Aesthetix IO vs. Manley Steelhead vs. The Groove

I too, own the CAT Ultimate pre with phono stage, my turntable consists of Basis 2500/Graham 2.2/Koetsu Urushi/Music Groove 2 phono cable...with stock tubes this combo really sings, but when i replaced with NOS Amperex and Telefunkin, the system became a living breathing thing.....you might try this before spending additional $$

Rayhall, I do not know if you are still following this thread but here are my initial impressions of the Aesthetix Io Signature versus the Manley Steelhead (both the latest versions).

First, my usual disclaimers: my opinions are simply that, they are based on MY tastes, with MY system, in MY room, based on MY past experiences and MY preferences as heard through MY ears!!

That said, I let the Io warm up for a few hours before listening. I also used both units with stock tubes (even though I KNOW that they can both be changed/improved/tuned to individual tastes with NOS tubes. I also set both at or near the same impedance usuing the exact same system and ICs and power cords to ensure nothing else new contributed to the sound.

For my money, the Io restored my faith in vinyl which had begun to wane. The Io Sig, IN MY SYSTEM, bettered the Manly fairly convincingly for what I value. It was much more dynamic, it had better transient attack, better image focus, bigger soundstage (both height and width) and was, to my ears, truer to the timbre and tonality of instruments. The music just seemed more effortless and less congested. Now I am told by friends I trust that you can drastically improve the Manley with some esoteric tube rolling (especially to improve dynamics) but I will leave that to Gladstone to fill you in on. I also think Gladstone is right that the tube regulated power supply is a major contributing factor to its incredible sound.

I am now going to tube roll with the Io but at a MUCH higher price due to the sheer number of tubes and will report the results (thanks Bruce and Albert for the tips!).

Down sides? Yup. The Manley is $1,700 less than the Io, the Manley is smaller and the Io produces more heat. Also, there is that old familiar tube rush at higher volumes with the Io that some people do not like. For me, I don't hear the tube rush when the music is playing and the real estate and heat issues disappear when that cartridge hits the LP!!

My good friend Brian (who is as sick as I am) put it best when he said "it just sounds right!"; I have felt like an Audio Goldilocks the last two years - "this phono stage is TOOOO this and that phono stage is TOOO that and this cartridge is TOOO this and that cartridge is TOOO that."

Well, this combo (Dynavector XV-1s and Io Signature) is "JUUUUUST right" for me!

Anyone compare the above with Sutherland's new battery powered PhD? By all accounts, an interesting piece for only $3000.

Thanks FMPND,

Please let us know about your tube-rolling experiments and results.

Frank, (Fmpnd)

Thanks for the compliment. I stayed out of this thread as everyone already knows how obsessed I am with the Io and Callisto. I am pleased that your Goldilocks syndrome has ended and without the risk of dealing with bears.

A member of my audio group who posts under Logenn, owned the Manley Steelhead last year and like you, wished for more. His system was enough like mine that once he purchased the Io, we went to the “right” tubes fairly quickly. Getting that Io away from him now would be impossible. I may try to get him to post his opinion about the differences, but they were significantly enough in favor of the Io that the test was over the first day.