Aesthetix Io Users Group

[Kcin]

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)

I totally concur with oldvinyl. Do not use any cleaner or enhancing products on/in the sockets. If you must 99% IPA only and you can use soft rubber dental flossers that will fit in the small sockets. I just spent the weekend cleaning my sockets and tube pins. Cleaners in sockets can track high voltage and cause current paths that may never be able to be reverted without replacing the sockets.

For tube pins in order of operation:
1.Yamaha green instrument polishing cloth to polish the pins. There are other knock offs out there- just the Yamaha.
2.With a separate microfiber cloth 99% IPA to clean pins
3.With a separate microfiber cloth wipe on very little of Caig pro gold 5% and wipe off

For really miserable pins you can start with a fiberglass cleaning pencil then polish with the Yamaha cloth.

For sockets:
1. Scrub with 99% IPA until no oxidation is visible on dental flossers.

 

[audioquest4life]

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)

Thank you and appreciate the tips regarding the use of Caig on tube sockets. Is this the CRC Electonics spray cleaner that I should use on the tube sockets? https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05103-Electronic-Cleaner-11/dp/B000BXOGNI

 

[oldvinyl]

Thank you and appreciate the tips regarding the use of Caig on tube sockets. Is this the CRC Electonics spray cleaner that I should use on the tube sockets? https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05103-Electronic-Cleaner-11/dp/B000BXOGNI

Yes, that’s the one.
Per previous posts, Kontak works really well on the contacts in sockets,

 

[audioquest4life]

They are here!!! Waiting for me after work today, these three large IO phono boxes with the partial Eclipse upgrade mailed directly to me from the Aesthetix factory. I have to thank Glen and Jim for such a fair turnaround time.

My holidays start tomorrow, yeah... my wife will help me to move these downstairs to the listening studio in the morning, I will unbox, clean the sockets, insert tubes, place on rack, run Granite Audio 101.1 phono burn in CD for hours, and enjoy the new sound as it progresses through the burn in stages.

I will post the néw inside view pics, and then the pre and post clean pics, and rack mounted pics when it’s all put back together. I only hope that no electronics got rattled making the trip from California to the east coast.

For playback choices, I will be using this assortment of cartridges, Benz Ruby Z, Benz LPS, Soundsmith Sussaro MKII, and new Soundsmith Hyperion with the two SME V arms on the system.

I am waiting on an Air Tight Opus 1, but I am still researching a third tonearm solution that I have yet to decide on.

 

[DetroitVinylRob]

Please allow me to participate as a still want-to-be Io owner having sat in front of a three box version (dear friend’s) for some seven years and know it intimately. And more currently have enjoyed a Rhea Signature/Calypso Signature for the last decade. Love the experience

 

[DetroitVinylRob]

They are here!!! Waiting for me after work today, these three large IO phono boxes with the partial Eclipse upgrade mailed directly to me from the Aesthetix factory. I have to thank Glen and Jim for such a fair turnaround time.

My holidays start tomorrow, yeah... my wife will help me to move these downstairs to the listening studio in the morning, I will unbox, clean the sockets, insert tubes, place on rack, run Granite Audio 101.1 phono burn in CD for hours, and enjoy the new sound as it progresses through the burn in stages.

I will post the néw inside view pics, and then the pre and post clean pics, and rack mounted pics when it’s all put back together. I only hope that no electronics got rattled making the trip from California to the east coast.

For playback choices, I will be using this assortment of cartridges, Benz Ruby Z, Benz LPS, Soundsmith Sussaro MKII, and new Soundsmith Hyperion with the two SME V arms on the system.

I am waiting on an Air Tight Opus 1, but I am still researching a third tonearm solution that I have yet to decide on.

WoW! Simply WoW.

enjoy

 

[audioquest4life]

Please allow me to participate as a still want-to-be Io owner having sat in front of a three box version (dear friend’s) for some seven years and know it intimately. And more currently have enjoyed a Rhea Signature/Calypso Signature for the last decade. Love the experience

@DetroitVinylRob,

Welcome to the Io users group. I have been enjoying the basic Io for nearly 15 years. The fact that you haven been enjoying the Rhea for so long endorses my thoughts on the quality of the build and sound characteristics of the Aesthetix phono products. Combined with the the endurance that these products are known for, we, as a collective of owners are enjoying these through generations, moves, and with old or new families. That’s simply amazing.

 

[audioquest4life]

WoW! Simply WoW.

enjoy

@DetroitVinylRob,

Thank you. You have the impressive setup as well. Hey, I noticed you have Classic Audio T3.4 speakers. Are they also field coil design? I purchased the field coil T1.5s this past spring and I have been in heavenly musical bliss ever since. They can literally rock the room, which is no small feat due to a custom designed room.

 

[DetroitVinylRob]

@DetroitVinylRob,

Thank you. You have the impressive setup as well. Hey, I noticed you have Classic Audio T3.4 speakers. Are they also field coil design? I purchased the field coil T1.5s this past spring and I have been in heavenly musical bliss ever since. They can literally rock the room, which is no small feat due to a custom designed room.

