Counterpoint, Modwright, Aesthetix sound?

I am selling an affordable preamp. It's a full function quicksilver pre in great condition. I bought it over the AI as the dealer I worked with sold both those and we had the Counterpoint in with us too as he was trying it out. He was an AR dealer and Carey dealer as well. We both came to the conclusion that my Quick (we'll it's the one I walked out of the store with) was more open and dynamic. It was tighter in the bass too and it threw a huge soundstage on the Proacs (selling off those too as it's upgrade time for me). The Aesthetix is a great sounding pre and I believe a big step up from these other pre's you are looking at.

Counterpoint was great sounding stuff, however they had some major QC problems. Most of my friends who went that route ended up buying Quicksilver or AR since they are bulletproof. Which Aesthetix pre?

The Counterpoint 5.x preamp portrays space that the Calypso can not even begin to do. However, the Calypso has much more defined top-end extension and detail. Once you get used to a preamp like the 5.x, you will ultimately upgrade to a refined product with the Counterpoint's strengths in due time.

Moving onto an ARC preamp from the Counterpoint line years ago would not have given you the Counterpoint magic other than perhaps the SP-10 which I also owned for 8 years. The 5.x was/is a phenomenal product way ahead of its time….I suspect because of it's tube rectified power supply.

I think most agree that counterpoint was some of the best stuff you could get way back when. It was awesome stuff. I personally liked the Jadis stuff a TON...Counterpoint just had too many problems. It's too bad the company didn't make it. Great sounding gear for sure.

Yeah that was basically what a lot told me. The Counterpoint SA 5.1 did outpeform the Audio Research SP-10.

Many say it sounds warm, deatiled and very liquid unsurpassed by anthing else there on the market.

I purchased a brand new factory fresh Counterpoint 5.1 back in the day, and it proceeded to literally smoke before my eyes upon its initial power up. That was enough excitement for me!