Aesthetix Question

From your friend that is (apparently) getting out of analog.

We were glad to get that Io. It only needed a little work to make it the best Louis has ever heard. Total cost of the magic mods, including the NOS tubes was $330.00.

Tube upgrades on my Io are pushed way beyond that, but for the small investment we made, the results were astounding. That is why after the test, the Steelhead was put up for sale here at Audiogon.

Louis is a newcomer to my music group. He has been listening with us for about two months and in that time I've visited his home several times to help with improving his system.

His components when we began were the ARC Ref 2 Mk 2 preamp, Manley Steelhead, ARC Ref 600 mono blocks, Walker Proscenium turntable and Koetsu cartridge. His cables were Micro Omega power and interconnect, Silent Source and Shunyata power cables. His speakers are the Dynaudio Evidence Temptation.

The system was very good from first the moment I listened to it. The speakers are EXCELLENT, which were a pleasant surprise for me as I had not experienced these top of the line Dynaudio before.

I felt his system was not doing everything it was capable of so I adjusted and balanced the Steelhead to the Koetsu cartridge, adjusted the Walkers VTA, azimuth and tracking force to perfection, making things much better. I then replaced several isolation devices and damped the preamp with Walker's weights.

After I made the isolation changes and adjusted the table he was so pleased with the direction we were going that he ask what I would change if the system were mine.

I felt the Manley was limiting the system and that the Io would be my first choice. He purchased one that was for sale here at Audiogon (a nice guy many of you know). It had been wired for 220 volt so we had two new 240 volt 30 amp circuits added to the listening room.

When we received the Io it was improperly loaded and had all stock tubes. We replaced 8 tubes with NOS and put the Io into the system. To say the difference was big would be the understatement of the year. This DESTROYED the Steelhead.

I took several pieces of Purist Cable to his home and put them in place of the Silent Source, Shunyata and Omega Micro. Again, the upgrade was instant and undeniable. This guy is EXTREMELY happy.

As for the sound of using an Io by itself or with a preamp. I prefer Io and Callisto. At Louis's home we did a shoot out with Io alone and Io plus the ARC Ref 2 Mk 2. Both of us preferred the ARC added to the system. Greater dynamics with a sense of ease, particularly with complex music. I plan to take my Aesthetix Callisto over for an additional shoot out. Having already owned a Ref 2 Mk 2, I am confident of the outcome in advance.

Jim White who is the designer of the Aesthetix line says that if the speakers are high efficiency (Avantgarde), results favor the Io alone. Medium to low efficiency speakers such as Dynaudio and (my) Soundlab Ultimates, the Io with Callisto (or Ref 2) is better.

I will ask my friend to consider posting to this thread. I think his response to the work I've done on this system would be most favorable.

I would only add, that somehow, someday I would like to listen to his amps in my system.

Physically and cosmetically these ARC Ref 600's in black finish are the most impressive amps I have ever seen. Having owned Tube Research GT 400 that is saying a lot. Unfortunately at $40,000.00 they are presently out of my reach.

Good question Rushton. I owned a Benz Ruby 2 before the Koetsu, it had an output of only .3 MV. Therefore, my experience is more similar than different with these two cartridges.

I have not experimented with a high output cartridge, but considering the Io is capable of (approx.) 70 DB of gain, it can easily drive every amp made to full output, without exceeding the maximum output voltage.

However, gain, dynamics and headroom combined with musical "ease of presentation" are strange phenomenons. These are as difficult to explain as why two amps with the same rated power seem to perform so differently on the same speakers.

For whatever reason, having the additional gain from a preamp stage makes the music come alive. This is true with both the ARC and the Aesthetix preamp.

We all know that when the equipment has reserve and power waiting in the wings, the ability to bring the most miniscule detail or loudest passage of music to center stage makes the difference in believability.

Having said all that, there are many fine audio systems that would be improved by inserting an Io without benefit of a preamp. The two together is ideal, the Io alone is still better than many options available.

I have a bad habit of presenting things from a point of absolute. I suppose from working at perfecting two channel sound for so many years.