The worlds largest online retailer of pre-owned audio Product DescriptionWho we areWhat we doOur ProcessOur Policies Aesthetix Romulus Tube Hybrid CD Player / DAC; Silver Product SKU: 53605 Age: Unknown Tobacco Exposure: No MSRP: $7000 Serial Number: 6343 # of Owners: 2 Service History: None Cosmetic Description: Good cosmetic condition with some minor visible cosmetic wear including minor scuffs on the faceplate near the scan and standby buttons. There is a barely visible nick on the top left side edge of the faceplate along with a couple light scratches on the top surface. This item does show a few blemishes but is attractive overall and has been well cared for. What is Included: Player, Remote, Two Amperex ECC86 tubes, Two Teslovak E83CCS tubes, Power cable, Factory packaging Other Notes: The Romulus is another home run for Aesthetix, combining innovative circuit design, premium-quality parts and construction, and first-rate sound. This player was never anything less than musically communicative and immensely enjoyable, even in the context of a cost-no-object system. - The Absolute Sound Functional Notes: Operational condition of this item is excellent, fully tested and no issues found. Shipping: Cost to ship this item within the contiguous United States is a flat rate of $80- including packaging and insurance. For all other locations including Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Alaska, please request a quote prior to purchase. Items with factory packaging will be double boxed. When factory packaging not available re-usable shipping box with custom injected-foam mold will be used. (for all items over 10 lbs). Note that all items valued over $750 will require a signature upon delivery. Your online source for the best value in new and used audio gear. Visit us online to Buy / Sell / Trade / Consign The Music Room is the largest online retailer of pre-owned HiFi equipment in the world. Headquartered in beautiful Boulder Colorado, The Music Room is a team of 17 strong (and growing) music lovers - all dedicated to one singular mission: delivering the very best online shopping experience in the audio industry - period. We specialize in well-cared for, previously used gear because that is what we are passionate about. We feel that there is nothing more fulfilling than creating a high-performance system on a budget with carefully selected used components, speakers and cables. Our program is safe, secure, fast, fair, hassle-free and highly effective. Visit us online to Buy / Sell / Trade / Consign Buy: Are you looking to get a fair price for your used home audio equipment without all the hassles, headaches, risks and fees? We will appraise your equipment and make you a quick, easy, fair cash offer. Just fill out our “get a quote” form on our homepage to start the process. Sell: We sell in multiple online venues with many (but not all) of our products available in our eBay store. Everything is quality-assured and backed by our best-in-class, satisfaction-guaranteed return policy. Trade: Make your budget go further with a generous trade-in allowance. Let us know what you have available, and we’ll get you the best possible trade-in allowance. We can even assist with shipping & logistics from anywhere in the USA. Just fill out our “get a quote” form on our homepage to start the process. Consign: We offer a hassle-free way for individuals and businesses to liquidate used gear. We’ll handle every step of the process from shipping to appraisals, customer service, fulfillment, and returns: Industry-low rates with no hidden fees Leverage our world-class reputation and get exposure in multiple sales venues - putting your product in front of over 570k monthly shoppers. Our program is Safe, Secure, Fast, Fair, Hassle-Free and Highly Effective. With 100% feedback ratings in every venue in which we sell, you can rest assured that we’ve got your back. Visit us online to Buy / Sell / Trade / Consign Quality Assurance: We offer 15-20 new product listings for sale daily. Each product undergoes an extremely rigorous quality-assurance and listening session by one of our qualified technicians. We understand that buying used audio equipment can be rife with uncertainty and unexpected headaches. Our quality assurance program is informed by a knowledge-base built