{"id":30495,"date":"2022-01-12T13:21:18","date_gmt":"2022-01-12T11:21:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=30495"},"modified":"2022-06-15T12:06:41","modified_gmt":"2022-06-15T10:06:41","slug":"aries-cerat-preamplifiers-compared-incito-s-and-impera-reference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/preamplifier-reviews\/aries-cerat-preamplifiers-compared-incito-s-and-impera-reference\/","title":{"rendered":"Aries Cerat preamplifiers compared – Incito S and Impera Reference"},"content":{"rendered":"

Review sample supplied by Ultisone<\/a>\u00a0and Callas Audio<\/a>
\n<\/a>Retail prices in the NL including 21% VAT:
\nIncito S: 14.200 euro
\nImpera Reference: 22.000<\/h4>\n

Following my initial review of the Aries Cerat Incito S preamp and the Hel\u00e9ne DAC<\/a>, Ron of Callas Audio had jokingly said that the annoying thing about Aries Cerat equipment was that no matter how great a model sounded, the model above it would be even better. The advice, therefore, was to not listen to a model that you can’t afford. Shortly thereafter, it was suggested by Michel of Ultisone to review the Impera Reference preamp, a model that sits above the Incito S. Michel concurred with Ron’s viewpoint but did not tell me anything about the relative differences, leaving this for me to find out. Expecting the Incito S and the Impera to be relatively close to one another, I suggested making the review into a comparison between the two models. To this end, Michel supplied the Impera while Ron once again supplied his Incito S.<\/p>\n

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Above: Incito S and Impera Reference power supply units sharing a level of the Artesania Organic Line Modular Rack<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Upon hearing the two models side by side, I quickly learned that there was no hyperbole whatsoever and that the two preamps do indeed inhabit two different performance classes. This being the case, I decided to put the focus for this review on the Impera Reference but with the Incito S added for perspective.<\/p>\n

Impera models<\/h3>\n

The current Impera range exists 0f three different models, all of the “II” (2) generation. The basic model that I will be reviewing here is called Impera Reference but note that the preamp has “Impera II” printed on its front panel as well as on the power supply unit. Above the Impera Reference is the full-twin-chassis Impera Signature and above that is the Impera Limited Edition which is the current top model.<\/p>\n

My “basic” Impera Reference is strictly speaking also a 2-chassis design but instead of the Impera Signature’s full-twin-chassis, the Reference preamp utilizes a small external housing just like that of the Incito S preamp for the power transformer. The umbilical cable between the power supply and the preamp carries AC from the transformer’s multiple secondaries. The AC is then rectified, filtered, and regulated locally.<\/p>\n

With a 52 cm width and a 53.5 cm depth, the Impera is wider and considerably deeper than the Incito S. While the latter looked normally sized and even a little cute compared to the bulky CH Precision components, the Impera actually makes the Swiss blocks look cute. To put this into perspective, the Incito S is 48 cm wide and 35 cm deep while the Impera Reference is 52 cm wide and 53.5 cm deep. Those 4 centimeters in width may seem insignificant but when you see the unit in person, you will probably be shocked. Once you have recovered, try to lift the unit and you’ll be in for another shock! It weighs 65 Kilograms, so you better have a large and very sturdy rack!<\/p>\n

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Technical Differences<\/h3>\n

So just how does the Impera differ from the Incito S, you ask? Peeking inside, I see similarities such as the TVC volume control but also lots of differences, mainly in terms of the sheer amount of transformers and chokes inside the Impera. I think it’s safe to say that 4\/5 of the unit’s internal volume is taken up by transformers while the volume control and active line stage take up the remaining 1\/5 on two small PCBs.<\/p>\n

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There’s not a lot of technical information available. Such is the maker’s philosophy, it seems, that he does not want to dwell on technicalities but rather lets the audio component’s performance speak for itself. The European Aries Cerat website mentions the basic specifications and mainly focuses on the Impera’s Inverted Triode Technology, which I will detail a little further below.<\/p>\n

Like the Incito S, the Impera utilizes Multi-tap input transformers as the attenuation method for volume control, along with the stylish Nixie-Tube input- and volume indicators behind a thick glass front panel. For the Impera Reference, in particular, it’s mentioned that the multi-tap input transformer has a special bifilar winding which results in excellent performance both in frequency and time domain. The 26 separate taps are switched by small-signal sealed relays.<\/p>\n

