People who own things will rarely accept that it may not be the best buy because they love it, and defend it because they chose it. It is a normal self esteem and pride behavior well known in all of us. I will not myself accept easily my gear beeing downgraded. But that's the price of objectivity. To accept others will make different choices than my own and be totally right about them. Hiding facts on a thing because I own one is a no no for me, sorry gentlemen !
That beeing said, it is unfeasible to make clear headed choices between audio units,as numerous as they are, if the condition is to own one or live with one for awhile in order to have sufficient experience to have an opinion. Even companies who have a policy of loaning equipment and taking it back if not satisfied will not accept if you keep it more than a week.
I've heard the AI several times, a couple of hours each time, and it was quite sufficient for me to make my own opinion about it. How ? Simply because I have the chance to compare a lot of preamps on the same basic system at the audio association. And it was brought many times to the club. And I said AI was fine sounding because I had the opportunity of comparing with many other preamps. And I could easily hear the differences. A very good unit at its price level. And yes, it has competition in it's group and it is a matter of taste. But if you want me to admit it is comparable to a VAC Standard LE or a Conrad Johnson Premier 16 LS2, well you are simply and respectfully out of your minds.
Again, the AI is well documented to be a hard machine on tubes. Just have a look on the web or even here on Audiogon, there was multiple discussions on the subject and that's a fact. If you can't accept it and won't look at the info, you may deny it but the info will still be there ! Some say it is because it has a lot of gain, some others will say it is because the tubes stay lit in order to preserve the tubes, some others say the preamp generates vibrations harmful to a lot of NOS tubes....All sorts of possibilities, to a unique and same problem ! Do your own search ! In conclusion, at the best, you will be told only very specific tubes (russians) will fit in them. People who like to try some other tubes to better tune a unit to their taste are taking a chance and AI DOES warn them accordingly. At worst,you will burn out precious NOS tubes if unaware ! Hey, what's wrong with that ! Did I say AI was dishonest, NO ! Did I say it was a bad unit ? NO !
I was just answering, informing somebody, who didn't say he had knowledge of this unit to be aware of the problem. If the matter is of no concern to him, I'm sure he will enjoy the unit as much as aybody who cherishes AI. But to hide the facts, to deny others their testemonies and experiences because you never witnessed it or simply because you are defending your choice, is wrong in my book.
Regards !
