Ayre KX-5 Twenty and VX-5 Twenty combo ......

**joeinid** · April 25, 2016, 12:27 AM

I just picked up the Ayre KX-5 Twenty and VX-5 Twenty combo. I have to say that even without being broken in, it sounds great. Smooth, non-aggressive, slightly sweet, powerful bass and dead quiet.

**kzhtoo** · April 25, 2016, 12:45 AM

Sweet!!

**MikeCh** · April 25, 2016, 12:48 AM

Nice Joe, congrats on the new purchase! Please keep us updated as they break in.

**joeinid** · April 25, 2016, 12:59 AM

Thank you kzhtoo and Mike. So far the Ayre combo on the Strads is wonderful.

**Paul** · April 25, 2016, 01:32 AM

Another home run Joe ?

When I grow up I want to be like Joe.

Ayre KX-5 Twenty and VX-5 Twenty combo ......

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**joeinid** · April 25, 2016, 01:47 AM

Classes are now in session Paul. I want to be like YOU!

**Kuoppis** · April 25, 2016, 01:53 AM

Congrats Joe on the Ayres! Great choice (I am strongly biased though). Lucky you, that you could go directly to the Twenties.

Now you will be starting some of the toughest weeks in your recent hi-end history. Yes, they do sound ok out of the box, but they will sound just phantastic after 300 hours. It will make quite a difference.

Happy to have someone to compare notes with on the Ayres.

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**joeinid** · April 25, 2016, 02:22 AM

Ah, so nice to have a fellow Ayre lover. I knew of the non twenty versions from a friend and realized they were fantastic. There was no way that I could do the R series but I am amazed at how great the 5 series sounds.

One thing that I love, Ayre takes care of their customers through upgrades and updates.

**Kuoppis** · April 25, 2016, 03:16 AM

The non-twenty versions were good, but the twenties are great. I had recently a friend over who has the R-series, now he feels he has to upgrade his as well, as the difference between the non-twenty R series and 5/20 series is getting quite small

.

I upgraded my VX-5 to twenty mid last year and it was my best ever value-for-money hi-end investment. On the pre-side I went from K-5 xe MP to the KX-5/20. The interesting thing was, that prior to the twenty upgrade the VX-5 was not getting the full potential out of the KX-5/20.

On the upgrade policy I totally agree, a great way to get life time customers. Who else has that nowadays? This is also what I have tried to get Alon Wolf to understand: If people pay 30-50K for speakers, they might do grudgingly one upgrade cycle while still enamored with the brand. But if you expect people to re-do such an investment every four years, while losing minimum 50% on their initial investment, they will eventually walk away and Magico will remain a niche forever. Would he however enable upgrades for the S-series for a third or even half of the new price, he would be able to develop a more sustainable and longer term following. Upgrades can of course be sold through the same people who sell them new, that's how Ayre does it.

This is also quite easy to rationalise mathematically: Just calculate the Cournot-Point between how many new purchases he will lose when offering upgrades vs. how many more will stay with the brand when an upgrade path is provided and how many more will buy new because of the sustainability of investing in Magico products. - Apologies for the rambling, my first Masters was in Economics

.

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**Mike** · April 25, 2016, 07:28 AM

Congrats Joe.

**audio.bill** · April 25, 2016, 08:41 AM

That's some very nice gear Joe, enjoy them in good health! Hope that amp can hold its own against the Nords.

**joeinid** · April 25, 2016, 08:42 AM

Thanks Mike,

**joeinid** · April 25, 2016, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by audio.bill

That's some very nice gear Joe, enjoy them in good health! Hope that amp can hold its own against the Nords.

Thank you. I plan to get the new 994 op amps and revised input boards for my Nords when Colin is all caught up everything. That should be more of a fair fight.

**joeinid** · April 25, 2016, 08:48 AM

Great information and insight.

I agree, I've sustained enough loss in the past to have learned from my experience. I'm a little wiser now.

