Inspiration Series

[wizard]

7131

7132


At HK Audio Show.

[mauidan]

Has anyone heard the Inspiration Stereo amp?

[MDP]

Not yet Dan.

[Mark Jones]

Has anyone heard this new affordable series yet?

[Audioseduction]

They don't look inspiring to me. Too boxy looking.

[j2020]

Hi all,

This is my first post. I have auditioned the Inspiration preamp in the context of my home system and am impressed by the transparent and resolving highs. It is top-down in its presentation. The mids and the lows lack some weight and body. When compared to the Jeff Rowland Capri S2 which was my previous preamp, the Capri is bottom-up in presentation with more heft to the mids and lows but lacking air and sparkle in the highs. The Ayre K-5xeMP strikes a good balance in all frequency ranges with even better mids and lows than the Capri. I am a happy camper with the Ayre now in my system.

Happy listening.
Jon.

Esoteric K-01 for CD/SACD, Marantz NA8005 USB flashdrive transport for hi-res => Ayre K-5xeMP => Bryston 28B SST monos => Vienna Acoustics The Music with Shunyata Triton Power Conditioner, Kimber Select IC, KS 6063 speaker cables, Shunyata and PS Audio power cords

[joeinid]

Hi Jon,

Welcome to the forum and thank you for joining!

[Mike]

Hi Jon. Welcome! Wonderful system you have there.


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[j2020]

Thanks, all for the kind words.
Cheers! J.

[Dpod4]

Hi all,

This is my first post. I have auditioned the Inspiration preamp in the context of my home system and am impressed by the transparent and resolving highs. It is top-down in its presentation. The mids and the lows lack some weight and body. When compared to the Jeff Rowland Capri S2 which was my previous preamp, the Capri is bottom-up in presentation with more heft to the mids and lows but lacking air and sparkle in the highs. The Ayre K-5xeMP strikes a good balance in all frequency ranges with even better mids and lows than the Capri. I am a happy camper with the Ayre now in my system.

Happy listening.
Jon.

Esoteric K-01 for CD/SACD, Marantz NA8005 USB flashdrive transport for hi-res => Ayre K-5xeMP => Bryston 28B SST monos => Vienna Acoustics The Music with Shunyata Triton Power Conditioner, Kimber Select IC, KS 6063 speaker cables, Shunyata and PS Audio power cords

Must be the house sound for the preamps since that is exactly how I would describe the Virgo preamp in my system when I auditioned it. Odd too since the amps (in my case the constellation) is balanced across FR and actually is bottoms up more than top down.

[j2020]

Hi Dpod4,
Actually, it makes good business sense for the manufacturer if their idea is for us to mate both their preamp and amp to balance out the sound. But I guess not everyone would want to purchase or upgrade both components at the same time.
Cheers! J.

[wizard]

Inside:

Preamp
http://media.tas.zeitpress.com/articles/images/249_constellation_interior_preamp_back.jpg

Stereo amp
http://media.tas.zeitpress.com/articles/images/249_constellation_interior_amp_back.jpg

[cmalak]

Robert Harley's review at TAS: Constellation Audio Inspiration Series Preamp 1.0 Linestage, Stereo 1.0 Stereo Amplifier, and Mono 1.0 Monoblock Amplifiers | The Absolute Sound (http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/constellation-audio-inspiration-series-preamp-10-linestage-stereo-10-stereo-amplifier-and-mono-10-monoblock-amplifiers/)

[wizard]

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=18648&d=1422695298

[wizard]

http://audioshark.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=10410&d=1428098984



10410

[lostinla]

I'm hoping to hear this amp (Stereo 1.0) in my system soon

[wizard]

http://www.my-hiend.com/leoyeh2/2015a/DSC08036aa.jpg

[CDLehner]

I have auditioned the Inspiration preamp in the context of my home system and am impressed by the transparent and resolving highs. It is top-down in its presentation. The mids and the lows lack some weight and body. When compared to the Jeff Rowland Capri S2 which was my previous preamp, the Capri is bottom-up in presentation with more heft to the mids and lows but lacking air and sparkle in the highs. The Ayre K-5xeMP strikes a good balance in all frequency ranges with even better mids and lows than the Capri. I am a happy camper with the Ayre now in my system.

