joey54

Responses from joey54

You own a store, you sell 2 brands, which?
Aesthetix and Vandersteen, best combination ever for me. 
Quboz/Aurender Issue
Have you tried shutting down your ipad and stopping all background applications? The issue may be an Apple/iPad issue. I had a similar problem and fixed it by shutting down my iPad. 
Decide between ARC Ref 6SE and Aesthetix Calypso Eclipse
With Richard's amps I would suggest going with the ARC. I am a huge Aesthetix fan and use the Aesthetix Mimas integrated amp to drive my Treo's. I think the Metis preamp might be the best preamp I've ever heard. But ARC preamps seem to bring out t... 
The first system you had that was "high end/audiophile", by you standards
Marantz 2275 receiver, Gale 401A speakers, AR turntable with a Shure V15 IIII and a Scott 350 tuner. The Gale's are one of the few things I sold that I regret. 
Integrated Amps - another thread...
What's your budget? 
What Integrated Amp do You use
The Harbeth SHL5+'s  have a great midrange , extended treble and a dynamic range that can make for a very enjoyable listening experience. Almost everything you play on them sounds good.They also sound great at low volumes, which is tough for many ... 
What Integrated Amp do You use
I use Vandersteen Treo CT's with my Aesthetix Mimas, a great match. Previously used Harbeth SHL5+ which was also a good match. 
New amps with SP Tech Revelations
It's been quite a while but a friend of mine had a pair of SP Tech floor standers (not sure which model) and he had great success driving them with a set of Theta Monoblock amps and Gen VIII Dac/Preamp. The Enterprise Monoblocks have dropped in pr... 
What Integrated Amp do You use
Aesthetix Mimas. The best integrated amplifier I have ever heard. It has the option of adding an internal DAC and a phono stage. I upgraded from an Ayre AX-7e and almost bought the newer Ayre EX-8 but the Mimas hit all of my listening priorities b... 
Turntable isolation platform Recommendations?
Both the Critical Mass and the HRS platforms are excellent. I just ordered an HRS platform for my Clearaudio Performance DC. I've used CM platforms in the past but my dealer carries HRS so that's what I went with. Also I plan to upgrade my table t... 
What speaker has the best tweeter?
I'm a big fan of the Vandersteen Carbon Tweeter! 
Recommendations for speakers that sound great at lower volume levels.
I owned the Harbeth SHL5 Plus and earlier versions of the SHL5 and they all sounded great at low volumes. I actually bought them for that reason. The issue is more likely to be your amplifier. Harbeth's, when used with SS amps like Ayre, Aesthetix... 
Ayre ex8
The EX-8 has just been upgraded by Ayre to run cooler and deliver more power. I liked the sound of the original EX-8 much better than the AX-5 but not everyone agrees. It was a major step up from the AX-7e and Ayre Codex I was using. Sounded great... 
Heed Obelisk Integrated?
What speakers are you using? 
Looking for preamp which is good at BOTH single-ended AND balanced output
+1 for the Aesthetix Calypso