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Aesthetix IO Eclipse

Hi,

I'm seriously considering this Phono preamp (with the additional line input and volume control), and would like to get in contact with potenial owners of the IO-series from Aesthetix. I believe the IO is what I'm looking for sonically (and I love the design and user experience). But, I'm slightly concerned about earlier reports of noise/hum issues, as well as riability and the practical side of things related to tube life and generated heat.

So....

- Is the IO Eclipse (still) up there among the best on the market?
- Will the possibility of driving a poweramp directly offer any disadvantages, or be as good as or better than a separate preamp of the same caliber?
- Are the tubes worth the expense, effort and potential hassle...?

What I'm looking for is a high degree of naturalness, musicality and flow combined with great dynamics and a large, holographic soundstage.

My system:

Brinkmann Bardo + 10.5 tonearm + Pi-pickup (Analog)
Audio Aero La Fontaine (CD/DAC/Pre)
Karan KA M2000 (Monoblocks)
Sonus Faber Futura (Speakers)
Kubala Sosna Elation (Cables)

Thanks!
128x128sidekick_i

Showing 4 responses by lewm

lewm
12,453 posts
 
If one chooses the "Io with high level input" option, what is the signal path after the high level input jack on the Io? Is there an actual linestage section built in, or is it just passive? If the latter, then one must consider amplifier input sensitivity (does the CDP or other high level source output enough V to drive the amps, or does it require the added gain of a line stage?) and length of interconnects (if the Io is passive with high level inputs, then one should think about capacitance of the cables and input impedance of the amplifiers as factors that could affect frequency response).

Do you guys know what is the role of the 2nd PS chassis, if one chooses to acquire it? I mean to ask what part of the Io audio circuit is supplied by the second PS?
lewm
12,453 posts
 
All positive answers, in terms of the potential of the Io. I am rather surprised that the 2nd PS makes such a big difference; I would have thought that separate constant current sources and voltage regulators for each channel would be sufficient to max out the performance. Thx.
lewm
12,453 posts
 
Dear Oldvinyl, I don't know why it was deleted, but I posted yesterday that I cannot understand why Aesthetix, who took the pains to design and develop the fully balanced phono section in the Io, and who charge a great deal of money for the resulting component, would ever have told you that "balanced input from the cartridge has no real advantage". Perhaps you misunderstood their representative or you were talking to a misinformed person. Of course, there ARE advantages, and it would be silly not to avail yourself of same, especially if noise is/was an issue. Make sure you use a true 3-conductor XLR interconnect between the tonearm and Io (one for positive phase, an identical one for negative phase, and a ground wire). I don't think there is anything controversial here, so lets hope that this second try does not get deleted.
lewm
12,453 posts
 
Got it. I was wrong. The Io's first gain stage is NOT balanced. Ergo, there is no particular advantage to using the XLR inputs. I knew this was true of their less expensive phono stage, but I obviously thought differently (not to say "differentially") as regards the Io. I learned something. Thanks.
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