Nsufian, I used to own the AI and believe me this is much better. The AI, in comparison, has no soundstage and is very congested and grainy. Don't get me wrong. I was satisfied with the preamp and up to that point was the best I'd owned. It's a decent preamp in the used price range. The service issues and the short life span of tubes drove me to explore other options. The Modwright will be a revelation to you IMHO.