Background
In this time of Covid 19 it was apt that I was given the opportunity to review a product from a small company headed by a dog named Lutz. Cottage industry is the name of the game, and Sparkos Labs is an outfit out of Westminster Colorado, United States that was born from a couple looking to take advantage of great ideas and engineering. Clicking on the about section of the website gives a comical background of the company that leads the reader to believe that passion mixed with an irreverent air have gone into this labor of love. The first two employees hired by the dog are Andrew Sparks (Sparko) and Alisa Jones (The Doctress) who run all aspects of the company. It is from the mind of Andrew that this amplifier I am reviewing comes from. A self-professed electronics enthusiast from a young age, Andrew went on to study electronics at Kansas State University and later worked in the electronics industry before branching out. Sparkos Labs was created through influences such as Schitt Audio because of its ability to deliver superior engineering and customer satisfaction. They believe in an objective engineering approach based on measurably and verifiable data. All this and proud to be made in the USA.
The Aries Headphone Amplifier and Preamp (sans the preamp functionality on my review model) is the first piece of audio gear from this company. Based on previous work dealing with discrete op amps and voltage regulators, the Aries utilizes pro discrete op amps for the main audio path, and DIP8 discrete op amps for managing line level inputs and outputs. The power supply also contains discrete voltage regulators. The unit is backed by a thirty day home audition money back guarantee and a five year warranty.
Unboxing and Appearance
Unpacking the Aries was a piece of cake as it comes as a single unit. The amp is clad in black with a very utilitarian feel. The back is adorned with the regular single ended layout, with options from the factory to be ready for balanced if preferred. The front is simple yet elegant, with a touch sensitive LCD flanked by two smooth turning knobs. The LCD handles most of the heavy lifting, controlling power and other options such as input, gain, and prefaces as to how you want the display to look. The left knob controls balance and the right volume (which knob controls what can be swapped through the settings menu). Volume control is coupled to a precision stepped attenuator. The front also has the single ended headphone output and a small 3.5mm input for a portable device. I really appreciated the customizability of the LCD display and its use to make the front uncluttered.
Listening Impressions
Last year I had the opportunity to be in New Orleans just before Christmas. Staying in the French quarter, I wandered down the streets enjoying the sights and sounds of this beautiful city. I caught wind of a special performance from none other than Ellis Marsalis at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Center where he had devoted both his time and money to develop. This was something I could not pass up and was rewarded to a special night where many family and friends were there to celebrate him and his work in a fairly intimate setting. I sat next to one of his former students and it was truly a night to remember. News of his passing earlier this year left me numb, and I decided to start this review with his music to honor the legend and supporter of music education.
I fired up "Bless You Is My Woman" featuring Ellis and Branford Marsalis. The piano was rendered with great flow and timing. Every register from Ellis's piano came through with Branford's saxophone interjecting with authority. The amp did a good job playing the two in space with good depth, which can be difficult to recreate when one is listening with headphones. The interpretation and creativity of play can be heard clearly in the music as the father and son collaborate. Marsalis' superior piano playing reminded me about how invaluable he was to music, and the importance of the piano in popular music today. I turned to "If the World Was Ending" by JP Saxe featuring Julia Michaels, which relies on the piano to anchor this moving duet. Both singers take advantage of the Aries dark background as each voice takes front and center with the instruments and backing track flow behind and freely without edge. The amp presents the music quite smoothly and rhythmically. The Aries has the ability to recreate the recording accurately, and does not sugarcoat it. From tape hiss to someone dropping something in the recording studio, you are going to hear it.
I threw on The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" to hear some electronic synth over vocals, and the Aries delivered with good timing and pace. At times I wish for maybe a little upper bass bloom, but the song kept its coherence and overall musicality. I followed this track with Drake's "Toosie Slide" to confirm my bass findings, but it could just be preference than anything else. Throughout the review I was able to use multiple kinds of brands of headphones, from Audeze to Shure, and the Aries did a good job with each load admirably. The amp has a gain setting that was very handy between tracks, and can be used on the fly. One problem I ran into while listening was low level volume at night. This is partly a product of the way I listen to music sometimes at night, as the level for some would be too low but that would be my only nitpick, a zero gain option on the amp would be helpful. Lastly, I listened to "Blackbird" by the Beatles where the Aries picked up on the main vocal delicately, lifting the song and its message with clarity and a neutral rendition.
In the end, what do you get with this amp? You get a quiet, cool, and versatile amp. I even used it for some online gaming and it performed admirably, recreating spatial effects and keeping me immersed in the gaming experience. President and CEO Lutz should be proud of both Sparko and Doctress's contributions in this first effort. Shout out also goes to Howard in his quality control, as the amp worked flawlessly throughout my time it (you really have to read the about section on the website). It was a pleasure to listen to this amp during this most difficult time in the world, and allowed me to once again realize the power of music which brings people together and gives up hope, comfort, and relaxation. Take care.
Aries Headphone Amplier – Base model
Retail: $2495 USD
Sparkos Labs, Inc.
