Mimas integrated amp from Aesthetix

Aesthetix’ first integrated amplifier after four years in development pumps 150W into 8 Ohms and nearly double that into 4 Ohms

The hybrid valve input stage and a solid-state output stage includes the preamplifier section that uses one 6DJ8 (6922) valve per channel in a fully differential, balanced configuration, Roederstein plate load resistors from Germany, capacitor coupling capacitors from California and a discrete solid-state current source. Valves are burned in for more than 100 hours. The Mimas also features the same volume control as used in the Calypso. It consists of 88 1dB steps, using individual switched 1% metal film resistors.

Power amplification borrows from the output section of Aesthetix’ Atlas amplifier. The Mimas’ power output section is a fully discrete (no integrated circuits), fully differential, zero-feedback, DC-coupled, balanced bridge output design, operating in Class AB. FET input devices are matched. There’s also seven fully regulated power supplies, in which the 800VA power transformer is designed and manufactured completely in-house by Aesthetix.

There are five line-level analogue inputs, each of which can be used as either single-ended or balanced, plus the option of adding a fully discrete, FET-based, MM/MC phono input card with variable gain option, and/or a DAC card (with two coaxial and two optical SPDIF inputs plus a USB input capable of 24bit/384kHz PCM, DSD and DSD2 operation. Each analogue input can be defined as a home theatre bypass input, allowing incorporation into a more complex theatre system while maintaining pure two-channel sound quality.

In addition, the Mimas’ fully balanced, actively buffered preamplifier output can be used to drive a subwoofer or a separate power amplifier. The Mimas comes with a standard headphone output of 1/3W into 32 Ohms, which can be optionally upgraded to a fully discrete 1-watt-into-32-ohm amplifier, with Mogami headphone wiring. Arriving in black or silver, the price is £8,725. Phono stage and DAC options are priced at £1,500.

 To learn more, click www.aesthetix.net

Don’t forget to check out my Facebook Group, The Audiophile Man: Hi-Fi & Music here: www.facebook.com/groups/theaudiophileman for exclusive postings, exclusive editorial and more!]