steps in 1dB increments, employing individual switched 1% metal film resistors. The Mimas's precision and 'quietness' are admirable, especially for listeners sensitive to precise level setting. The preamp section also injects warmth and 'holography', thanks to a pair of 6DJ8/6922 valves, one per channel, in a fully differential, balanced configuration.