What year did Ayre cease production of the C-5xeMP? Just wondering why the 7 is still in production and the 5 was dropped.

they stopped making them when the new KX5/VX5's got released, a few years ago.

Disc players are difficult; they must be designed around a specific disc mechanism and the mechanisms go out of production regularly, forcing manufacturers to purchase a "lifetime supply" for any products they make.

I suspect, but do not know, they could no longer source the drive mechanism or some other key component of the C-5xeMP but have the parts to continue making the CX-7eMP, as the latter is "just" a CD player where the former was a universal player based on a universal DVD drive.

Ah, thanks guys. Now I recall reading somewhere that Charles Hansen had to mortgage his house in the early days just to provide enough backup spares to satisfy the customers warranty on his disc players
That explanation makes perfect sense in an every changing world but its also reassuring to know that Ayre being the excellent and caring company will support their customers products as long as they can.

CX-5e MP is still a great player though if you can get one second hand.

Charles Hansen mentioned on a forum sometime ago that Ayre would not make any new integrated players anymore, but they would make some new transports (which could be connected to the new QX-5)

I read Ayre uses Oppo's for their disc spinner internals.....is that not correct?

It varies:

• The C5xe/C5xeMP used a Pioneer universal DVD transport that Ayre modified to increase its rigidity.
  
• The CX-7/7e uses a DVS DVD-ROM drive.
  
• The DX-5 DSD started life as a Oppo BDP-83 that was then very heavily modified and had large sections completely rebuilt.

The reason I asked, I've managed to locate a new (unused amazingly) CX-5e MP from a German high-end retailer, its being shipped as I write. At 2/3 the original cost with a full five year warranty. Lets hope Charles keeps at least one drive for me, just in case. I have the CX-7e MP that I like very much but I also have many hybrid SA-CDs so theres my dilemma :)

I think you'll love it......as you can see from my sig., I've been a happy owner for awhile now, it's a very smooth sounding player, very natural and built like a tank. It was Stereophile magazine's John Atkinson's reference digital player for a number of years, and with all the toys they get to play with, that's pretty high praise. I've never felt the need to upgrade, plus I still do have quite a few DVD-Audio discs that sound great in high rez.

- Buck

My shipment has gone from Hamburg to Cologne overnight, doesn't time go real slow when you're waiting for a delivery lol.

you will enjoy the CX5, but keep the CX7 also. (CX7 has a bit more drive, CX5 the wider soundstage)

I sold my CX7e MP to a good friend of mine, still regret it a bit, anyway I can still listen to it in his system :-)

This is the added bonus of this universal player that hardly any other (any other at all, in current production?) is capable of doing.

I do like it as an all in one players.

C-5xeMP arrived yesterday. It is indeed brand new. Even without any burn-in time its certainly the best digital player I've had in the house. I'm now hearing parts in some CDs I've never heard before, the SA-CD performance in knock out too. Listening to a couple of Dean Martin SA-CDs were amazing. If it wasn't for you guys recommendations here I wouldn't have pulled the trigger but oh man I'm so glad I did.

As has been mentioned, that is considered to be one of the finest redbook spinners ever (with the added bonus of being one of the few universal players offered). You were so very fortunate to find one still NIB. I don't think listings for them in the secondary market last long. Here's wishing many years of enjoyment.

Thanks aardvarkbark, when I first saw the listing on German Ebay I thought there must be some catch but after some research it proved to be genuine. It had been listed for over a week so guess I was very lucky.

She's a beauty! Are you missing the astronomy buttons of the 7?

Do you listen to DVD audio? There are some fantastic concerts that are only available on DVD, but not CD. I used to have the Classe universal player, which offered the set-up screen of the DVD so one could select which audio track you wanted (PCM, Dolby, 5.1, etc). On the Ayre, you can toggle through the various audio tracks, but there's some guess work as to which you've chosen since you don't get the screen view. It attempts to select 'best' audio track, but I believe the Owner's Manual recommends toggling through, then making a note in the DVD case as to which you select so you can easily return to it.

Pink Floyd's Pulse is an exceptional DVD (if you like Gilmour and their tunes; the DVD audio track is not the same as on the CD by the same name, FWIW, and I personally prefer the performance on the DVD). The DVD offers a HiRes audio track (one of four options). On the Classe, one could see the four options on the screen and select it. The Ayre defaults to the Dolby stereo track, which sounds muted and dull. But when you toggle through the audio tracks, it is quite obvious when you land on the HiRes track. Even if choices are PCM Stereo, Dolby Stereo, 5.1, I found the PCM to be the brightest and most detailed, but the Ayre would default to the Dolby.

Other DVD concerts not on CD that have excellent two-channel audio tracks (I never watched them, just listened to them): Diana Krall's Live in Rio (Paris is also great, but on CD), Joe Cocker Live in Berlin, Neil Young's Heart of Gold and Eagles Farewell I (sooo much better than Hell Freezes IMO).

Happy listening!

I do miss the 7s front panel functionality a bit but that said I've now got more used to using the 5's remote alongside the Steelheads pre's gain remote. I've not tried a DVD yet but you've now given me the incentive to experiment further, especially with Pulse (I'm a great Pink Floyd fan and my surname is actually Gilmour, sadly no relation) being that I have the Pulse vinyl boxed set that sounds absolutely awsome.
The 5's manual is really excellent, well written and I'm presently reading through it (unusual for me as I usually read the manual last :) Frustratingly the weather here is hot and with 30+ tubes on the go it makes it sauna type listening so the HD800 has been the weapon of choice lately.

Congratulations on your great catch. :thumbsup:

You will certainly love this player as time goes on and it is burned-in. I bought mine new back in 2009 and after listening to the demo model that my Ayre dealer lent me, my new C5 did not sound as good until it hit 60 hours or so. Then it got better and better, but it was those first 60 hours that made the most difference.

I now primarily use my C5 for playing my collection of SACDs, but also still enjoy it on CDs that I haven't ripped to my music server. In my opinion, it's a classic.

Enjoy:music:

RLF, which do you listen to more, the C-5xeMP or serving your redbook through your N10/PS Audio?

RLF, I've got just 20 hours in so far and its already well ahead of my Ayre 7. Looking forward to the improvements yet to come. I never ever thought I'd be listening to less vinyl but thats just whats happening. We've had a unusually warm spell of weather here thats made tube based listening quite uncomfortable but now its cooling off I will get a lot more hours in.
It is indeed a very special player thats already swayed a very pro vinyl listener. You're right it is a classic.

I listen to my N10/DAC 95% of the time due to the convenience of having my my main music library at my fingertips via my iPad. That being said, I have over 130 SACDs which of course I play on the Ayre.

I'm glad to hear that. When I first home auditioned my dealer's C-5 as well as a few other players including a more expensive Esoteric, I chose the Ayre as I found that it offered something special back then and still does. It's a really great player in my opinion.

When playing CDs, I follow a suggestion from Charles Hansen and use the digital link from the C-5xeMP to the QX-5 Twenty digital hub to take advantage of its newer DAC process. As great as the C-5xeMP sounds, I think it sounds a bit better through the QX-5 Twenty.

db