[ez-v]

Recently came into ownership of some Vandersteen 2c's and, not having a lot of spare money to throw around right now, am thinking of setting up a low cost 2-ch. setup.

Heard quite a bit about the Odyssey Tempest, but was interested in learning more about the Etesian.  Haven't been able to unearth any reviews professional, anecdotal, or otherwise about this passive preamp.  How does it compare with the Tempest or any of the other passives out their (Sonic Frontiers, Bent NOH, FT-Audio LW1, Placette, Creek OBH, etc.)?

Also (this is probably more a question for Klaus), thinking of acquiring a Cambridge Audio 540C CD player and the Etesian pre-amp, to go with a spare Sony TA-N9000ES power amp that have. Any comment as to the synergy of such a system, particularly in light of the fact that passive preamps tend to be much more sensitive to input/output impedances of the various compenents in the chain?

Thanks in advance for any advice or feedback!

[JLM]

Yes, I'd like to know more about this piece as well.

Specifically, will a remote be offered?  My future listening room will have an office set up in the back and I can't run 20+ feet every time the phone rings.

[Marbles]

When I saw it with the lid off (MAF 2003) it had a big transformer in it.

I can only think this was for power to remotely change inputs and volume.

Don't know why it wouldn't have a remote function (at added cost of course).

[Barry]

When I saw it with the lid off (MAF 2003) it had a big transformer in it.

I can only think this was for power to remotely change inputs and volume.

Don't know why it wouldn't have a remote function (at added cost of course).

The remote option for Tempest is applicable on Etesian.

[klaus@odyssey]

Barry is correct,  and we use the sam top line Alps motorized poti in the Etesian as well,  which is an at-cost $ 150.  extra.

As for the performance, it should work just fine,  but as with anypassive units,  you'll have to try it yourself first.
Lastly,  yep,  the transfomer is a totally overbuild son of a gun,  lol.  We have them,  and we use them,  period.

Late,

Klaus

[Barry]

For those of you in Hong Kong.  Klaus is shipping the Etesian to our showroom this week.  We will probably have it next week for those who are interested in it.  I'll post here once I receive it.

Of course, it will take time to break-in.  But I think some of you probably cannot wait any longer.  Then pls come to our showroom often and go thru the break-in process with us together.  

[ez-v]

Wow, didn't check for a while and the responses really built up!  So in the end, I did order an Etesian from Klaus a couple of weeks back to try out.  I'll report on how well the system sounds.  Somewhat worried about the synergy of the system given that it's built with components that are just lying around, but never know until you hook it all together I guess!

Any idea of whether the preamp has shipped yet or not, Klaus? Should be under Victor Chan.

[odysseyhk]

After one week of run-in, the Etesian sounds fantastic.  It is very quiet.  With Etesian, you will know that Stratos is so quiet even simply plug to wall with no power filter.

There is no noise or distortion with Etesian at all.  I did not observe any loss of dynamic or micro-dynamic at all.  

I used Groneberg interconnect, 1m from CD to Etesian, 2m from Etesian to Stratos.  Many people mentioned that passive amp is sensitive to cable length.  I found that with 2M from Etesian to Stratos, I did not hear any degration of sound at all.  I think the design of Groneberg cable may work well with passive amp as the conductive core (grounded) may help reduce the capacitance build-up.  This is my guess, not proved.  

The synergy of Etesian/Groneberg/Stratos is excellent.  

In short, "pure and simple".  Lovely.

[Eduardo AAVM]

Hi Barry great you have it now, I have to get an Etesian...

Can you tell me what CD player are you using and what V output it has ?

[klaus@odyssey]

Thanks Barry,

Well,  important to add here is that the unit is indeed active switching,  of course,  and that internally we use Groneberg wiring and the fantastic Alps potentiometer.  /  10 K. unit.

Now,  the wildest I've gone so far in real life app  was in Lima,  where I 've had 24 feet  (TWENTYFOUR )  of Quattro IC's  on the Etesian going to a Khartago.
Granted,  the last couple of hhhhhhhmpf  were missing on the volume  in that big room,  but it was more than adequate with - to my ears-  no distortion whatsoever from the long cable run.

My take on this is to be cautious i you run in excess of 3 - 4 meter of IC's.    Other than that,  you're fine.  that's for the cables.  Amp matching,  of course is a different story, but so far it's all good.

Late

[jttlee]

Hi Eduardo AAVM,

I just brought my CD player to Barry's showroom for an audition (Etesian+Khartago).  My CD player is Cambridge Audio D500SE with output 2.1V RMS.

For some old classical recordings (e.g. by Philips around 1970's), we need to turn the knob to around 3/4 to 4/5 of maximum.  For more recent recordings (e.g. Jazz), around 1/2 to 2/3 is ok.

My CD player specification as follows:

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/classicseries/d500se.html

Regards,
John

[Eduardo AAVM]

Oh thanks a lot, those Cambridge units are very attractive and seems to offer a very good sound ...

Thanks for the info...

[jttlee]

Hi Eduardo AAVM,

You're welcome.

If you like the CA CD players, I strongly suggest 640C.  I auditioned both 540C and 640C.  Sound of 640C much clearer and more transparent.

In Hong Kong, price difference is around US$100.  640C costs around US$380.

Regards,
John