[Roger A. Modjeski]

Update 3/19:

I was looking at some other preamp reviews last night and saw that there is a 270 pound preamp built by the company below. Why would anyone make such a thing.... or buy it. It's expensive as far as a preamp goes but by the pound it's a deal. Is anyone else getting tired of these silly things?

Original post:

I think the cat is way out of the bag on this phono preamp. http://www.stereophile.com/phonopreamps/925/

Here's the part that any potential buyer should not have missed. The quote below comes from measurements, which I know most readers don't read, but I do.

http://www.stereophile.com/content/aesthetix-rhea-phono-preamplifier-measurements

"The Rhea's intrinsically high gain meant that its signal/noise ratio was not quite as high as I would have liked. With the gain set to "38," for example, the unweighted, wideband S/N ratio (ref. 1V output) was 52dB, this improving to 71dB when A-weighted." JA

I know its hard to interpret these numbers. Here's how it goes. Thank John Atkinson for knowing how to measure things and share his results (and hint-full warning). For comparison the RM-5 is 86 db A weighted.  RM-4 headamp with RM-5 phono or RM-4+ RIAA stage approaches 90 dB.

Are there any questions?

[Clio09]

I am not surprised at the test results. My own ears have always told me that the Aesthetix phono stages are among the noisiest I have ever heard.

[DustyC]

Let's thank our lucky stars that at least one mag (Stereophile) is testing stuff! 

The only online one that tests (I think) is the Audio Critic.

[TONEPUB]

I am not surprised at the test results. My own ears have always told me that the Aesthetix phono stages are among the noisiest I have ever heard.

Agreed.  My Rhea needed some pretty expensive, hand picked NOS tubes to really perform it's best.

[Roger A. Modjeski]

Agreed.  My Rhea needed some pretty expensive, hand picked NOS tubes to really perform it's best.

You are the first person I have found that has kept one.  I am curious to know what your cartridge output is, gain setting, and any comments you have about the sound and noise. I know it uses a 12AX7 as an input tube, which I would not do. However I do have very quiet ones and 5751s also, which are a good sub.