Aesthetix Io Users Group

[OGH]

Testing, now, Its good to be king, from Tom Petty: Wildflower. A relevant song, in today's climate. I also checked: I wanna be a boss, from the 10cc album How dare you). No surprise; the Io direct, from the LP, outperforns the Tidal streaming versions (through the Teac Nt-505). MQA is somewhat better than cd format, but the main gap remains. Why? With good to be king, I noted that the song sounded good also in the MQA streaming version. Quite good instrument separation and more bass than on the LP (maybe due to remastering, I am streaming the "deluxe" version). But when I played the original LP, I soon noted more presence, more tonal texture and quality, better depth / width of the soundstage, and better ambience.

 

[OGH]

Sorry if I take your time in this thread with points that may be obvious, like Io better than digital streaming, even MQA. A general observation is maybe more interesting. With the Io, go for the original LPs, or an early repress, rather than the "many years later" type of reissue / remastering. I have often been disappointed with these (often very costy "deluxe" type LPs), compared to originals or early represses. That can still often be found, for less cost, in the used bins, than the reissues. Tom Petty: Wildflower is a case in point. Gene Clark: No other. Originals and early represses generally sound great, on the Io. Although, sometimes, the reissue experts do it right, like Vanilla Fudge first album on mofi (2xLP 45rpm), I've never heard it this good.

 

[audioquest4life]

Received my tracking number from Aesthetix, yeah. The IO is returning on Wednesday next week as a partial Eclipse, dual power supplies, and some new tubes. When it arrives, a new Soundsmith Hyperion will be playing through it with upgraded Audioquest Fire XLR cables and a new PS Audio P12 power conditioner.

Analog Plans for 2021; The analog section will grow somewhat in the next 4 months, new tonearm/s, Transrotor TRa9, Kuzma, Graham Elite, or some other, along with an AirtIight Opus 1. Midway to end of summer, a new Transrotor Tourbillion. Not sure if I will keep or sell the Transrotor Apollon.

Sound update to follow during the holiday break.

 

[Kcin]

Received my tracking number from Aesthetix, yeah. The IO is returning on Wednesday next week as a partial Eclipse, dual power supplies, and some new tubes. When it arrives, a new Soundsmith Hyperion will be playing through it with upgraded Audioquest Fire XLR cables and a new PS Audio P12 power conditioner.

Analog Plans for 2021; The analog section will grow somewhat in the next 4 months, new tonearm/s, Transrotor TRa9, Kuzma, Graham Elite, or some other, along with an AirtIight Opus 1. Midway to end of summer, a new Transrotor Tourbillion. Not sure if I will keep or sell the Transrotor Apollon.

Sound update to follow during the holiday break.

Fantastic. Don't be too hard on the sound ... it will take > 300hrs more like 400 to get there. You may want to put in some old tubes for the process. You will love it when it is cooked!

 

[audioquest4life]

Fantastic. Don't be too hard on the sound ... it will take > 300hrs more like 400 to get there. You may want to put in some old tubes for the process. You will love it when it is cooked!

Thanks. Glen told me they did some minor burn in. He asked how I planned on breaking it in and I said I would be using the Granite Audio phonoamp burn in CD.

 

[Kcin]

Thanks. Glen told me they did some minor burn in. He asked how I planned on breaking it in and I said I would be using the Granite Audio phonoamp burn in CD.

When I got mine back Glen indicated they did about 100hrs. It took 400hrs for me to resolve and initially I really questioned what I did. Do not be afraid! It all turns out. The Granite CD works well.

 

[dan31]

I’m excited to hear how the unit settles. As Kcin said swap in some old tubes for the run in period, especially if your are going to use a reverse riaa cd disc.

 

[audioquest4life]

I’m excited to hear how the unit settles. As Kcin said swap in some old tubes for the run in period, especially if your are going to use a reverse riaa cd disc.

Me too. I will look at my stash of older Aesthetix tubes and see what I have that will work.

 

[oldvinyl]

Me too. I will look at my stash of older Aesthetix tubes and see what I have that will work.

Since the Io will come back without the tubes installed and you will need to open it anyway - it would be a great time to clean the tube sockets, AC connector, tube pins, etc.

I agree with the others - the new capacitors will take a while to fully burn in.

 

[Kcin]

I have the fortunate opportunity to borrow an Amplitrex tube tester over the holidays. I have been going through my stash of telefunkens and sorting them as they relate to the calibrated Hickok and VTV tube analyzer I have.

There is lots to like about the Amplitrex , however, there are some opportunities with it IMO. I really do not agree with the Emission readings- however the GM readings are easily relatable to my other two testers and I do have a base line now. The plate current reading and gas tests are nice too.

WIth the Io I usually go through the tubes every year around this time and more tightly match the front pairs , check for noise and move out any tubes that do not measure up- sort of a chess game. My stocks of acceptable to me Telefunkens are dwindling and more good stock is getting pricy and more difficult to source. I might have a few more years of stock left for future sorting- then gasp- new production or SS ?

 

[OGH]

I have very quiet JJ tubes sent from Aesthetix some years ago, almost unused. Yet I hang on to my Telefunkens even if they are slowly getting more noisy. I don't want to miss their musicality compared to the more solid-state sound of the JJs. Are there alternatives? "Reasonably" priced NOS that can do the first gain stages job almost as good as the Telefunkens?

 

[OGH]

Partial eclipse upgrade - it took 3-400 hours for me too, including use of the Granite cd, before the sound opened up and settled.

 

[audioquest4life]

Since the Io will come back without the tubes installed and you will need to open it anyway - it would be a great time to clean the tube sockets, AC connector, tube pins, etc.