Indeed. Congratulations! A huge step. And yes, mine are fully field coiled, finished in hand oiled Bolivian Rosewood. Made a year ago September(?) perhaps. They traveled to a couple of shows, including Capital Fest just before Covid-19, then spent some time in John’s living room, then they were delivered by Mr. Wolfe to me. We live about an hour apart and have known each other for about twenty years. The T1’s would have never made it down our silo stairwell! The T3’s had to have all four woofers pulled to “lighten” then an still, almost didn’t make it! But they are here now, for all of time hopefully. Keeps me from having any thoughts about swapping them out, as if these were not my dream speakers already! Could not be happier.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Congratulations audioquest4life!

What a wonderful Christmas present!

 

[audioquest4life]

Ron,

Thank you.

 

[audioquest4life]

The rack is cleared and cleaned up and ready to accept the Io equipment.

The equipment sitting on floor waiting for tube cleaning. Wait, the ceramic tube sockets are shiny and brand new looking. I did a test clean on a socket and it was squeaky clean. So, I proceeded to add the tubes.

Of course, my back was acting up so I was walking around with a TENS unit dialed in at 3, in modulation mode. Thank goodnesses for tech like this to alleviate pain. Onward to the tasks.

 

[audioquest4life]

The tubes that Aesthetix provided me are all tested and matched by the Aesthetix factory. I was able to insert the tubes and close up the system. Taking note of the new gold foil on the inside was real cool.

Also, what appears to be a factory upgrade of the ceramic tube sockets, or an extensive cleaning was a bonus.

The power supplies shipped with the factory tubes therefore I did not bother to mess with them. Too much tedious work with my current back condition. Speaking of tubes, not sure what brand or who the manufacturer is for the V8 tube, some variant of a 6H8C.

After I closed it all up, I was able to gently lift the phono control unit and place it on the rack amazingly. I called my wife to help load the other components.

One other thing I also noticed, the feet of the control unit also received some footer upgrade. I Noticed this when placing it on the rack and trying to adjust its position...it suctioned down and I had to break the suction seal to move it. It was another pleasant surprise. I took a picture of the underside to reveal the new footer.

Now, I have the components where I want them. Onto the next phase, reconnecting cables and Granite Audio phono burn in CD. New post to follow.

 

[audioquest4life]

I woke up early Christmas morning and instead of
wanting to open gifts, I went to the studio to begin the burn in. Turned on the CD player, selected track 33, and then selected repeat and went upstairs for a large part of the day. The initial break in period has begun.

I added the PSAUDIO p12 watt usage pic to show how much power is used with two power supplies in idle state.

 

[OGH]

Congratulations, Audioquest4life! Lets hope the partial eclipse + dual power supplies upgrade works well - like it did for me.
Be prepared for a bit "strange" sound (is this Mickey Mouse??) on your way to break-in - 300 hours or so.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Great progress audioquest4life!

What are the sonic effects of powering your original Io from the P12 versus directly from the wall outlet?

 

[audioquest4life]

Congratulations, Audioquest4life! Lets hope the partial eclipse + dual power supplies upgrade works well - like it did for me.
Be prepared for a bit "strange" sound (is this Mickey Mouse??) on your way to break-in - 300 hours or so.

Thank you. I will post an update with a sound clip in a later follow on post. But, from I already heard, it’s fantastic.

 

[audioquest4life]

Great progress audioquest4life!

What are the sonic effects of powering your original Io from the P12 versus directly from the wall outlet?

Hi Ron,

To be honest, I have not tried directly to the wall. I really focused on using the PS Audio products for several reasons. Although I have two dedicated 20 amp circuits for the source analog components, I needed more than just 4 plugs. I had used Isotech products in Germany and always felt that it was great to have a product that helped with clean power as well as increasing the amount outlets. The PSAudio serves multiple purpose for me, clean power, exact power, and the addition of multiple outlets.

I find no deleterious or anything negative to say about the PS Audio. It just sounds good in place...and reduces the in line THD to virtually 0%. I may experiment later on.

 

[DetroitVinylRob]

Again, congrats. I’m so excited for you.

Jim Hagerman Audio used to have a little burn-card the iRIAA2 - Inverse RIAA filter for burning in phonostages with a hi/lo (cartridge) output setting. Glenn Buckley tipped me off to it a long time ago, said Aesthetix used a bunch of them on their burn rack for the burn in/review regimen before shipping new/updated/repaired product. Best $49 I may well have ever spent. Lent it out a bunch in our audio group, now I can’t find it, hmm. Perhaps this kind of thing would be somewhat less painful to you. I don’t see it listed anymore on the website but what I do see is a FryBaby that I think will do the same kind of thing. I use a AudioDharma cable cooker too for all cables with much success.

iRIAA2 - Inverse RIAA Filter

The iRIAA Filter is a two-channel passive inverse RIAA response filter for use in testing phono preamplifiers. Unlike traditional networks, the iRIAA Filter includes a correctly placed upper 3.18us (50kHz) corner in its transfer function. Output level is switchable between -40dB and -60dB...

hagerman-audio-labs.myshopify.com

 

[Kcin]

Congratulations, the upgrade comes with the HRS polymer footers- as you discovered, they really stick. Have fun and be patient.