The Impera Reference has what is referred to as a “Double choke-filtered quad power supply. So, 8 power supplies? From the looks of it, that certainly seems right! All four vacuum tubes are fed by special quality PSUs, with four individual choke filtered capacitor banks. There are 5 unbalanced inputs, an HT pass-through, and a single unbalanced output. Optionally, one can also fit balanced in- and outputs.<\/p>\n

Inverted Triode Technology<\/h3>\n

Inverted Triode Technology is a vacuum tube innovation developed by Aries Cerat and utilized in the Impera II series. According to the manufacturer, the technology is different from any kind of vacuum tube used in audio and tube electronics in general. In the basis, three electrodes, a cathode, grid, and plate, are combined to give an amplification device completely different in operation from the classic vacuum tube.<\/p>\n

Inside a typical vacuum tube, an electron stream emitted from a heated cathode is accelerated toward a positively charged anode, which has a flat plate structure. The electron flow is impeded by the grid, a negatively charged wire-grid structure, placed between the cathode and anode. This operation resembles a typical fluid control valve, hence the name “valve” tube.<\/p>\n

Inside an Inverted Triode tube, the electron stream emitted from a heated cathode is accelerated towards the anode, now a wire-grid-like structure. The electron flow is now unimpeded since no grid structure exists between the anode and cathode. Instead, a plate-like structure, enveloping the cathode\/anode assembly, called the control \u201cgrid\u201d is shadowing the anode electrical field, having a very high negative electrical field itself, thus \u201cpushing\u201d the electrons away from the anode. This mode of electron flow control is completely different from the triode mode of operation.<\/p>\n

The inverted triode actually acts like a virtual \u201cvacuum state transformer\u201d. Instead of having gain, the inverted triode has only a fraction of unity gain, just like a step-down transformer. The internal resistance is many times lower, and input capacitance is nearly zero.<\/p>\n

The inverted triode has a 100 times lower plate resistance than a 6SN7 tube and zero input capacitance which gives the output stage superb measured performance and a 2 Hz-500 KHz bandwidth, figures that are apparently not achieved by other triode designs with a transformer output stage.<\/p>\n

According to the manufacturer, another example of the Inverted Triode\u2019s technical advantage over a typical vacuum tube such as the 300B can be found in a comparison of the two driving the same output transformer. The Inverted Triode tube presented a power bandwidth of 2 Hz-500.000 Hz whereas the 300B tube had a bandwidth of 15 Hz-100.000 Hz. Same transformer, same driver tube, but 5 times the bandwidth for the Inverted Triode tube.<\/p>\n

The output stage is driven by the input tube with the help of an amorphous double-C core signal choke. The output stage then drives a high-quality double-C core output transformer with a bifilar winding technique, which gives the transformer supreme frequency extension and supreme transient signal response parameters.<\/p>\n

Bias Adjustments<\/h3>\n

Just like the Incito S, the Impera II’s bias can be adjusted by the user to find just the right balance between warmth and control. Both Ron and Michel had made sure to adjust the respective preamps to their default settings. As I initially wanted to experiment with this for the Impera, I requested instructions for the procedure but as time went by, I decided that the factory setting was actually perfect and no adjustment was required. For those who want to experiment with this, the instructions are as follows.<\/p>\n

Note that current Impera models have internal bias value displays but my earlier sample requires a simple volt-meter. The black ground wire should be connected to the Impera’s rear panel earth connection while the red “live” wire should be connected to the rearmost E280F tube’s pin 1 (first pin after the break) while adjusting the potentiometer. The procedure must be done for the left- and right channels individually. The minimum usable value is 150, the maximum is 180. Michel indicated that the minimum audible increment is 5 and that the factory-recommended setting is midway between these values, so 165. He left my unit on 170.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Aries Cerat Design Considerations<\/h3>\n

I took this occasion to ask the designer, Stavros, a bunch of questions relating to Aries Cerat design in general, and the Impera Reference in particular. You can find the Q and A on the last page of this review. For now, let’s just dive in, shall we?!<\/p>\n

