I sold an Audible Illusions L1 to finance the purchase of an AVA T8. I had two complaints about the L1: it was hard on tubes and it didn't have a remote control. I have now had the T8 for a little over 2 years. In my opinion the T8 is better than the L1 in every area. I did not have any complaints about the sound of the L1, and did not replace it because I expected to improve upon it's sound quality. I would have been satisfied if the T8 only sounded as good and was less expensive to operate. Do a little research. Find out the cost of a good matched pair of NOS 6922 or 7308 tubes. I was replacing them every 12-18 months. For comparison, I have over 2 years of use on one set of 12AT7 tubes. And, it will cost much less to replace them when the need arises. And, I have the convenience of remote control. So if the T8 didn't sound better I would still be a happy camper. But it does sound better. The biggest improvements were in the areas of soundstage width and depth. Since I purchased my T8, Frank has made changes in the wiring and the tubes. He believes they are major improvements. Perhaps they are, but I am happy enough with my T8 that I don't feel the need for further improvements. I have no way of knowing what your experience might be, but for me the T8 was an improvement of the L1.
