I have not seen any agreement regarding phono stages that outperform the Aesthetix Io Eclipse with dual power supplies and good NOS tubes (some say: Allnic 8000 - others: maybe - a question of taste). You can find a lot of info on the Io here , mostly from happy long-term users.
How good is Aesthetix audio?
Aesthetix audio always seems to run under the radar. They have been around for awhile but don’t seem to get a lot of attention. Here on Audiogon, they seem to pop up here and there, but never with any consistency. I have always heard good things about them but how do they stack up against their peers? Their top of the line Eclipse range has always fascinated me, especially their power amps, but kinda risky not having ever heard one or even knowing much about their sound.