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System Context<\/h3>\n

For this review, I used my main system<\/a>, consisting in the basis of the CH C1<\/a> DAC, CH A1.5<\/a> power amp, and Magico S1 MkII speakers. For digital sources, I will use the Aqua La Diva M2<\/a> CD transport and the Grimm MU1<\/a> music server, along with the Aqua LinQ<\/a> network interface (with the Core+NAA module<\/a>) and the Aqua Formula xHD<\/a> DAC. The analog source section consists of the Origin Live Calypso mk4 with Illustrious Tonearm<\/a> and ViRA Aidas Rainbow<\/a> MC cartridge with the CH Precision P1<\/a> phono stage.<\/p>\n

Warming Up<\/h3>\n

Over the course of my review of the Incito S, I felt that 30-45 minutes of warming up was sufficient for it to sound just about perfect. As part of the Impera review, however, I noticed two things, one of which ties in perfectly with Stavros’ preference for leaving the components on throughout a listening session and not switching them off and on in quick succession (see the Incito S review<\/a> for his full explanation).<\/p>\n

First, while both the Incito S and the Impera on the surface of it do indeed sound just about perfect 30-45 minutes into a session, now, I noticed further improvements as the equipment was switched on for longer. At about the two-hour mark, the sound had become richer and even more free-flowing, as well as even more enveloping and these effects seemed to climb to even higher levels as the hours proceeded.<\/p>\n

Second, now I also noticed that both preamps need some time to recuperate after having been switched off, even if they had been switched on for hours prior to that. This process seemed to go a little faster than a switch-on from cold but still, they sounded most alluring and emotionally most involving after another 20-30 minutes. Knowing this, I made sure to switch both preamps on in the morning and not start any serious tests until the afternoon.<\/p>\n

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Listening<\/h3>\n

Having reacquainted myself with the Incito S in my system as it was connected in between the Aqua Formula xHD DAC and the CH A1.5 power amp using two sets of Driade Flow Link Reference 808<\/a> cables, I was prepared to switch to the Impera Reference. To be honest, I expected to hear the same sound but with improvements in certain areas. Well, that’s not what happened at all! Instead, the Impera offered a much more robust sound, not only in terms of solidity in the bass but also with respect to the overall confidence of the delivery. The Impera has a positively impactful and bouncy presentation with startling slam and absolutely amazing dynamics.<\/p>\n

In comparison, the Incito S has a gentler and sweeter delivery with a rounder bass, a warmer midrange, and a less impactful dynamic slam. Interestingly, the Incito S does not yield to the Impera in terms of resolution, detail, focus, transparency, or any of these kinds of audiophile aspects. The difference focuses mostly on impact, solidity, and dynamics, as mentioned, but further comparisons also unveiled that, no matter how spacious and free-flowing the Incito S is, the Impera has an even wider and even more deeply imaging presentation. Indeed, the Incito S is one of the most spacious preamps that I have used, but even so, the Impera just takes it two steps further.<\/p>\n

As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, it’s very important to have both preamps warmed up prior to switching between them and making assessments. If one of the two preamps has a cold start, or even when it has been switched off momentarily and on again, it will sound less airy and fluid, and coarser in resolution for 30-45 minutes. I actually fell for this when switching back from the Incito S to the power-cycled Impera. I was listening with JW and even though we both clearly heard the Impera’s superiority when switching to it from the Incito S for the first time, the second time around we looked at each other in wonder… was this truly what we were so excited about? The power-cycled Impera sure was still superior in terms of solidity, bass heft, and dynamic impact, but it now sounded quite dark, not quite as refined, and a little rough. But sure enough, after half an hour, it had regained its full strength, and both JW and I had learned a valuable lesson.<\/p>\n

But let’s return to the Impera’s amazing performance, as I’m not yet done describing it!<\/p>\n

Not only is the Impera’s bass more robust, but it is also more cleanly chiseled, and actually, for the first time ever with a tube preamp, I can’t say that the bass has lost any of its articulation, speed, or attack when moving from a direct C1 DAC to A1.5 power amp pairing to the Aqua Formula xHD DAC via the Impera II preamp with the A1.5 power amp. I have to admit that these findings truly gave me pause and even made me seriously rethink my amplification strategy.<\/p>\n