through delivering over 30,000 used audio products to satisfied customers. We promise to deliver your product in good working order - exactly as described 100% of the time. Support: We don’t just make promises. We stand behind them - your satisfaction is guaranteed. Our support team is ready to help you with any questions you might have before and after the sale. Value: In the never-ending pursuit of high performance, it’s important to stretch your limited budget as far as possible. Used equipment sells for a fraction of new prices, and with a partner like The Music Room you can upgrade any time you like and get most of your money back. There’s simply no better way to maximize a limited audio budget. Packaging: We’ve invested thousands of dollars and countless hours into mastering our state-of-the-art packaging process. Our custom foam-in-place packaging system allows us to safely package almost any item regardless of irregular shapes or sizes. Most importantly, this system provides our customers with a re-usable shipping box which increases the resale value of the product and provides a shipping method for easy, secure returns. Be seen by over 70,000 monthly visitors. Visit us online to Buy / Sell / Trade / Consign Payment: Prompt payment is expected. Paypal is preferred but all forms of payment are accepted. Unpaid item case will be opened after 3 days if no payment received. Shipping Times: Most Domestic orders ship within 1 business day of purchase. For International orders or freight shipments, please allow 2-3 business days. In all cases, tracking information will be emailed to you at the moment the shipping label is created. If you cant find it or have other questions about shipping & logistics, please contact us. Shipping Costs: Flat rate shipping costs are applicable within the contiguous 48 States (USA). These rates are clearly posted on each product page. For an International or custom quote (including Hawaii, PR, AK) please contact us. Returns: Every purchase made on eBay carries a 30-day, satisfaction-guaranteed return policy. If youre not happy with your purchase for any reason or if youve simply changed your mind... no problem. Simply ship it back for a full refund or exchange (minus S&H costs). If you have received an item that is defective in some way, we will make it right. Let us know - we will pay for return shipping and repair the item or refund 100% of your original purchase price.

Verkaufe Röhren CD-Player / DAC Aesthetix Romulus Signature – DSD DAC & CD Player / Top-Zustand / FB / Manual; Gerät stammt aus einem tierlosen Nichtraucherhaushalt und wurde pfleglich behandelt; OVP ist vorhanden, ein transportsicherer Versand ist ohne Probleme möglich; NP = 17.950,-- EUR; Versandkosten innerhalb BRD zu Lasten des Käufers betragen 30,-- EUR. Wunderschöner röhrenbasierter CD-Player / DAC von Aesthetix aus Kalifornien. Gründer und Chefdesigner Jim White hat wieder etwas Besonderes entwickelt, indem er einzigartige innovative Technologien verwendet und neue Wege in der natürlichen Klangwiedergabe von digitalem Audio beschritten hat. Dieser Romulus wurde werkseitig als Signature-Version geliefert. Aesthetix ‚Signature‘ Editionen sind dafür bekannt, das Schaltungsdesign eines bestehenden Modells zu übernehmen und es mit ultrahochwertigen Komponenten zu versehen, die handverlesen wurden, um die absolute Spitzenleistung dieses Schaltungsdesigns zu liefern. Die Romulus-Signatur ist da keine Ausnahme. Die DAC-Sektion (Pandora) hat einen USB- und drei SPDIF-Eingänge. Die Romulus Signature bietet echte native DSD-Wiedergabe: DSD 64 und DSD 128 über den USB-Eingang. Alle von mir bei eBay eingestellten Artikel sind nach bestem Wissen & Gewissen gesichtet und beschrieben worden. Die von mir erkannten Mängel werden in der Artikelbeschreibung benannt. Jedoch erheben sie keinen Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit, die sich gerade bei älteren Artikeln schon aus der Sache heraus ergeben können. Die eingestellten Bilder sind vom Original erstellt worden. Es ist nichts fototechnisch entstellt oder verändert worden. Ich gewähre 12 Monate Gewährleistung Inzahlungnahmen sind möglich. Die MwSt ist nicht ausweisbar (§25 UStG Differenzbesteuerung) Bei weiteren Fragen, einfach Kontakt aufnehmen. Ich bin Fachhändler für diverse Hifi Produkte.