One of the reviewers mentioned similar findings about the preamp match. When the Twenty series components were matched up, performance increased exponentially as opposed to using another brands high quality preamp on the newer pieces. Looks like this package is a great price to performance leader. So far, love it. Zero sibilants and sweet music. Thanks Ayre.

Originally Posted by Kuoppis

The non-twenty versions were good, but the twenties are great. I had recently a friend over who has the R-series, now he feels he has to upgrade his as well, as the difference between the non-twenty R series and 5/20 series is getting quite small

.

I upgraded my VX-5 to twenty mid last year and it was my best ever value-for-money hi-end investment. On the pre-side I went from K-5 xe MP to the KX-5/20. The interesting thing was, that prior to the twenty upgrade the VX-5 was not getting the full potential out of the KX-5/20.

On the upgrade policy I totally agree, a great way to get life time customers. Who else has that nowadays? This is also what I have tried to get Alon Wolf to understand: If people pay 30-50K for speakers, they might do grudgingly one upgrade cycle while still enamored with the brand. But if you expect people to re-do such an investment every four years, while losing minimum 50% on their initial investment, they will eventually walk away and Magico will remain a niche forever. Would he however enable upgrades for the S-series for a third or even half of the new price, he would be able to develop a more sustainable and longer term following. Upgrades can of course be sold through the same people who sell them new, that's how Ayre does it.

This is also quite easy to rationalise mathematically: Just calculate the Cournot-Point between how many new purchases he will lose when offering upgrades vs. how many more will stay with the brand when an upgrade path is provided and how many more will buy new because of the sustainability of investing in Magico products. - Apologies for the rambling, my first Masters was in Economics

.

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**KeithR** · April 25, 2016, 01:07 PM

Congrats Joe! Heard Ayre and SF together and its a very synergistic combination.

I've heard the Twenty really steps up the VX-5 to new levels.

**joeinid** · April 25, 2016, 01:16 PM

Thank you Keith. It really is wonderful on the Strads. Plenty of power for me too.

**the professor** · April 25, 2016, 01:49 PM

Congrats Joe. Love Ayre gear!

**joeinid** · April 25, 2016, 02:01 PM

Thanks Jock. I know you're a fan but the new Dag gear must be phenomenal.

**Jim Smith** · April 25, 2016, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by joeinid

i just picked up the ayre kx-5 twenty and vx-5 twenty combo. I have to say that even without being broken in, it sounds great. Smooth, non-aggressive, slightly sweet, powerful bass and dead quiet.

Awesome!

**MDP** · April 25, 2016, 04:47 PM

Congrats on some very sexy Ayre gear

**cmalak** · April 25, 2016, 09:47 PM

Congrats on the Ayre gear Joe. What's the list price on the pre and amp? Just curious...

Thx

**Mivera Audio** · April 25, 2016, 10:17 PM

Congrats Joe! I am looking forward to how this amp compares with the Nord/994 combo

**joeinid** · April 25, 2016, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by cmalak

Congrats on the Ayre gear Joe. What's the list price on the pre and amp? Just curious...

Thx

Thank you Cyril.

$8950 ea.

**joeinid** · April 25, 2016, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by Mivera Audio

Congrats Joe! I am looking forward to how this amp compares with the Nord/994 combo

Thanks Mike. I'll hit up Colin next month for the parts.

**Dr Tone** · April 29, 2016, 01:35 PM

Did you have Devialet before? Feel like giving me a comparison, I'm tossing the idea of maybe moving away from Devialet if they continue their current course with the Expert line.

**joeinid** · April 29, 2016, 05:26 PM

I did have the Devialet D400. I love the Ayre and Nord amps better. More tone as in more meat on the bone, fuller presentation and body. The Devialet is good, these are great.

Originally Posted by Dr Tone

Did you have Devialet before? Feel like giving me a comparison, I'm tossing the idea of maybe moving away from Devialet if they continue their current course with the Expert line.