Sure, via the preamp, the sound is fuller and arguably more colored than the ultra-neutral direct connection, but still, it comes across as entirely neutral and arguably more natural. When moving back to the direct DAC connection, the sound is leaner and cooler, significantly drier, and tonally less saturated. It’s that I know that the C1 isn’t inherently gray but now it sure sounded like it. In addition, the resolution seemed to be not higher, but actually lower! Listening for longer, I can still appreciate the ultra-clean CH delivery with its even more precise rendition of the edges of notes, while also noting that my foot is fortunately still bouncing, but unmistakably also noting that the emotional involvement did take a couple of steps back.<\/p>\n

I’ve known for some time that there is no beating tubes (even if only the insertion of a tube preamp into a transistor system) when pure musical involvement and a deep emotional connection are the main objectives. But each and every time that I tried it, I would be ecstatic at first only to be disappointed later, because the bass was simply not as fast, articulate, and incisive as I like it. This is one of the areas in which transistor equipment often has the advantage. Interestingly, while one could rightfully suspect a preamp employing a Transformer Volume Control followed by a tube stage and a transformer-coupled output to result in a softened and rounded sound, the Impera simply proves the opposite by actually sounding even more potent and robust than the C1 DAC by itself. Go figure! In addition, the Impera’s bass is just as quick, almost as articulate, and certainly every bit as dynamic and expressive. This is truly a unicum!<\/p>\n

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Above: Analog Source: with the Origin Live turntable and the CH Precision P1 phono preamp as a source, again, the Impera proved to be a fantastic preamplifier, easily beating the Ayon Stealth preamp that I normally use with the turntable in nearly every aspect such as transparency, resolution, refinement, air, soundstage, fluidity, and flow. The only areas in which the two preamps were more or less comparable are, Ayon-typically, the robustness of the bass, and to a lesser extent, the dynamic impact.<\/em><\/p>\n

With all this talk of robustness, impact, and dynamics, one might be forgiven assuming that the Impera Reference is perhaps not as romantic as some other tube preamps. But here, too, the preamp delivers in spades. The Impera offers everything the Incito S does, and that includes absolutely 100% of its emotional-inducement powers. Granted, the Incito S adds a little bit more roundness and bloom, but the Impera is most definitely never deficient in warmth, richness, texture, bloom, and warmth, as long as it is registered in the recording. Additionally, like the Incito S, the Impera almost unassumingly has an absolutely superb resolution. It resolves low-level details so deeply and with such naturalness that you’d almost think nothing of it when compared to other products that add some edge or fake definition. With the Impera (and, to be fair, also with the Incito S), you hear the full measure of what is played, meaning the initial transient, followed by all of the intended sustain and decay, not just the main transient.<\/p>\n

Musically, emotionally, and for the most part, technically, the Impera is the best preamp that I have heard. It makes for extended sessions during which visitor after visitor, no matter if they are tube-heads or transistor-lovers, makes the very same comment, which is that my system has never sounded better.<\/p>\n

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And when switching from the Aqua DAC to the CH Precision DAC, once again, both JW and I were shocked, for never before has the difference in performance between these two DACs been clearer. Yes, the C1 is much more expensive, but yes, it is also considerably better. And the Impera just hands these differences on a silver plate, proving it is highly revealing and transparent.<\/p>\n

Having entered my ultra-critical listening mode and having again compared the direct C1 to A1.5 sound to that with the Impera in between, I must conclude that the direct connection still sounds more precise and more controlled, but is it better? Or more realistic? Well, that warrants a little detour. Despite what some players in the industry or some people would like us to believe, no matter how much you spend, electronically reproduced music is simply not 100% strictly neutral. Every component adds or takes away something.<\/p>\n

The important thing to note is that, so far, when inserting other tube preamplifiers, there was always a penalty either in terms of pacing, dynamics, bass control, transient speed, or transparency or even in all of these aspects. Granted, with the Impera, you also get a tonally fuller, and slightly enriched delivery that I don’t feel is strictly 100% neutral or linear. However, for a change, all of the benefits come without any penalties. Even more significantly, the character that the preamp adds is very slight, as well as uniform on all levels and spread across the entire frequency range. As such, it sounds<\/em> very neutral<\/em>, but more importantly, wholly natural<\/em>. What the Impera adds is done in such a fashion that it actually enhances the message and provides a deeper emotional connection.<\/p>\n

