Help! Trying to choose between 2 integrateds that I haven't heard to pair w/Vandersteens

"All I want is a system (one as simple as possible) that I can forget about and just enjoy the music with and stop worrying about hardware! Oy"

@patrickdowns,  based on your  stated criteria ( high quality sound and simplicity)  the Aesthetix Mimas (With DAC option)  is hard to beat in your budget range. 

"That said, AYRE is a classic matchup for Vandersteens (it and the Aesthetix use no negative feedback, fwiw) and gets excellent reviews. New vs new, it’s a step up from the Mimas"

Who/what determined it's a "step up " from the Mimas?
Charles 

Thanks, Jim tomic601. I recall that you’ve set up 2 systems with the Mimas and Treo CTs (which I still want, and almost got used, a 1 year old mint pair for $6k and then I dawdled and missed it), and that’s one reason I became Mimas-curious. So you’ve heard their DAC? For $1200, to have that built in as a base DAC, while able to experiment with external DACs, seems a great option. QUESTION: Have you tried the Mimas with headphones? I listen with cans about 30% of the time so it’s important to me. The 1/4W output of the standard phones output would I hope drive my Sennheisers, but they’re planning a 1W output phones card, they say, which I would want. I love the idea of the Mimas with the Quatros too ... my pal has them and they are amazing.

charles1dad - I may be unwisely assuming that with an MSRP of $5000 more than the Mimas, that the Ayre integrated is "better" but if I am wrong, that makes the Mimas an excellent value. I would love to audition them side-by-side with Vandys, but the only dealer I know of that carries all 3 brands is John Rutan in NJ (who also carried Belles). If I weren’t as far as one can get from him in CONUS (I live in W. WA state), I would for sure make the pilgrimage.

Yes, the card based DAC is quite good - i could be accused of Aesthetix bias, as i have a Pandora. I have not had the chance to listen to the headphone jack - Ray at Stereo Unlimited in San Diego would know. 

Best to you!
Summers we are in Seattle, where are you ?

wlutke5

Your speakers got a glowing review! Do you love them? I love the Vandy sound, but ponder what I would do if I had $10-20k for speakers? Quatro CT? Or? I also dream of some really efficient (>93db) speakers with which to drive a low powered integrated like the Linear Tube Audio, maybe for a 2nd system.
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/acoustic-zen-crescendo-loudspeaker

tomic601 - I live in Port Angeles, 2.5 hours W of Seattle. I used to live in north county San Diego for 10 years (until the mid-80s, then LA for 16 yrs), and have shopped at Stereo Unltd. I talked to Ray not long ago, because my pal in Calsbad/Encinitas shops there sometimes and I learned they were an Aesthetix dealer so I called for info. Nice guy. He’s been in "the biz" for what, 40+ years?

You have the charmed life...PacNW in summer, SoCal in winter!