Verkaufe Röhren CD-Player / DAC Aesthetix Romulus Signature – DSD DAC & CD Player / Top-Zustand / FB / Manual; Gerät stammt aus einem tierlosen Nichtraucherhaushalt und wurde pfleglich behandelt; OVP ist vorhanden, ein transportsicherer Versand ist ohne Probleme möglich; NP = 17.950,-- EUR; Versandkosten innerhalb BRD zu Lasten des Käufers betragen 30,-- EUR. Wunderschöner röhrenbasierter CD-Player / DAC von Aesthetix aus Kalifornien. Gründer und Chefdesigner Jim White hat wieder etwas Besonderes entwickelt, indem er einzigartige innovative Technologien verwendet und neue Wege in der natürlichen Klangwiedergabe von digitalem Audio beschritten hat. Dieser Romulus wurde werkseitig als Signature-Version geliefert. Aesthetix ‚Signature‘ Editionen sind dafür bekannt, das Schaltungsdesign eines bestehenden Modells zu übernehmen und es mit ultrahochwertigen Komponenten zu versehen, die handverlesen wurden, um die absolute Spitzenleistung dieses Schaltungsdesigns zu liefern. Die Romulus-Signatur ist da keine Ausnahme. Die DAC-Sektion (Pandora) hat einen USB- und drei SPDIF-Eingänge. Die Romulus Signature bietet echte native DSD-Wiedergabe: DSD 64 und DSD 128 über den USB-Eingang. Alle von mir bei eBay eingestellten Artikel sind nach bestem Wissen & Gewissen gesichtet und beschrieben worden. Die von mir erkannten Mängel werden in der Artikelbeschreibung benannt. Jedoch erheben sie keinen Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit, die sich gerade bei älteren Artikeln schon aus der Sache heraus ergeben können. Die eingestellten Bilder sind vom Original erstellt worden. Es ist nichts fototechnisch entstellt oder verändert worden. Ich gewähre 12 Monate Gewährleistung Inzahlungnahmen sind möglich. Die MwSt ist nicht ausweisbar (§25 UStG Differenzbesteuerung) Bei weiteren Fragen, einfach Kontakt aufnehmen. Ich bin Fachhändler für diverse Hifi Produkte.

Aesthetix Romulus valve cd player / dac with remote The Romulus is a fine performer that draws in the listener Pros +Refined yet still entertaining sound +Full-bodied presentation +Terrific as a DAC Aesthetix is one of the brightest stars of high-end amplification. We’ve loved every single piece of kit we’ve heard from this American brand, but still approached its first foray into the digital domain with a sense of trepidation. We needn’t have worried. While not flawless, the Romulus CD player is a great piece of kit. It’s apparent from the first few seconds of listening. Performance Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus Our usual practice is to let test equipment warm up overnight before starting serious listening. Our review sample wasn’t new, so running-in wasn’t an issue. Sponsored Links Slots offer for new customers Virgin Games. 18+ We normally don’t take much notice of the sound at this point, apart from making sure everything is working properly. The Aesthetix had other ideas. RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU... CLOSE The first few bars of Eminem’s Bad Guy are enough to get us hooked. This recording can easily sound hard and thin, but that isn’t the case here. The Romulus delivers sound with a wonderful sense of space and ease. And detail? There’s loads, as the player uncovers subtleties with considerable skill. At this point we’re impressed, but we leave the player on repeat and come back to listen the following day. We wonder how the sound will change once the circuitry settles at operating temperature. The answer? A fair bit, all of it good. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus Listening to the Eminem track again, the presentation proves even clearer and more fluid. There are gains in transparency and top-end sweetness. Scale improves too. The Romulus does a pretty good job at tracking rhythms and communicating the aggression in the recording. There’s an element of rounding off the edges, though, which makes recordings seem a little easier on the ear than they should be. If you’re a rock or hip-hop fan, that may be an issue, but for the most part this Aesthetix delivers enough bite. Switch to Van Morrison’s Moondance and the Romulus sounds right at home. It captures the jaunty feel of the song brilliantly, rendering that lovely bassline with real dexterity. Tonally, things edge towards richness, but not enough to jar. Instead, the presentation is smooth yet still entertaining. It’s a balance that has become something of a trademark for the company’s products. Design Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus The Romulus isn’t just a CD player, either. It’s equipped with digital inputs too, as is becoming common. There’s the usual option of USB, optical and coax, and the less-common AES/EBU connection too. The USB can be switched between Class 1.0 and 2.0 modes at the press of a little button on the rear panel. Using Class 2.0 – as we did for most of our test – extends the input capability to 24bit/192kHz high-res music files. Macs with OS X version 10.6.4 or higher will work right away, but if you have a PC you’ll need dedicated software drivers. USB Class 1.0 should work with most computers as standard but limits the input data streams to a 96kHz sampling rate. Regardless of mode, the USB input works asynchronously – so the DAC, rather than the computer connected to it, has control of information flow – which usually bodes well for sound quality. We play a range of music from our MacBook (which runs the Pure Music media-playing software) with really good results. There’s the same large-scale, spacious presentation that we hear when playing CDs, and similar levels of resolution. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus We’re impressed by the Romulus’s refinement and its ability to make low bitrate files listenable – there’s much to be said for such a forgiving attitude towards recordings. But, give it something really well-recorded like a CD rip of Nick Cave’s Push the Sky Away or a 24-bit/192kHz rendition of Mahler’s Symphony No.4 and it shines. Comparing the Aesthetix to a top-class, stand-alone high-end DAC such as Chord’s QBD 76 is interesting. The Chord certainly shows that more timing precision is available and delivers dynamic contrasts in a more forceful manner. It even digs up a touch more detail, but the Aesthetix counters with its more spacious presentation, a nicely layered sound stage and a much more forgiving attitude. Moving away from sound, there’s much to be impressed with here. Build quality is terrific; as it has been with all Aesthetix products we’ve seen. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus The unit’s aluminium casework feels solid and it’s all finished to a high standard. If we’re being picky, those distinctive triangular buttons on the front panel feel imprecise to use. We’d like a slicker drawer operation too: it feels no classier than many a budget player. The same thing can be said about the remote handset. Take a look inside and you will be greeted by neatly laid-out circuit boards. It’s no surprise to see valves used in the analogue stages (after all that is what the brand is known for) and we’re impressed by the high-quality internal components. As is usual for a product at this level, attention is given to preventing damaging interactions between the digital and analogue sections. This extends to the TEAC-sourced transport, which is enclosed in a Faraday cage to isolate it electrically from other parts of the player. The power supply is suitably elaborate and makes use of three transformers: one for analogue, the second for digital and the third for the control circuitry. Verdict The Romulus is a talented machine. It’s a very fine CD player and a talented unit if used as a DAC. If its refined, yet still entertaining, approach to playing music appeals, dive right in – and enjoy a smooth and elegant sound. Aesthetix Romulus valve cd player / dac with remote  The Romulus is a fine performer that draws in the listener Pros +Refined yet still entertaining sound +Full-bodied presentation +Terrific as a DAC  Aesthetix is one of the brightest stars of high-end amplification. We’ve loved every single piece of kit we’ve heard from this American brand, but still approached its first foray into the digital domain with a sense of trepidation. We needn’t have worried. While not flawless, the Romulus CD player is a great piece of kit. It’s apparent from the first few seconds of listening. Performance Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus Our usual practice is to let test equipment warm up overnight before starting serious listening. Our review sample wasn’t new, so running-in wasn’t an issue. Sponsored Links Slots offer for new customers Virgin Games. 18+ We normally don’t take much notice of the sound at this point, apart from making sure everything is working properly. The Aesthetix had other ideas. RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU... CLOSE The first few bars of Eminem’s Bad Guy are enough to get us hooked. This recording can easily sound hard and thin, but that isn’t the case here. The Romulus delivers sound with a wonderful sense of space and ease. And detail? There’s loads, as the player uncovers subtleties with considerable skill. At this point we’re impressed, but we leave the player on repeat and come back to listen the following day. We wonder how the sound will change once the circuitry settles at operating temperature. The answer? A fair bit, all of it good. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus Listening to the Eminem track again, the presentation proves even clearer and more fluid. There are gains in transparency and top-end sweetness. Scale improves too. The Romulus does a pretty good job at tracking rhythms and communicating the aggression in the recording. There’s an element of rounding off the edges, though, which makes recordings seem a little easier on the ear than they should be. If you’re a rock or hip-hop fan, that may be an issue, but for the most part this Aesthetix delivers enough bite. Switch to Van Morrison’s Moondance and the Romulus sounds right at home. It captures the jaunty feel of the song brilliantly, rendering that lovely bassline with real dexterity. Tonally, things edge towards richness, but not enough to jar. Instead, the presentation is smooth yet still entertaining. It’s a balance that has become something