I agree with the others - the new capacitors will take a while to fully burn in.

Since the Io will come back without the tubes installed and you will need to open it anyway - it would be a great time to clean the tube sockets, AC connector, tube pins, etc.

I agree with the others - the new capacitors will take a while to fully burn in.

I ordered the Caig vacuum tube kit And had it express delivered. I will for sure clean the ceramic sockets, but might forego other fine cleaning details. I have a current back disab and lifting things, flipping on sides, and bending over hurts. I look forward to playing music as soon as possible after the initial ceramic socket clean and burn in.

My back is affecting my audio hobby that is why I don’t spend time on doing minor things anymore. I am Getting looked at by a top neurologist next week to be evaluated for minimally invasive spine surgery. Of all the surgeries I had while in the Army, this is the one I look forward to the most as it is needed help me overcome this disability.

 

[audioquest4life]

I have very quiet JJ tubes sent from Aesthetix some years ago, almost unused. Yet I hang on to my Telefunkens even if they are slowly getting more noisy. I don't want to miss their musicality compared to the more solid-state sound of the JJs. Are there alternatives? "Reasonably" priced NOS that can do the first gain stages job almost as good as the Telefunkens?

Not sure about NOS, as they seem to be harder to find

I have read about some new manufacturing of Telefunken tubes, although I believe they are only licensed, and maybe somewhat built to the standards of the original Telefunkens.

Vacuum Tubes Archives

Here you will find a selection of microphone replacement tubes, as well as our Black Diamond Series vacuum tubes designed for instrument and hi-fi amplifier applications.

www.telefunken-elektroakustik.com

Alternatively, I have used PSVANE with success in my Octave Jubilee reference preamp. PSVANE recently updated their website which contains a newer Treasure dark bottle version tube: https://premiumvacuumtubes.com/product-category/shop_by_tube_model/12ax7/

 

[OGH]

I bought some Psvane 12ax7 a couple of years ago and wasn't so impressed, even if they were OK. They didn't replace my somewhat noisy Telefunkens. But Psvane may be improving, with the new model. These things happen. The noise level of the new JJs that Aesthetix included in the stock tube set is substantially lower than anything else I have tried, including earlier Aesthetix stock china / russia / jj 12ax7. I was amazed since I had thought of JJs as - sorry to say it - crap. So one model Psvane may be great, others not. Customer support could be better, in this whole tube jungle.

I was only dimly aware that some version of Telefunken is still on-going, and that they are making 12ax7 for a reasonable price, ca usd 50. I note that they don't claim that these are as good as the "classic age" Telefunken made in Western Germany - but otherwise the tech talk on the telefunken site seems fair enough. And guess who they partnered with, to make their new Black Diamond series 12ax7? JJ Electronics in Slovakia. I will look for reviews of these. They are out of stock, now.

 

[OGH]

"Telefunkneurosis - a subspecies of audiophilia neurosis, associated with obsession about Telefunken tubes. Patients may dream they are back at the Ulm factory in 1960 and can pick every tube they want, yet the dream often ends in a nightmare of losing them or getting caught. Severe cases are indicators of depression, yet the collective nature of the syndrome leads to manic behaviour as well, including spending large amounts of money on (often doubtful) cases of these "NOS" tubes. In psychiatric terms, "NOS" could be a wider, collective-obsessive syndrome."
Just joking, folks!

 

[audioquest4life]

"Telefunkneurosis - a subspecies of audiophilia neurosis, associated with obsession about Telefunken tubes. Patients may dream they are back at the Ulm factory in 1960 and can pick every tube they want, yet the dream often ends in a nightmare of losing them or getting caught. Severe cases are indicators of depression, yet the collective nature of the syndrome leads to manic behaviour as well, including spending large amounts of money on (often doubtful) cases of these "NOS" tubes. In psychiatric terms, "NOS" could be a wider, collective-obsessive syndrome."
Just joking, folks!

That is hilarious.

Interesting information regarding the Black Diamond Series. Go figure, out of stock.

 

[OGH]

"However, at the xx convention, this psychiatric version was denounced. Even though it was defended by a group arguing for steely-hard "objective" measures of sound, it was critisised by experts adressing the human nature of sound in general and music in particular. This coalition argued that the basic reason for Telefunkneurosis wasn't a psychiatric disease at all, but a matter of getting the best sound. They pointed to severe music industry mistakes assuming solid state and digital would automatically mean better sound, and the subsequent situation with extremely rising prices for the best tubes, and predictable behavior on that level. Thereby, the former diagnosis was rejected".
And so on. We almost have a sci-fi novella, right there

 

[audioquest4life]

@OGH, LOL.

Now, we need to invent time travel and go back in time and invest in Telefunken and produce more tubes for the coming revival of the analog age in the future.

 

[oldvinyl]

I ordered the Caig vacuum tube kit And had it express delivered. I will for sure clean the ceramic sockets, but might forego other fine cleaning details. I have a current back disab and lifting things, flipping on sides, and bending over hurts. I look forward to playing music as soon as possible after the initial ceramic socket clean and burn in.

My back is affecting my audio hobby that is why I don’t spend time on doing minor things anymore. I am Getting looked at by a top neurologist next week to be evaluated for minimally invasive spine surgery. Of all the surgeries I had while in the Army, this is the one I look forward to the most as it is needed help me overcome this disability.

wishing you the best possible outcome for the surgery

be careful to use Caig sparingly and remove any excess - CRC electronics cleaner spray can be used on the tube sockets

I only use Caig on tube pins since it can be easily removed, I do not use it on the sockets (it has a red oily film)