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  1. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    I have an ancient Hickok 600A but all it really does is tell me yay or nay on whether the tube is good. It also will give me some idea on remaining tube life but don't have enough experience to have a lot of confidence in my interpretations. Tell us about the Maximatcher and in particular, how...
  2. Tirebiter

    Lampizator Gulfstream?

    To echo what Rgt911 stated, my Gulfstream provided a significant upgrade as both a music server and streamer. I opted to copy my entire library to a SSD external HD and connected it directly to the GS. There is an internal HD that you can also use for storage but I needed 2TB for the library...
  3. Tirebiter

    Lampi GG/Pac owners, downstream electronics list

    GG2( KR PX25)>>Lamm LL2>>Odyssey Kismet Reference>>Sonus Faber Amati Homage
  4. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    I have a pair of Tele Red Tips as well, again supposedly low noise for analytical equipment. Sound wise I preferred the Amperex over the Tele because they weren't quite as analytical as the Tele but there is a caveat, the listening tests were conducted prior to moving my TT, Io and preamp from...
  5. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    OGH, No clue as to the heritage of the LPS I used for this test as they were part of the package when I purchased my Io. When I got the units, the LPS were located in the V5 and V6 sockets for each channel. I put my Red Tips and a spare pair of Tele 12AX7's in the V1/V2 slots and bumped the...
  6. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    Test time! I have some spare Soviet LPS' that I just used to see how they measure up. I pulled my pair of Amperex 12AX7A Red Tips from the V1 positions and replaced them with the LPS set. I have been using Decibel X Pro on my iPhone for quite some time to measure relative noise shifts after...
  7. Tirebiter

    Avantgarde Horn Speakers

    Wil, the benefit arose more from moving vibration sensitive components from between the speakers to a sidewall than from any improvements that moving the equipment may have had on room dynamics. Now my TT, tube phono pre and tube preamp sit in a much less sonically congested zone and have...
  8. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    The TAD rep ultimately figured out the dual PS design concept and now understands. He was confused between the latest generation dual units, the older separate dual and the stereo iterations. He thought I was using two of the new generation dual PS. The Aesthetix website was a little murky on...
  9. Tirebiter

    Avantgarde Horn Speakers

    I just finished building my own set using 16GA...I ordered materials before seeing Jim's post and will consider another pair in 12GA to run between amps and speakers.. The DIY job requires a bit of thought prior to starting because the woven fabric does not strip like most other plastic cables...
  10. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    PS tube failure update. After communicating with the TAD rep and knowing that Aesthetix does not recommend the KT66 as a power tube for the Io, I have decided to abandon the KT66 and return to the EL34 lineage. In short, I was told that the KT66 is not rated to handle 600V plate voltage whereas...
  11. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    Yes the tube tester confirmed it was dead while the others checked out as OK. I also checked all of my 12AX7's and did some pin and socket cleaning while I had everything pulled apart. Fuses were also good. I agree on EBay being suspect but I reasoned that BC the site was associated with TAD...
  12. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    Sudden power supply tube failures.... I have an older issue IO Signature with dual power supplies and a couple of weeks ago lost the right channel. I have an ancient Hickok that has come in handy for just such events and tracked the failure to the V1 Marconi & Osram KT66. Note, the failure of...
  13. Tirebiter

    Avantgarde Horn Speakers

    Excellent, thank you!
  14. Tirebiter

    Avantgarde Horn Speakers

    Thanks Jim, I suspected the TV was a big issue too and will try the blanket method to confirm. Your tips for moving the equipment were extremely helpful although I was stuck leaving the amps in place simply because I didn't have the room to place them behind the couch with the rest of the gear...
  15. Tirebiter

    Avantgarde Horn Speakers

    Thanks Graham, I have been considering the speaker cable route...any suggestions for wire sources using natural materials? And based on my crude efforts thus far trying to determine where bass standing waves reside (or disappear entirely) am also on a mission to delve into room treatments using...
  16. Tirebiter

    Avantgarde Horn Speakers

    Over the past couple of months I have been giving consideration to moving on from my pair of Duo Grosso's. After about ten years of tinkering with all sorts of aspects including front end equipment (I still have an AG Model 5 0.5w integrated amp in storage somewhere), positioning etc I was...
  17. Tirebiter

    Matching SET Amps to Speakers

    Have you heard them? If so, how do they sound?
  18. Tirebiter

    Matching SET Amps to Speakers

    See? Even at my age I am capable of learning something new! :)
  19. Tirebiter

    Matching SET Amps to Speakers

    Thanks for confirming, having so little power available from my amps, especially if they are tasked with 15" drivers, seems too much to ask of them. It is a shame I love the speaker concepts that John has put together.
  20. Tirebiter

    Matching SET Amps to Speakers

    The Bache look interesting but am exploring options that don't involve built in powered subs...the list is limited for sure.
  21. Tirebiter

    Matching SET Amps to Speakers

    I have a pair of Avantgarde Duo Grossos that I purchased over 10yrs ago as the cornerstone of a long overdue system upgrade. Next came a pair of Lamm ML2.1 mono blocks which at the time made sense to me because of the low output tube amps and powered subs in the AG's. It has been a long process...
  22. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    Thank you @oldvinyl excellent info! As it happened, I was wondering about the Io matching protocol and sent Aesthetix Support an email a few days ago but have yet to receive a response. I think your info provided exactly what I was looking for. In essence, I asked if the V1/V2 channel pair...
  23. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    My Io was pretty well stocked with Tele smooth plates when I purchased it. There were, however, a couple of mismatches. For instance a Tele ribbed plate in one channel with a similarly located Siemens in the other. I purchased a pair of low noise Red Tip Medical Grade smooth plate Tele's to...
  24. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    As they say in football "that is why the games are played" is also true here. As experienced by @abeidrov my ATT5 listening impressions were not positive. 3D soundstage shrank and the overall sound was quite flat. As I am always looking for analogies to explain my observations and it seems as...
  25. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    I let the unit power down overnight for this change. The manual advises at least 20 minutes and also states that if ATT5 is selected that V5 and V6 be removed. I did a quick dB measurement after an hour of warming back up and found that at my "reference" setting on the LL2 the dB reading at the...
  26. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    First off, it was a DOH moment this morning when I opened up a PS and realized my mistaken recollection as to where the gain jumpers are located. Getting old...yeah, that's my excuse! No matter, I needed to get inside to straighten up the chokes that had "flopped" over a bit as seen in my...
  27. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    I realize now that your statement brings up the crux of my question...will I experience more noise generation from the Io or the Lamm. My logic would dictate that more noise is probably going to come from the Io because it has a more onerous job to do given the low output of the Blue Lace, which...
  28. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    Here is a bit of logic check for the group. I have my Io (w/o volume control) linked to a Lamm LL2 then to a pair of ML2.1's. The LL2 is known for having a higher gain output range and one of the changes in the LL2.1 was an overall reduction relative gain. Also of note is that the pair of volume...
  29. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    @audioquest4life I couldn't agree more...fine mechanical machines are marvelous to behold. I have driven the Tesla S and while it is fast, I found it to be soulless and boring after just a few miles behind the wheel. Never would I own one. Give me a screaming Italian V8 behind my ears or the...
  30. Tirebiter

    Aesthetix Io Users Group

    Silly me...I was starting to think that there was little more to be extracted from the the two grooves pressed into each vinyl disk. I say this because photography is also a passion of mine and have been a part of the medium's evolution from film to digital over the past three decades. Many will...

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