Thanks Jon. You know...I just caught wind of this combo, and was really intrigued.

But reading your review, that you prefer the Ayre K-5xe MP...which was one of my favorite pre-amps EVER; just makes me realize, I gots to get one back! :audiophile:

[Kuoppis]

Thanks Jon. You know...I just caught wind of this combo, and was really intrigued.

But reading your review, that you prefer the Ayre K-5xe MP...which was one of my favorite pre-amps EVER; just makes me realize, I gots to get one back! :audiophile:

The K-5 xe MP is definitely wonderful, liked it a lots. But I exchanged it for the KX-5 Twenty just recently and am quite happy about it.


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[CDLehner]

The K-5 xe MP is definitely wonderful, liked it a lots. But I exchanged it for the KX-5 Twenty just recently and am quite happy about it.

Huh. This just in: I hear the sky is blue :P :notreally:

[j2020]

"...the sky is blue"

True that! :)

[Kuoppis]

"...the sky is blue"

True that! :)

Ever heard either of the preamps... Or are you just chiming in because of the price difference?


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[j2020]

Yes....and.... Yes. :)

[Kuoppis]

Yes....and.... Yes. :)

How would you describe the difference in their sound then?


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[j2020]

Your question : Ever heard EITHER of the preamps.....
My answer : Yea.

The difference between the 2 preamps? - you would most certainly already know the answer to that one. Which is why you upgraded.

Congrats and enjoy! I am so green with envy! :)

[Kuoppis]

Your question : Ever heard EITHER of the preamps.....
My answer : Yea.

The difference between the 2 preamps? - you would most certainly already know the answer to that one. Which is why you upgraded.

Congrats and enjoy! I am so green with envy! :)

Ok, fair enough and sorry for the quizzing. I was just curious, as I still find the K-5 xe MP to be very good value for its price.

What happened to me, is that I had the K-5 xe MP and the VX-5 and then upgraded to the KX-5 Twenty and sent the VX-5 in for the Twenty upgrade as well. The KX-5 Twenty however arrived three months before I got my VX-5 Twenty upgrade slot. Surprisingly enough, I found the K-5 xe MP to be a better pairing with the non-upgraded VX-5, as it is slightly warmer than the KX-5 Twenty.

When I however got the VX-5 Twenty back it was significantly better with improvements in terms of bass heft, richer colors and ability to display instrument timbres, as well as dynamics. Only now was I able to fully benefit from the quite huge step-up switching from the older to the never generations.

All-in-all the the Twenty versions are really in a different league compared to their older siblings, but the K-5 xe MP is maybe the easier preamp to pair, as the KX-5 Twenty also requires a better power amp to really shine.

Hence my point of view (just individual opinion), that it's not always just the higher price that will tell us what is the better choice :).


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[SoundRebels]

Inspiration INTEGRATED 1.0

http://www.audioshark.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=17818&stc=1http://www.audioshark.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=17819&stc=1http://www.audioshark.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=17820&stc=1http://www.audioshark.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=17821&stc=1

[chekin]

Have any of you tried using Constellation Inspiration Preamp 1.0 and Stereo 1.0 power amp to match with Magico A3/Q3?
There are some posts saying that the bass would be somehow repressed/
Any experienced users can share their opinion?

[Jabba]

Have any of you tried using Constellation Inspiration Preamp 1.0 and Stereo 1.0 power amp to match with Magico A3/Q3?
There are some posts saying that the bass would be somehow repressed/
Any experienced users can share their opinion?

I own Constellation Revelation Pictor and Taurus and my speakers are Magico S3 and I have never felt any problems with the bass.

[Mike]

I own Constellation Revelation Pictor and Taurus and my speakers are Magico S3 and I have never felt any problems with the bass.

Agreed. Some of the first gen Constellation was a little light with bass. But this new stuff (new models, v2 stuff) is superbly balanced, liquid and smooth on top. Big improvements. Plenty of bass and control now!