Aesthetix IO Signature upgrade path?

Hi Albert,

I am pretty sure, almost 100% sure, that the Odin's will be out of my reach in the future due to both, cost and WAF. I think my wife would kill me for spending that much on cables, despite saving, eating macaroni and cheese, selling her car, ha, and penny pinching to own them. I could realistically evaluate the Valhalla’s and would like to know if you have had the pleasure or experience of having those cables connected to your Aesthetix (assuming you still own the Aesthetix) and what were your impressions.

I have been skeptical of high end cables on my system and have had both the HMS distributor and Harmonix guys at my house only to tell them, to my ears, they do not work.

If the photos on the Aesthetix web site are your work, they are excellant.

I used to be a photographer in one of my careers many moons ago, used one of the first professional Nikon digital cameras, I believe it was a DC460 or something like that. Apparently my digital memory is going bad.

Again, thank you for the information.

V/r
Audioquest4life

V/r,

Yes, I heard the Nordost Odin but on my friends Aesthetix Eclipse I set up in his system. He has Wilson Alexandria X2 MK2 and it was clearly better than stock cable, no contest.

I used Aesthetix for about 10 years, the Io and Callisto are among the finest front end components ever made. The ad shots I did were the stack shot and interior view and also the silver smaller pieces with their blue lights showing.

I've seen these in many ads but the latest metal for Eclipse were sourced in CA, now that so many people can shoot digital.

Back when it had to be 8X10 or at least 4X5 sheet film and clean enough to not have to spend additional budget on retouch, I provided a lot of photography and much of it for high end audio. The best part was having the equipment for the shots allowed me to listen and purchased if I liked it. That always helps because the best stuff is terribly expensive.

Hello all

Does anyone know if its absolutely nescesary to do the signature upgrade through Aesthetix or can I just do the cap upgrades myself. I know they says there is a resistor mod that is also needed can anyone let me know it that is true ? Thanks Kevin

Ohjoy40, a good tech can do the cap upgrade for you and results will be the same as factory, provided you purchase equal quality parts.

I think currently Aesthetix is using the Moncrief caps which are very expensive. You could go V Caps or Audience caps and get better than you have now but it would not sound identical to the factory.

Better or worse would be in the ear of the beholder. The resistor upgrade basically replaces defective Mills resistors with precision Roederstein.

I would contact the factory, maybe speak with Glenn and ask about the upgrade without buying the new metal chassis. Then call Bill at Music Technology and get a quote from him too.

Let us know your decision and how it turned out.

Hello,

I've got the IO Signature with volume controls. I did add the second power supply to the set up within the first year of ownership. Certainly added definition and separation to the perspective. If you have the space it would be worthwhile.

With regard to the capacitors or eclipse upgrade, no idea, I have the same question. The cost is phenomenal. Although, I have experimented enough with capacitors to understand that they can change the sonic signature dramatically, not sure where it would go with the IO.

My whole system is packed in boxes right now as I am between homes so I'll be interested in your experience if you move forward. The other difficulty, for me, is that I'm not in the USA although the distributor's technician resides locally; so that may be option for not sending the unit off for upgrade (just do the caps locally) via the tech.

Let us know how (if) you proceed, IF its just the Moncrief caps maybe just doing those would be good enough.

I must say theat the chassis of the IO is not commensurate with its sonic performance, the new metal work would be a great improvement. However, the cost is really out of this world.

Good Luck!