In the quest for the ideal match between Astraeus and the rest of my system, I experimented with some tube rolling. To me, hybrid amplifiers like this or my Riviera Labs where changing a single preamp tube allows reshapes the sound offer just the right degree of tweaking. It's easy to grasp, quick and relatively inexpensive. Astraeus arrived with a Tesla ECC88 and the alternatives I had thanks to a generous loan from a good friend were two little gems from the Golden Age: an RCA 6922 pinched waist and Siemens CCa. I started with the latter and immediately noticed a further elevation of clarity and transparency, up to hyaline territory. Speed and punch emphasized, making the pairing with Immanis restless in a nearly disturbing way while Valkyria reacted well. The RCA bottle was on the opposite end of the spectrum, adding meat, lushness, tonal density and roundness but taking away too much transparency and transient realism for my tastes. I happily went back to the stock Tesla, a clearly tasteful and thoughtful choice by Dragan. I also made direct comparisons with my AIC-10 and briefly the Solaja Master 300b in for review. The SAEQ was the most silent of the lot and its persona stood out for its unshakable integrity delivered with the human touch.
The AIC-10 provided grander more expansive imagery with slightly darker thicker textures, a more authoritative voicing. Astraeus proved more resolving, liquid and compact. These differences were more apparent with speakers while on headphones, these two amplifiers were almost siblings in their intentions. In comparison to the Master 300b, the SAEQ delivered sharper leading edges and more athletic articulation elasticity. Midrange glow, holographic imaging and vocal intensity were the stronger suits of the Solaja. If the AIC-10 is a Masseto merlot so round, lush but with the sustain of a rigorous structure, the Solaja is a Guigal La Landonne syrah so explosive and corporeal with complex aromatic overtones. Astraeus could be a Pichon Baron de Longueville cabernet sauvignon, sumptuously elegant, refreshing with a tight body and decades of evolution potential.
In conclusion, Astraeus is clearly the mature result of a thorough heritage of electronics design. It is built and finished exceptionally well, practical and satisfying in daily use and packed with thoughtful sometimes innovative solutions using ancient and new tech to serve its musical purpose. It has an uncompromising person behind it, the type that needs to be proud of his work first and foremost. Appreciation from the public is a consequence that follows on organically. It is a serious instrument for playback enjoyment, capable of elevating transducers of broadly varying sensitivity, type and voicing to their highest expressive potential with authenticity. Astraeus speaks to the mind and heart of the listener at the same time, its technical proficiency acting as a supporting framework for the eloquence of emotional communication. This amplifier deserves a prominent place in the highest tier of headphone electronics regardless of price and can be a splendid multi-tasker within systems including reasonably sensitive speakers. For all these reasons, I give Astraeus my warmest recommendation.
