Aethetix IO Signature Question

Radrog, I use the Aesthetix Io Signature with dual power supplies. In the usual parlance of "musical" versus "analytical," I would say that the Io is in the "musical" camp as far as devices of this caliber are capable of being classified. The Io has a relaxed, somewhat warm, overall presentation, but with exceptional resolving capability. It reproduces the natural bloom of the harmonic overtones of acoustic intruments exceedingly well. Hope this brief response helps.

Hmmm, let me put it this way... A friend just replaced three tweaked out KPEs with an Aesthetix Rhea and the improvement in his system was dramatic. The Aesthetix Rhea devestates the Krell and the Aesthetix Io Signature plays in the league above the Rhea.
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Radrog, I use the Io with a .36mv output moving coil cartridge, use the stock tubes, and don't experience any material tube noise from my listening seat at my normal listening volumes. But keep in mind, the Io generates 80db of gain entirely through active tube gain stages. This is very challenging, so the quality of the tubes in these gain stages is critical. The stock tubes have always worked fine for me.
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Would it be beneficial to go all tubes or keep the solid state preamp and monoblocks ?????

There's no absolute answer to this, I'm afraid. For my listening priorities, all tubes is the path I've followed and will continue to follow. But there are too many variables for there to be only a single path to getting great sound out of your system. One caution: don't believe the "too much of a good thing" comment so often tossed about with respect to having all tubes. As always, system balance, synergy and paying attention to the details are the key to a great sounding system.
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