**Kuoppis** · April 30, 2016, 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by joeinid

I did have the Devialet D400. I love the Ayre and Nord amps better. More tone as in more meat on the bone, fuller presentation and body. The Devialet is good, these are great.

Finally someone who has the Devialet experience and dares to say it.

**Mivera Audio** · April 30, 2016, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by Kuoppis

Finally someone who has the Devialet experience and dares to say it.

I thought it was the room

**joeinid** · April 30, 2016, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by Kuoppis

Finally someone who has the Devialet experience and dares to say it.

The Devialet is a great package and sounds great in its own right. Whether as a second system or in a family/living room, it's great. For me, a committed serial swapper, I was getting fidgety.

**Mike** · April 30, 2016, 09:14 AM

It's hard to find a better all in one than the Devialet or MicroMega's for the $$. Amp, preamp, DAC, phono, SAM, amazing remote, proprietary tech, etc. Sure, you can get separates - Ayre amp, Ayre preamp, Lumin, Manley phono, expensive IC's, power cords, rack requirements, and it will likely sound better, but you're spending much more $.

**CPP** · April 30, 2016, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Mike

It's hard to find a better all in one than the Devialet or MicroMega's for the $$. Amp, preamp, DAC, phono, SAM, amazing remote, proprietary tech, etc. Sure, you can get separates - Ayre amp, Ayre preamp, Lumin, Manley phono, expensive IC's, power cords, rack requirements, and it will likely sound better, but you're spending much more $.

It all comes down to the ears vs the wallet. And how far one thinks throwing money at a few products buys them that money vs performance vs ears vs staying alive at home thing

.

**Dr Tone** · April 30, 2016, 10:45 AM

Well, I'm a little disheartened by Devialet lately. 2 years later and they still haven't fixed AIR. If they introduce a hardware upgrade at Munich, I'm going to have to give an AX-5 a listen. I'd lose SAM but the Sabrina's will survive without it. I would miss the remote the most.

From all the reviews the AX-5 should sound much better at low volumes with that wizardry like volume control of Charles. I'm also getting the itch to try a native DSD DAC and some HQPlayer magic.

**Mike** · April 30, 2016, 10:50 AM

I agree on AIR. When it worked to me, it sounded the best. But it was so spotty and became downright annoying. The USB is excellent though.

Ayre makes nice gear. The twenty series puts them into another price point and there are lots of good options.

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**Mivera Audio** · April 30, 2016, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Mike

It's hard to find a better all in one than the Devialet or MicroMega's for the $$. Amp, preamp, DAC, phono, SAM, amazing remote, proprietary tech, etc. Sure, you can get separates - Ayre amp, Ayre preamp, Lumin, Manley phono, expensive IC's, power cords, rack requirements, and it will likely sound better, but you're spending much more $.

Give me till the fall. I see a hole in this market

**Mike** · April 30, 2016, 11:09 AM

Good luck beating MicroMega. That product is killer for the money. And no class D. Pure AB.

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**Mivera Audio** · April 30, 2016, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by Mike

Good luck beating MicroMega. That product is killer for the money. And no class D. Pure AB.

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I've been checking that out. Can it beat the Ayre 5 series with the new QX-5 DAC, and the Lumin U1 as transport with Roon running as GUI? If mine can't, it will never see the light of day

**Mike** · April 30, 2016, 11:12 AM

It's only $5k. Add an aurender N100H, done.

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**joeinid** · April 30, 2016, 11:14 AM

I came so close to going for the AX-5/20 over the KX/VX combo. I did want the extra power and the flexibility for swapping pieces in and out.

I briefly tried the KX-5/20 on my 28BSST2's before I loaned out the 28's to a friend and I was floored how great that combo sounded. Like they say, the preamp is the heart of the system, and this really brought that point home in a big way. I hope to do more listening to that combo if I can ever get my amps back.