Yup, the Impera has definitely made an impact and its visit was illuminating, not only in terms of how tube preamplifiers can perform in general but also with regards to my preference for using the C1 DAC directly to the power amplifier.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Cables<\/h3>\n

The more I use them, the more I find that the Driade Flow Link Reference cables are not only very linear and very neutral in addition to being highly refined, but so far, they also work in almost every combination and my listening sessions with the Impera further established this. However, when switching between the Impera and the direct DAC to power amp connection, one of the very few areas that I felt were better with the DAC direct, was the precision in the bass. And that was my cue for trying other cables.<\/p>\n

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I won’t dilute this review by mentioning every cable that I tried but I do want to mention the AudioQuest Fire<\/a>. With its superbly articulate and relatively dry bass and its very neutral overall balance, I hoped to lend the Impera some of the C1’s remaining superior bass precision. And indeed it did! Having replaced one of the two Driade cables, the Impera now provided even tighter bass while also becoming even more expressive and involving. To my ears, using the Fire between DAC and preamp, and the Driade between preamp and power amp provided the very best balance that I could achieve.<\/p>\n

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Maybe two Fire cables would have been even more to my liking, but alas, at this moment, I only have one cable. On the other hand, I must admit that the Fire, while steering the sound a little more toward the direction that I am accustomed to (high-precision), the full Driade cable outfit provided the highest amount of fluidity and flow.<\/p>\n

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In parallel with this Aries Cerat review, I also reviewed two Signal Projects cables, Lynx and Apollon, which provided a very interesting alternative. Please see the review<\/a> for all the specifics.<\/p>\n

DAC-Direct or Preamp?<\/h3>\n

The CH Precision C1 was the first DAC that sounded refined and fluid even when used without an analog preamp, and so, it has formed the core of my system up until this point. Decades ago, in the olden days when Wadia Digital recommended ditching the analog preamp, the benefits of the direct connection were very clear, but I also could not deny the considerable downsides. Especially with those Wadia products, the midrange lost a lot of liquidity and the treble became dry, which I then combated with the use of various Jeff Rowland preamplifiers. I owned almost all of them but no matter how liquid and refined they sound for solid-state designs, none of them ever came close to matching what the Impera Reference achieves.<\/p>\n

With the Impera, the C1 DAC is now allowed to supply the music in its full resolution, rather than throwing away bits as the result of its digital volume control and that is an aspect that is not to be underestimated. For the longest time (as my room acoustics were still cough-less than ideal-cough), I have accepted this particular downside because of the superb definition across the board. And those still non-ideal room acoustics also made that the DAC’s dryness did not stand out quite as much as it does now. Annoyingly, no matter which preamp I tried, the result was always a lessening of definition, and often reductions in other areas. Not so with the Impera. And, dare I say it, at a more reasonable price point than much of the competition. Of course, 22.000 Euro is far from peanuts but at least with the Impera, you get 50+ Kilos of transformers and smartly-designed circuits instead of a big empty box.<\/p>\n

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Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The Impera Reference is easily the most powerful-sounding preamp that I have heard. Its bass rivals that of many solid-state preamplifiers in terms of solidity, speed, and drive while its overall impact, expression, and dynamic slam are either on par with or actually outperform other preamplifiers, irrespective of their design principles.<\/p>\n

But this preamp is not just about power and impact. Like the Incito S, the Impera almost unassumingly has an absolutely superb resolution. It resolves low-level details so deeply and with such naturalness that you’d almost think nothing of it when compared to other products that add some edge or fake definition. And although it sounds highly neutral and very linear, the Impera is most definitely not deficient in warmth, richness, texture, bloom, and warmth, as long as it is registered in the recording.<\/p>\n

So far, when inserting other tube preamplifiers, there was always a penalty either in terms of pacing, dynamics, bass control, transient speed, or transparency or even in all of these aspects. For a change, all of the benefits come without any penalties. Even more significantly, the character that the preamp adds is very slight, as well as uniform on all levels and spread across the entire frequency range. As such, it sounds very neutral, but more importantly, wholly natural<\/em>. What the Impera adds is done in such a fashion that it actually enhances the message and provides a deeper emotional connection.<\/p>\n

