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Aesthetix IO vs. Manley Steelhead vs. The Groove

For those who have heard at least two of these, please compare the sound quality of any of the following three phono preamps:

1. Aesthetix IO or IO Signature
2. Manley Steelhead
3. The Groove

Let me know what you think of the sonic biases
and flaws in these products as well as what each does especially well. Any t/t and cart recommendations which work especially well with any of these would be recommended.


Thanks,

Ray Hall
rayhall

Showing 3 responses by albertporter

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albertporter
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Frank, (Fmpnd)

Thanks for the compliment. I stayed out of this thread as everyone already knows how obsessed I am with the Io and Callisto. I am pleased that your Goldilocks syndrome has ended and without the risk of dealing with bears.

A member of my audio group who posts under Logenn, owned the Manley Steelhead last year and like you, wished for more. His system was enough like mine that once he purchased the Io, we went to the “right” tubes fairly quickly. Getting that Io away from him now would be impossible. I may try to get him to post his opinion about the differences, but they were significantly enough in favor of the Io that the test was over the first day.
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albertporter
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Gladstone, I have compared the Walker to Io in my system. Louis Gennarelli (another Audiogon member) and I compared the Walker, IO and Manley in his system. Both of us believe the Io is in a league all it's own.

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1052857830&openusid&zzLogenn&4&5#Logenn

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1064264455&openusid&zzLogenn&4&5#Logenn

As for tweaks, here is the link to my ravings:

http://audiogo1.iserver.net/cgi-bin/forum5.pl?aamps&980918116&read&keyw&zzaesthetix

The Walker is a distant third place among these in my opinion. I love my Walker TT, motor controller and HDL's, but the phono and I never bonded.
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albertporter
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Dvavc,

Did you notice that many of the posts on this topic were back in 2003?

My post from 2004 still pretty much expresses my opinion today. Aesthetix top tier (Eclipse) with ideal choice NOS tubes is still among the finest ever offered. You can only get so good and it qualifies as excellent.

It's been 7 years since my post and more than a decade since I purchased my first Aesthetix. I have since switched to Allnic which is more of the same as the Aesthetix sound and even less like the Steelhead.

All that aside, the Steelhead is a high quality piece of equipment and the fact you like it is enough. Enjoy it and don't worry about comments derived from tests a decade ago.
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