I'd go for the AX-5/20 in a heartbeat based on what I am hearing now. Ayre is great stuff.

**Mivera Audio** · April 30, 2016, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Mike

It's only $5k. Add an aurender N100H, done.

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Will it beat the Ayre trio with Lumin U1 as transport in that configuration? I have no doubt that would be a great system for the price, but I'm talking an integrated like the Micromega that is shoulder to shoulder with $35000 of separates.

**Mike** · April 30, 2016, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by Mivera Audio

Will it beat the Ayre trio with Lumin U1 as transport in that configuration? I have no doubt that would be a great system for the price, but I'm talking an integrated like the Micromega that is shoulder to shoulder with $35000 of separates.

It very well may, but comparing $5k to $35k isn't a fair contest. No one has done that direct comparison yet. But based on what we have heard so far on Sopra 2's at CES, Axpona, etc., it's a home run.

Let me just add, the M1 sounded a lot better and more MUSICAL than amps - especially one new amp that I had high hopes for.

**Mivera Audio** · April 30, 2016, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Mike

It very well may, but comparing $5k to $35k isn't a fair contest. No one has done that direct comparison yet. But based on what we have heard so far on Sopra 2's at CES, Axpona, etc., it's a home run.

I've been following its development for a while and it does look awful good for the price. I wasn't talking about my system costing $35k, I was saying it will be in the league of $35k worth of the finest separates

**Mike** · April 30, 2016, 11:30 AM

It's quite the engineering marvel, and to be honest, I was surprised by how good it sounded on the Sopra 2's.

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**Randy Myers** · May 3, 2016, 03:25 PM

Congrats Joe... those Ayres look awesome...

So which sound best, Ayres, Bryston, Conrad Johnson, McIntosh.... hmmm Makes for some interesting combos

....

**Mivera Audio** · May 3, 2016, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by Randy Myers

Congrats Joe... those Ayres look awesome...

So which sound best, Ayres, Bryston, Conrad Johnson, McIntosh.... hmmm Makes for some interesting combos

....

Don't forget the Nord's

**joeinid** · May 3, 2016, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Randy Myers

Congrats Joe... those Ayres look awesome...

So which sound best, Ayres, Bryston, Conrad Johnson, McIntosh.... hmmm Makes for some interesting combos

....

Originally Posted by Mivera Audio

Don't forget the Nord's

They all sound awesome

**Mivera Audio** · May 3, 2016, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by joeinid

They all sound awesome

What if you only had $9000 to spend, and you had to buy an amp? Any savings could be spent in other areas to improve performance elsewhere in the system.

**joeinid** · May 3, 2016, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by Mivera Audio

What if you only had $9000 to spend, and you had to buy an amp? Any savings could be spent in other areas to improve performance elsewhere in the system.

New or used? Just kidding. Tough call, obviously the Nords are up there, but the MC75's hold a special place for me too. I sort of "love the one I'm with" so I still need to spend more time in the rotation. It's a dirty job, one that I'm willing to take upon myself. Stay tuned......

**Mike** · May 3, 2016, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by Mivera Audio

What if you only had $9000 to spend, and you had to buy an amp? Any savings could be spent in other areas to improve performance elsewhere in the system.

I would buy anything with tubes!

**Mivera Audio** · May 3, 2016, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by Mike

I would buy anything with tubes!

If we all could only just listen with our ears instead of our eyes. But I know they are all connected to the same brain so that will never happen

**Randy Myers** · May 3, 2016, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by Mivera Audio

Don't forget the Nord's

I meant to include the Nord... forgot it....

Gonna be a new Class D to be considered shortly... EJ is designing his own new circuit at Wyred 4 Sound. Showed it at the RMAF and was awarded Best of Show.

They are hoping to show the new Amplifier and Pre-amplifier at the Newport show, it is called their Statement Series.

http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/20...kef-blade-two/

Thread: Ayre KX-5 Twenty and VX-5 Twenty combo ......