Feedback on Ayre and Aesthetix with Vandersteen 5As

Robert,
If the tubed  components  didn't sound any better than Ayre during you latest audition and you have reservations concerning tubes, you should just get the Ayre components. Tubes only make sense if you clearly hear /believe that they sound better than transistors. 
Charles, 

Only you can decide what you want. I spent all morning figuring out which tube to fix. Sure enough it was a bad tube so it's still down. I love the sound. I do. It's just where I'm at in life to stay SS. As long as you get from Johnny he'll take great care of you as all of us will attest to. Did you ask him him thoughts on which way to go. 

Guys us silver can be warm. It has to be drawn in small batches and alloyed properly so you have small grain size and directionality in the wire. Most done know how to do this. AQ is one of the few companies who make production silver cable where they can do this. There is also a situation as to how fast the signal travels within the cable as well as the outside i.e. Skin effect. Garth Powell was explaining this a few weeks ago at Johnnys. Fascinating stuff actually.  There are some brands that go great together but that doesn't mean there aren't others that still sound great that the dealer doesn't sell. 

I have the Calypso and Atlas Signature. Tubes in these units have never been a problem or hassle, as stated above the Atlas only has two tubes and the Calypso has four. Both units really step up a level with NOS tubes, they can be pricey but last a long time. I didn't opt for the Rhea mainly because it has, I think, ten tubes which I didn't want to deal with.

Yes it has ten tubes.  It does however sound better than nearly any other pre I've heard and I love the three in puts and remote control to change bias and gain or input from my chair, lol.  Great company with even better customer service.