of a trademark for the company’s products. Design Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus The Romulus isn’t just a CD player, either. It’s equipped with digital inputs too, as is becoming common. There’s the usual option of USB, optical and coax, and the less-common AES/EBU connection too. The USB can be switched between Class 1.0 and 2.0 modes at the press of a little button on the rear panel. Using Class 2.0 – as we did for most of our test – extends the input capability to 24bit/192kHz high-res music files. Macs with OS X version 10.6.4 or higher will work right away, but if you have a PC you’ll need dedicated software drivers. USB Class 1.0 should work with most computers as standard but limits the input data streams to a 96kHz sampling rate. Regardless of mode, the USB input works asynchronously – so the DAC, rather than the computer connected to it, has control of information flow – which usually bodes well for sound quality. We play a range of music from our MacBook (which runs the Pure Music media-playing software) with really good results. There’s the same large-scale, spacious presentation that we hear when playing CDs, and similar levels of resolution. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus We’re impressed by the Romulus’s refinement and its ability to make low bitrate files listenable – there’s much to be said for such a forgiving attitude towards recordings. But, give it something really well-recorded like a CD rip of Nick Cave’s Push the Sky Away or a 24-bit/192kHz rendition of Mahler’s Symphony No.4 and it shines. Comparing the Aesthetix to a top-class, stand-alone high-end DAC such as Chord’s QBD 76 is interesting. The Chord certainly shows that more timing precision is available and delivers dynamic contrasts in a more forceful manner. It even digs up a touch more detail, but the Aesthetix counters with its more spacious presentation, a nicely layered sound stage and a much more forgiving attitude. Moving away from sound, there’s much to be impressed with here. Build quality is terrific; as it has been with all Aesthetix products we’ve seen. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus The unit’s aluminium casework feels solid and it’s all finished to a high standard. If we’re being picky, those distinctive triangular buttons on the front panel feel imprecise to use. We’d like a slicker drawer operation too: it feels no classier than many a budget player. The same thing can be said about the remote handset. Take a look inside and you will be greeted by neatly laid-out circuit boards. It’s no surprise to see valves used in the analogue stages (after all that is what the brand is known for) and we’re impressed by the high-quality internal components. As is usual for a product at this level, attention is given to preventing damaging interactions between the digital and analogue sections. This extends to the TEAC-sourced transport, which is enclosed in a Faraday cage to isolate it electrically from other parts of the player. The power supply is suitably elaborate and makes use of three transformers: one for analogue, the second for digital and the third for the control circuitry. Verdict The Romulus is a talented machine. It’s a very fine CD player and a talented unit if used as a DAC. If its refined, yet still entertaining, approach to playing music appeals, dive right in – and enjoy a smooth and elegant sound.   Images sell! Get Supersized Images & Free Image Hosting Attention Sellers - Get Templates Image Hosting, Scheduling at Auctiva.com.

Aesthetix Romulus valve cd player / dac with remote The Romulus is a fine performer that draws in the listener Pros +Refined yet still entertaining sound +Full-bodied presentation +Terrific as a DAC Aesthetix is one of the brightest stars of high-end amplification. We’ve loved every single piece of kit we’ve heard from this American brand, but still approached its first foray into the digital domain with a sense of trepidation. We needn’t have worried. While not flawless, the Romulus CD player is a great piece of kit. It’s apparent from the first few seconds of listening. Performance Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus Our usual practice is to let test equipment warm up overnight before starting serious listening. Our review sample wasn’t new, so running-in wasn’t an issue. Sponsored Links Slots offer for new customers Virgin Games. 18+ We normally don’t take much notice of the sound at this point, apart from making sure everything is working properly. The Aesthetix had other ideas. RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU... CLOSE The first few bars of Eminem’s Bad Guy are enough to get us hooked. This recording can easily sound hard and thin, but that isn’t the case here. The Romulus delivers sound with a wonderful sense of space and ease. And detail? There’s loads, as the player uncovers subtleties with considerable skill. At this point we’re impressed, but we leave the player on repeat and come back to listen the following day. We wonder how the sound will change once the circuitry settles at operating temperature. The answer? A fair bit, all of it good. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus Listening to the Eminem track again, the presentation proves even clearer and more fluid. There are gains in transparency and top-end sweetness. Scale improves too. The Romulus does a pretty good job at tracking rhythms and communicating the aggression in the recording. There’s an element of rounding off the edges, though, which makes recordings seem a little easier on the ear than they should be. If you’re a rock or hip-hop fan, that may be an issue, but for the most part this Aesthetix delivers enough bite. Switch to Van Morrison’s Moondance and the Romulus sounds right at home. It captures the jaunty feel of the song brilliantly, rendering that lovely bassline with real dexterity. Tonally, things edge towards richness, but not enough to jar. Instead, the presentation is smooth yet still entertaining. It’s a balance that has become something of a trademark for the company’s products. Design Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus The Romulus isn’t just a CD player, either. It’s equipped with digital inputs too, as is becoming common. There’s the usual option of USB, optical and coax, and the less-common AES/EBU connection too. The USB can be switched between Class 1.0 and 2.0 modes at the press of a little button on the rear panel. Using Class 2.0 – as we did for most of our test – extends the input capability to 24bit/192kHz high-res music files. Macs with OS X version 10.6.4 or higher will work right away, but if you have a PC you’ll need dedicated software drivers. USB Class 1.0 should work with most computers as standard but limits the input data streams to a 96kHz sampling rate. Regardless of mode, the USB input works asynchronously – so the DAC, rather than the computer connected to it, has control of information flow – which usually bodes well for sound quality. We play a range of music from our MacBook (which runs the Pure Music media-playing software) with really good results. There’s the same large-scale, spacious presentation that we hear when playing CDs, and similar levels of resolution. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus We’re impressed by the Romulus’s refinement and its ability to make low bitrate files listenable – there’s much to be said for such a forgiving attitude towards recordings. But, give it something really well-recorded like a CD rip of Nick Cave’s Push the Sky Away or a 24-bit/192kHz rendition of Mahler’s Symphony No.4 and it shines. Comparing the Aesthetix to a top-class, stand-alone high-end DAC such as Chord’s QBD 76 is interesting. The Chord certainly shows that more timing precision is available and delivers dynamic contrasts in a more forceful manner. It even digs up a touch more detail, but the Aesthetix counters with its more spacious presentation, a nicely layered sound stage and a much more forgiving attitude. Moving away from sound, there’s much to be impressed with here. Build quality is terrific; as it has been with all Aesthetix products we’ve seen. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus The unit’s aluminium casework feels solid and it’s all finished to a high standard. If we’re being picky, those distinctive triangular buttons on the front panel feel imprecise to use. We’d like a slicker drawer operation too: it feels no classier than many a budget player. The same thing can be said about the remote handset. Take a look inside and you will be greeted by neatly laid-out circuit boards. It’s no surprise to see valves used in the analogue stages (after all that is what the brand is known for) and we’re impressed by the high-quality internal components. As is usual for a product at this level, attention is given to preventing damaging interactions between the digital and analogue sections. This extends to the TEAC-sourced transport, which is enclosed in a Faraday cage to isolate it electrically from other parts of the player. The power supply is suitably elaborate and makes use of three transformers: one for analogue, the second for digital and the third for the control circuitry. Verdict The Romulus is a talented machine. It’s a very fine CD player and a talented unit if used as a DAC. If its refined, yet still entertaining, approach to playing music appeals, dive right in – and enjoy a smooth and elegant sound. Aesthetix Romulus valve cd player / dac with remote  The Romulus is a fine performer that draws in the listener Pros +Refined yet still entertaining sound +Full-bodied presentation +Terrific as a DAC  Aesthetix is one of the brightest stars of high-end amplification. We’ve loved every single piece of kit we’ve heard from this American brand, but still approached its first foray into the digital domain with a sense of trepidation. We needn’t have worried. While not flawless, the Romulus CD player is a great piece of kit. It’s apparent from the first few seconds of listening. Performance Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus Our usual practice is to let test equipment warm up overnight before starting serious listening. Our review sample wasn’t new, so running-in wasn’t an issue. Sponsored Links Slots offer for new customers Virgin Games. 