After spending no less than 30 hours trying to fix this phono stage, and my Aesthetix monoblocks I think I am giving up it is just to noisy for me and plagued with gremlins. Aesthetix sold me 4 new tubes for the front end that quieted down some crackling a bit however it is still pretty loud and I am thinking now it is just not a good match to my system. They maintain as well it is not good paired with the calypso. My system is Basis Debut TT > IO > Aesthetix Calypso sig pre amp > Aesthetix monoblocks > Vandersteen Sevens. I think on a lesser system it would be ok but I hear everything and this is really bad. I did switch tubes from side to side and the sides are pretty much equally as noisy. I tried some cheapo phono stages and they had about a 10th of the noise and over all sounded better because of that but not so dynamic so I know it is the phono section. Now I just need to figure out what to replace this with I think I am going to go more solid state if there are any suggestions.
Its ashame Aesthetix was one of my favorite brands and I use to comment as such and recommend them but I guess like everything else they have good stuff and not so good stuff which makes this mixing and matching game for good sound so much harder.
Its ashame Aesthetix was one of my favorite brands and I use to comment as such and recommend them but I guess like everything else they have good stuff and not so good stuff which makes this mixing and matching game for good sound so much harder.