I got sidetracked with obsessing over Aegis tube options and never gave my thoughts after the day ended.
First, the AC and CC are excellent compliments to each other, IMO. When you want warm, smooth, darker, romantic/euphonic tuning, the AC is a home run. On the other side the CC excels at speed, precision, technicalities, and clarity. An excellent one/two punch for when you want to peer deep into the music or just let is swallow you up as a whole.
Yeah yeah that's been said enough times, right? Nothing new there, though worth repeating.
First, the AC is definitely in the same league as the CC. Different tuning absolutely. It's strengths are very different than the CC. Listening to it after a few days on the Calderas exclusively, it was like coming home to a warm loving hug. That seductive warmth and bloom just felt good to me, felt right. But man did it sound downright slow and smokey in comparison. You don't buy the AC over the CC for resolution. You buy it for it's musical and euphonic macro presentation. And from top to bottom it nails it, assuming your preferences lie in the darkness like mine.
So if you like warm you'll hate the CC, right? I won't speak for everyone but that's a big hel no for me. I love the thing! I'm still learning it and the CO, but I know I really love what the Calderas are doing. It's brighter, faster, less euphonic, thinner, and more aggressive. But it works, despite me generally hating that type of sound signature. For reference I don't like the Utopia, Susavara, etc. Too bright, and in a way that aggravates my tinnitus to no end. The CC is putting out some similar high frequency levels, but it's not fatiguing. I've spent a good amount of hours on both the CC and CO and i've yet to have my ears start ringing. For reference the first gen Utopia had them ringing in 30 minutes. Ringing bad. So despite my love of darkness, I'm enjoying the CC easily as much as the AC. It's such a different experience. With the CC i'm listening more analytically while still finding the experience highly engaging and musical.
Here's the thing though, the AC just rocks me harder from a macro perspective. So my one concern is once I get over the resolution, will I really yearn for the CC like I do the AC/Atticus/Bokeh? Time will tell, though so far my instincts tell me I will. I've never heard such a resolving AND musical combination before.
A bit of some random thoughts I wrote down while listening throughout the day:
First listen to the AC felt like coming home, so good, so right.
AC sounds hazy after all those hours with the CC.
Despite the haziness, it's still extremely resolving. More than enough for me.
(AC) THAT BASS! love the resonance and slow decay.
CC and Jazz is scary good. I'm hearing little nuances I've never heard before. Cross checked the same tracks on the AC and yep, they're there, but buried deep in the mix, not easily identified.
The CC is making me seek out violin solos, the rendition is mesmerizing. On AC sounds dull.
The CC's soundstage is so laser precise. Precision is what always comes to mind with the CC.
Metal works better for me on the AC. Iron Maiden - Live After Death never sounded better on the AC. On CC a bit harsh and overly vivid. AC gives goosebumps.
Female vocals are so seductive on the AC, yet I prefer the added nuance of the CC.
Old school thrash is really aggressive on the CC. Too aggressive. Bokeh does this best IMO.
60s/70's classic rock is sounding more engaging on the CC! Never thought anything would dethrone the AC here. Panama.....PANAMA-AH
Double bass blasts on the CC never seem to blur/blend. AC no slouch, but CC just never loses composure.
No winners/losers here, just preference.