18+ We normally don’t take much notice of the sound at this point, apart from making sure everything is working properly. The Aesthetix had other ideas. RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU... CLOSE The first few bars of Eminem’s Bad Guy are enough to get us hooked. This recording can easily sound hard and thin, but that isn’t the case here. The Romulus delivers sound with a wonderful sense of space and ease. And detail? There’s loads, as the player uncovers subtleties with considerable skill. At this point we’re impressed, but we leave the player on repeat and come back to listen the following day. We wonder how the sound will change once the circuitry settles at operating temperature. The answer? A fair bit, all of it good. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus Listening to the Eminem track again, the presentation proves even clearer and more fluid. There are gains in transparency and top-end sweetness. Scale improves too. The Romulus does a pretty good job at tracking rhythms and communicating the aggression in the recording. There’s an element of rounding off the edges, though, which makes recordings seem a little easier on the ear than they should be. If you’re a rock or hip-hop fan, that may be an issue, but for the most part this Aesthetix delivers enough bite. Switch to Van Morrison’s Moondance and the Romulus sounds right at home. It captures the jaunty feel of the song brilliantly, rendering that lovely bassline with real dexterity. Tonally, things edge towards richness, but not enough to jar. Instead, the presentation is smooth yet still entertaining. It’s a balance that has become something of a trademark for the company’s products. Design Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus The Romulus isn’t just a CD player, either. It’s equipped with digital inputs too, as is becoming common. There’s the usual option of USB, optical and coax, and the less-common AES/EBU connection too. The USB can be switched between Class 1.0 and 2.0 modes at the press of a little button on the rear panel. Using Class 2.0 – as we did for most of our test – extends the input capability to 24bit/192kHz high-res music files. Macs with OS X version 10.6.4 or higher will work right away, but if you have a PC you’ll need dedicated software drivers. USB Class 1.0 should work with most computers as standard but limits the input data streams to a 96kHz sampling rate. Regardless of mode, the USB input works asynchronously – so the DAC, rather than the computer connected to it, has control of information flow – which usually bodes well for sound quality. We play a range of music from our MacBook (which runs the Pure Music media-playing software) with really good results. There’s the same large-scale, spacious presentation that we hear when playing CDs, and similar levels of resolution. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus We’re impressed by the Romulus’s refinement and its ability to make low bitrate files listenable – there’s much to be said for such a forgiving attitude towards recordings. But, give it something really well-recorded like a CD rip of Nick Cave’s Push the Sky Away or a 24-bit/192kHz rendition of Mahler’s Symphony No.4 and it shines. Comparing the Aesthetix to a top-class, stand-alone high-end DAC such as Chord’s QBD 76 is interesting. The Chord certainly shows that more timing precision is available and delivers dynamic contrasts in a more forceful manner. It even digs up a touch more detail, but the Aesthetix counters with its more spacious presentation, a nicely layered sound stage and a much more forgiving attitude. Moving away from sound, there’s much to be impressed with here. Build quality is terrific; as it has been with all Aesthetix products we’ve seen. Aesthetix Romulus Aesthetix Romulus The unit’s aluminium casework feels solid and it’s all finished to a high standard. If we’re being picky, those distinctive triangular buttons on the front panel feel imprecise to use. We’d like a slicker drawer operation too: it feels no classier than many a budget player. The same thing can be said about the remote handset. Take a look inside and you will be greeted by neatly laid-out circuit boards. It’s no surprise to see valves used in the analogue stages (after all that is what the brand is known for) and we’re impressed by the high-quality internal components. As is usual for a product at this level, attention is given to preventing damaging interactions between the digital and analogue sections. This extends to the TEAC-sourced transport, which is enclosed in a Faraday cage to isolate it electrically from other parts of the player. The power supply is suitably elaborate and makes use of three transformers: one for analogue, the second for digital and the third for the control circuitry. Verdict The Romulus is a talented machine. It’s a very fine CD player and a talented unit if used as a DAC. If its refined, yet still entertaining, approach to playing music appeals, dive right in – and enjoy a smooth and elegant sound.   Pictures sell! Auctiva offers Free Image Hosting and Editing. The complete eBay Selling Solution.