Aesthetic preamp

 I’m using all balanced cables, except for the tape monitor, which I use for my subs.

If I'm reading this right, are you saying that the tape output is controlled by the volume control? If not, then you would have to adjust the subs every time you changed the volume??

@atmasphere :  That is correct. I find older LP’s or cds that were not produced well, need different amounts of sub volume. I have my two JL Fathom113’s connected to a separate preamp, so I can adjust the gain, if need be. I read a blog today, that recommended coming out of the main output, to get better sound. I haven’t tried that yet, but that may be too much going into the Sony I mentioned. It’s great having control of the subs gain using the Sony. 

@atmasphere  I may have not been specific about the subs. I keep the frequency roll off the same, I just adjust the gain.  I don’t have to adjust the volume that often, but can’t imagine not having complete control of the volume.  

@handymann So you have a *different*  preamp for the bass?
I think you would be better off running the sub off the main output, if the Aesthetix will support it.

The bass issue is understandable- I seek out original pressings on the older LPs, just because bass gets lost as more and more pressings are made. The liveliness of the recording suffers as well. That's why the original press often goes for more $$$. I think in cases like this tone controls might be helpful- for example when Mercury bought the recorders from Everest, they found an error in the EQ curve that causes the bass turnover to be off on a 6db slope starting around 100Hz. That's why Everest recordings can sound so great except for the bass. I think a similar thing happened with Westminster.

Interesting reading - experiences of Aesthetix gear that resemble mine.

mountz - yes Callisto has been on my list also, but there is a limit to how many tube-filled boxes I can have in my system - have to draw the line somewhere. So I use an Einstein The Tube mk2 one-box preamp which does a good job in many ways, even though I suspect that the Callisto and some others - like Atma-sphere MP1 - would do an even better job. I have a pure tube system, and the Einstein is tube too, except for the solid state power supplies - and this has a bit of negative impact. Not much, but some.

handymann - recording LPs remains a bother, even with the Io and Einstein, to get the best output, I have to change cables. The Einstein (unlike the Io) has a tape loop (tape in/out) but it is single-ended (RCA plugs) only. The balanced output (XLR), ordinarily used to the amps, sounds better. The Einstein engineers confirmed this to me. Thereby, I either have to split the XLR out signal (dubious, have not done it), or change cables each time I want to record. Very "purist" but not convenient. I remember years ago when I had a Revox A77 ready; just do it... 

Subwoofers? When I paired Aesthetix source components with OTL amplification and bought a speaker system tuned to this, I sold my Velodyne DD18 (the last in a long line of sub integration attempts), and have not looked back. The Audiokinesis speaker system I use consists of four speakers, and none of them go down as far as the DD18 did, but called and collected, used as a unit, correctly placed in the room, I get most of what I had, and without the problems of the sub.