austinbob

Responses from austinbob

High End Intergraded comparisons, Marantz, McIntosh, Levinson, Luxman....
Followed this thread. I own an Aesthetix Mimas with the phono card. The amp overall is great and the phono section is excellent. Another consideration.   
Considering an integrated
I own an Aesthetix Mimas integrated and have both the DAC module and Phono module. I pair it with Vandersteen Treo CTs. The phono module is excellent, much better than the Sutherland 20/20 it replaced. I spoke with the designer, Jim Austin, and he... 
Integrated Amp upgrade path
I own Treo CTs and matched them with an Aesthetix Mimas integrated on the suggestion of John Rutan of Audio Connections. The Aesthetix is a zero-feedback design as are Ayre products and both are acknowledged as good matches for the Vandersteens. I... 
Audio Companies with Integrity??
I’ve had great service and advice from John Rutan at Audio Connections and Tony Barnette at Ellington Hi-Fi. I’ve tried to keep my system mostly American made, and have had very positive and helpful interactions with Aesthetix, VPI, Soundsmith, Va... 
Offer / counter-offer? Audiogon rules
This thread gets me to thinking...I'm a licensed Realtor. Let's say I list a house for a client for $500,000 and we receive an offer for $450,000. We could counter, for example, at $480,000. Here's the rub: while the buyer is mulling over our coun... 
Integrated amp suggestions.
I bought the Aesthetix Mimas and have been very pleased with the way they match my Vandersteen Treo CTs. Two tubes in the pre section, rated at 150 8 ohms, 300 4 ohms. I also got the optional DAC and phono modules. I like fewer wires!  
USB sucks
My experience is that the USB cable matters. I upgraded from a WyWires Silver to Platinum with good effect.  
8 track tape vs 1st press vinyl
Without researching, my memory has Bill Lear, of Learjet, inventing 8-track tapes? 
Will a $700 turntable outperform a CD player?
No 
Advice/Warnings for a newbie
Do you love your speakers? What qualities do you value in sound reproduction? If the speakers you own don’t deliver those qualities then don’t chase tweaks. A great amp or preamp may not be a great match to a speaker. In brief, my order is find sp... 
All-in-one integrated, 10-15K range, class A/B only
Aesthetix is A/B not D. But larger issue is what speakers you want to mate the amp with? The Mimas loves my Vandersteen Treo CTs although I believe it would work with a variety of speakers. Point is match amp to speaker. Finally, consider what you... 
All-in-one integrated, 10-15K range, class A/B only
I own an Aesthetix Mimas with DAC and phono modules. Excellent integrated and under $10k.  
Speakers that are a great value!
My opinion is that focusing on the costs of components for a speaker is not really useful. I’m a trained cook. Give me good ingredients and see what I come up with. Give the same ingredients to a good home cook and it will be night and day. So, ex... 
Too good a post to waste
One question: those who tell us that their DIY cables are just as good as megabuck cables know this why? Have they rigorously tested their’s against the engineers who created the other cables? Just asking. Anecdotes ain’t science.  
Best debut album
Willis Alan Ramsey. Perfect album.