Musically, emotionally, and for the most part, technically, the Impera is the best preamp that I have heard. It makes for extended sessions during which visitor after visitor, no matter if they are tube-heads or transistor-lovers, makes the very same comment, which is that my system has never sounded better.<\/p>\n

Therefore, the Impera Reference deserves the highest praise that I can give it, which is to hand it the Magnificent Masterpiece HFA award.<\/p>\n

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Associated Equipment<\/a><\/p>\n

Videos on the Hifi-Advice YouTube Channel<\/h3>\n

Aries Cerat Helene and Incito S preview<\/a>
\nHFA visits Callas Audio<\/a>
\nHFA Front Page<\/a><\/p>\n

External Links<\/h3>\n

Distributor for the BeNeLux: Ultisone<\/a>
\nDealer for Belgium and Luxembourg: Alpha High End<\/a>
\nManufacturer’s website: AriesCerat<\/a><\/p>\n

Dealer for the Netherlands:
\nwww.callas-audio.nl<\/a>
\n<\/em>Lelystad 8241AK
\ninfo@callas-audio.nl<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Next: Bonus Content: Technical Q and A<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Technical Q & A<\/h3>\n

HFA: The Impera model that I am reviewing requires a voltmeter. Does the current Impera have an internal bias display like the Incito S?<\/em><\/p>\n

Stavros: Yes, four-position, measured plate voltage, and bias of the E280F for both channels.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Above left: Impera Reference power supply; right: Incito S power supply<\/em><\/p>\n

HFA: How does the move from the blue hook-up wires inside black mesh to the detachable yellow <\/em>umbilical between power supply and preamp affect the sound? (see the image of the current Impera model below)<\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Stavros: I would say it is a negligible difference. If anything, in theory, the thicker wire in the yellow umbilical is better.<\/span><\/p>\n

HFA: What are the gain stage tubes: the E280Fs or the Inverted Triodes? <\/em>If the latter, then why are we adjusting the bias on the E280F’s socket?<\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Stavros: The E280F provides the gain and drives the IT in the output stage. It also provides biasing to the output stage. So you adjust the E280F but also indirectly adjust the IT as well.<\/p>\n

HFA: What is the Inverted Triode brand and type? Are they NOS or still made? Are replacements costly?<\/em><\/p>\n

Stavros: We cannot disclose info on this. We provide the tubes and they are relatively cheap. They need frequent replacement and luckily they are not expensive.<\/p>\n

HFA: Does the addition of XLR inputs and or outputs affect the sound of<\/em> the single-ended inputs and outputs?<\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Stavros: I<\/span>t does indeed. Adding a true XLR\u00a0 input is done with the use of an input transformer. So, SE is better as you have no conversion. To add an XLR output, we use a different output transformer which is not SE out but balanced out. Here, there are only small differences but the SE version of the output transformer is superior. The RCA inputs are connected directly. Only the XLR inputs go through
\nthe conversion input transformers.<\/p>\n

HFA: Ok, so adding XLR outputs is not recommended as this also affects the RCA outputs (that use the same, altered output transformer). When talking about adding an XLR input, however, does adding a single XLR input also affect the sound of the RCA inputs?<\/em><\/p>\n

It is recommended to order the Impera with the XLR version of the output transformer only if you use XLR only to the power amp. If you are going to use RCA, it is better to order the SE version as this is superior with SE connections.<\/p>\n

HFA: given the difference in gain between the Incito S (low gain) and the Impera Reference (high gain), I wondered how adjusting the output gain of an Aries Cerat preamp<\/em> affects the sound. Does a lower gain result in a more relaxed, less spritely sound? Or vice versa, perhaps? As I understand it, you are not using an L-pad or resistors for that matter but less or more windings on a transformer could still have more or less of a\u00a0hysteresis effect, right?<\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Stavros: This<\/span> is made with a differently designed output transformer, sometimes with a completely different winding technique and core material. So, it is not an oranges to oranges type of comparison. For example, with the Incito S, the lower gain is preferred sometimes, even though it is the same winding tech and core, but a higher step-down ratio. The low gain sounds a bit more saturated, the high gain sounds a little more open. With the Impera Ref, however, we have OPT that has very different technology. Between them, so this is not directly comparable. The version you have is excellent, it has a bifilar winding 1:1 of course as all bifilar are. We replaced that OPT with a different core and tech for reasons other than sound quality. We recently widened the optional choices we have for the Impera, with the addition of some low and medium-gain versions. These use higher grade nano cores but are not bifilar. In a way, what you lose with the non-bifilar winding, you gain with the nano core. We have developed these additions only recently.<\/p>\n

