Help! Trying to choose between 2 integrateds that I haven't heard to pair w/Vandersteens

Congrats on getting the latest Model 2. Well, the Treo CT certainly have bass. Recently I have setup two pair w the Mimas. Jim White’s card based DAC is excellent value. I had a 20 series Ayre ( vxr), so no stranger to that brand sonics. Love it but the Aesthetix will have better “ drive a rod thru the center of the earth bass “. Everything above that is nits and season to taste. Two great choices, three if you add Belles ( i just have not heard David latest Sig series, post pandemic to do list )

on the issue of end game speakers in the Vandy line, either of tge Integrated you mention can ( and have ) been modifed w internal high pass filters for use w the powered bass models ( Quattro and up )

See you on Vandy forum 

best to you

Jim

"All I want is a system (one as simple as possible) that I can forget about and just enjoy the music with and stop worrying about hardware! Oy"

@patrickdowns,  based on your  stated criteria ( high quality sound and simplicity)  the Aesthetix Mimas (With DAC option)  is hard to beat in your budget range. 

"That said, AYRE is a classic matchup for Vandersteens (it and the Aesthetix use no negative feedback, fwiw) and gets excellent reviews. New vs new, it’s a step up from the Mimas"

Who/what determined it's a "step up " from the Mimas?
Charles 

Thanks, Jim tomic601. I recall that you’ve set up 2 systems with the Mimas and Treo CTs (which I still want, and almost got used, a 1 year old mint pair for $6k and then I dawdled and missed it), and that’s one reason I became Mimas-curious. So you’ve heard their DAC? For $1200, to have that built in as a base DAC, while able to experiment with external DACs, seems a great option. QUESTION: Have you tried the Mimas with headphones? I listen with cans about 30% of the time so it’s important to me. The 1/4W output of the standard phones output would I hope drive my Sennheisers, but they’re planning a 1W output phones card, they say, which I would want. I love the idea of the Mimas with the Quatros too ... my pal has them and they are amazing.

charles1dad - I may be unwisely assuming that with an MSRP of $5000 more than the Mimas, that the Ayre integrated is "better" but if I am wrong, that makes the Mimas an excellent value. I would love to audition them side-by-side with Vandys, but the only dealer I know of that carries all 3 brands is John Rutan in NJ (who also carried Belles). If I weren’t as far as one can get from him in CONUS (I live in W. WA state), I would for sure make the pilgrimage.

Yes, the card based DAC is quite good - i could be accused of Aesthetix bias, as i have a Pandora. I have not had the chance to listen to the headphone jack - Ray at Stereo Unlimited in San Diego would know. 

Best to you!
Summers we are in Seattle, where are you ?

wlutke5

Your speakers got a glowing review! Do you love them? I love the Vandy sound, but ponder what I would do if I had $10-20k for speakers? Quatro CT? Or? I also dream of some really efficient (>93db) speakers with which to drive a low powered integrated like the Linear Tube Audio, maybe for a 2nd system.
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/acoustic-zen-crescendo-loudspeaker