Zesto Audio, a California based high-end electronics company, was debuting their new Eros 500 Select Monoblock amplifiers, sold in pairs for $35,000 pr USD. Showing in the system: loudspeakers from YG Acoustics, electronics from Zesto, turntable from Dr. Feickert, cables from Cardas, and support from Stillpoints.

Reporting by Eric Franklin Shook

The new Eros 500 Select Monoblocks represent 250 per channel watts of power, developed in Class-A topology. Making it potentially the most tube derived Class-A power on the market today. The new amplifiers feature a unique Bias Select switch that can accommodate four different output tubes: KT88, KT120, KT150, and KT170s.

AXPONA

Sourcing for the Axpona 2023 system was purely analog and thankfully so, as the analog chain in this system is entirely reference level from end-to-end. Starting with the Dr. Feickert Analogue Blackbird Deluxe ($8,635 USD) turntable, outfitted with two 9.8-inch Tri-Planar tonearms (U2-Se $8,600 USD and VII-U2 $6,900 USD). Cartridges in use during the show: Ortofon Verismo MC ($6,999 USD) and Benz Micro Gullwing SLR MC ($3,600 USD). The aforementioned feeding the Zesto Audio Andros Tessera Reference ($19,900 USD) tube phono stage.

From there, the Zesto Audio Leto Ultra II ($11,900 USD) tube preamp handed the low level information off to the new monoblocks, which featured YG Acoustics Hailey 2.2 ($52,800 pr USD) floorstanding speakers.

Having all the maths at my disposal, this undoubtedly high-end reference level system still weighed in at just a smidge over $200k USD — making it on to my all-time list of high value statement systems. Funny how that works, but it does. I’ve known several audiophiles who have spent more, to receive less. Not saying they were duped, but just didn’t curate the system correctly or all at once. For those, it’s the journey that matters.

Taking the Zesto system on display as a stand alone turnkey product, I would urge anyone interested in starting up in high-end audio to find a dealer and “point-click” their way to this kind of endpoint.

AXPONA

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