HFA: It’s interesting what you mention in terms of saturation versus <\/em>openness with respectively low gain and high gain. Between the low-gain, yellow cable, Incito S, and the high-gain, hookup wire, Impera Ref, I hear more saturation and warmth with the Incito and a more incisive and more expressive sound with the Impera. Now, I wonder how much of this is induced by the gain difference and the cable.<\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Stavros:
\n<\/span>The difference with the Incito S between low and high gain is very small. It is 1\/20 of the difference between Incito S and Impera. You can only notice the difference of the two versions if you switch them in seconds in AB comparisons, and mostly it will be unnoticed. The Incito S and Impera are very very different designs. They share no common parts or topology, other than the E280F tube. The Inverted Triode is the key aspect of the design. The difference in topology, parts, and the Inverted Triode vs any other triode are several magnitudes higher than a difference in the cables used throughout the design.<\/p>\n

HFA: I understand the reasoning behind choosing Nixie Tubes. Does enabling the Incito S bias display incur a reduction in sound quality?<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

It does not have an effect. In any case, for users in doubt :), the bias display can be switched offline . There is a switch that disconnects the auto probes when not in use.<\/p>\n

HFA: given the lengths gone in order to minimize interference, how are IC’s that drive the input- and volume level sections isolated?<\/em><\/p>\n

Stavros: The ICs control relays, so they are not in the signal path. The relay contacts that are used
\nhave lower resistance than a common connection, like an RCA plug for example.<\/p>\n

HFA: To clarify, I was elaborating on the principle of using Nixie tubes rather than IC-driven LED displays or other displays to avoid switching- or HF noise, and I wondered if the input- and volume IC’s do not cause any issues that need to be counteracted. And if so, how this was done.<\/em><\/p>\n

Stavros: The LED modules themselves are not noisy, the driving circuits are. Usually in all industries, the LED displays are driven by an IC that runs them in series and in several Khz range and this produces noise. If you drive numitron tubes (Nixie Tubes) the same way (with switching ICs) you will still have
\nnoise. So the display is not responsible, the driving circuits are. We recently changed to some LED displays (as numitrons are getting scarce) but the difference is that we use a special kind of driving circuit, that does not drive the segments in series and in switching mode, but with a parallel drive. This is a much more complicated and expensive way to do it, but it is worth it.<\/p>\n

HFA: What is the rationale behind not having any buttons on the preamp front panels? The DAC conveniently does have input selection. Why not the preamps?<\/em><\/p>\n

It was simply a design choice, made back then when I started designing our brand. Unfortunately, we don’t have a provision for front panel switches. For users that worry about misplacing the remote, we provide extra remotes at a cost (some keep an extra remote on their rack at all times:).<\/p>\n

The Incito has the 5AR4 rectifier tube in the main chassis but how and where does the rectification take place with the Impera Reference?<\/em><\/p>\n

Stavros: It’s solid-state in all four high-voltage PSU’s.<\/p>\n

Associated Equipment<\/a><\/p>\n

Videos on the Hifi-Advice YouTube Channel<\/h3>\n

Aries Cerat Helene and Incito S preview<\/a>
\nHFA visits Callas Audio<\/a>
\nHFA Front Page<\/a><\/p>\n

External Links<\/h3>\n

Distributor for the BeNeLux: Ultisone<\/a>
\nDealer for Belgium and Luxembourg: Alpha High End<\/a>
\nManufacturer’s website: AriesCerat<\/a><\/p>\n

Dealer for the Netherlands:
\nwww.callas-audio.nl<\/a>
\n<\/em>Lelystad 8241AK
\ninfo@callas-audio.nl<\/a><\/p>\n

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