Review: KX-5 Twenty Preamplifier and VX-5 Twenty Stereo Amplifier
 

Ayre Acoustics • KX-5 Twenty Preamplifier and VX-5 Twenty Stereo Amplifier on The Audio Beat.

Thanks for sharing. Yes, this is a great review.

Yes, a great review and inspired me to put my VX-5 Twenty back in my system.

Review: KX-5 Twenty Preamplifier and VX-5 Twenty Stereo Amplifier
 

Loved it.

RLF, very cool. RLF, have you ever had the Audioquest or Cardas cables in the system with the Ayre gear? Personally, I've found them to be the most neutral cables and have taken my Ayre gear to a different level. I've had some of the cables that you have in your system in mine and chose the AQ castlerock and balanced Niagara cables for SQ. I had some of the more expensive cables in the system and I had top of the line MIT (with the 770 speaker wire and the 350 interconnect wire) and these cables came out as the most musical. I am using the AQ Diamond on loan from a good friend for my USB connection from the rebuilt mac mini to my QX5 Twenty and it's so much better than all the other USB cables I've been running in and out of the system over the last two weeks.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

@ctsooner,

My absolute apologies for not seeing your comment until now. Yes, I have auditioned Cardas Clear Relection in my system and found it quite good. Charles Hansen likes Cardas and had in fact recommended the Cardas Clear to me which I never got a chance to audition. I recently upgraded all my interconnects and speaker cables to the new Shunyata Research Sigma line which trounced my previous Shunyata Anacondas. Shunyata has worked well in my system as my speakers tend to be on the laid back side and I've found Shunyata to be a good fit for them; at least in context of my system.

I also continue to love my VX-5 Twenty in my system, but for curiosity sake and for potential upgrade my dealer is going to bring their demo MX-R Twenty to my home for me to audition in my system. However, I can't imagine the R being all that better than the VX-5 Twenty, but one never knows until one tries something in their own system. If I were to go for th R series, I would go for the VX-R Twenty stereo amp which would physically fit better in my system with my cable arrangement, etc. and I don't need the extra power of the monoblocks.

For reasons that probably involve magical thinking I replaced my Blue Jean cables with Cardas Clear Light cables. Last night I played Waltz for Debby, Love in Vain, and Take Five using the C-5xeMP to the KX-5 Twenty and VX-5 Twenty chain. I sensed, or imagined, that the sound had more depth and detail with tighter bass. I'm always skeptical of those who spend money then hear improved sonics, but it seemed as though I did. Well, at least all those fat blue cables look nice!

Cool. Cardas improved my sound too.

Just read the new Stereophile RC list. KX-5 is Class K.

Cardas makes a nice cable. They actually sell the wire to many major brands. I personally like the Audioquest cables. I just switched from the AQ Niagara balanced interconnect to the AQ WEL as an older pair that was rarely used fell into my lap. What a difference. It just gets out of the way better than anything I've ever auditioned. It was a holy cow moment in my system. The Vandersteen Quatro's (new ) are just starting to settle in. They kept getting incrementally better up to over 1k hours on it. Crazy to think, but that's what happens when you use silver wire and components that havce solid silver leads. That's one reason that AQ actually burns in all their silver capacitors for their Niagara 7000/5000/1000 units.

I have found that there are only a few cables that I like with Ayre as many have sounded way too sterile for my tastes.

I use Take Five a lot to test soundstage width among other things. Slam as well. Great drum solo. Exceptional recording.

Found this review for the VX-5 Twenty:

http://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/revi...e-vx-5-twenty/

In the past couple of days my KX-5 Twenty/VX-5 Twenty combo took steps forward. I've lost track of the hours I've put into the combo, but time wise I've owned the pair for about 8 months.

What I can describe in words is the information from my discs is now jumping out of my Dynaudio Confidence C1 monitors from a pitch-black background. I mean, there is nothingness when the system is at idle. I can't hear anything. No hiss. No 60 Hz power hum. Zilch. I put my ear right next to the woofers and tweeters of my monitors, and there is nothing coming from them. It's actually disconcerting, as I'm not used to it and think that the system is not functioning. I feel this is a testament to Charley Hansen's implementations of noise-suppressing circuits, AyreLock power supply, AyreConditioner power-line filtering, as well as the S/N benefits from the Double Diamond output and Variable Gain Transconductance.

I've never experienced such pitch-blackness with my system before. I want to add that I do not use any power conditioners or filters. My system is plugged into a $100 Tripp Lite Ibar 12 Ultra surge suppressor (using the four white outlets that have added noise filtration), and my power in Southwest DC is supplied by Pepco (not clean, I reckon). My three power cords are old VH Audio Flavor 1 and 4 cords.

As a result, my music just leaps out because of the combo's transparency. This is immediately apparent when I changed the digital filter setting on my C-5xeMP from Listen to Measure for greater high-frequency energy. The presentation went from a PRaT, front-to-back presentation to a wider and more ethereal presentation. The center image, anchored by a singer or a soloist--whatever--became more recessed, but on the other hand it is holographic and even more surrounding details and stuff that was happening in the background (chorus singing, even mumbling) were revealed. It's difficult to describe, but I have an overall mellower and ethereal presentation that reveals the recorded ambience and space of the performance yet specific things are etch-like with significant air around them. Also, the amplifier is exerting bass control over my Dyns with an iron hand.

And the overall system transparency and greater high-frequency response with the Ayre disc player set at the Measure position are giving cymbal taps a very alluring sweetness. Timbre definitely shifted a little "hotter" so older recordings have a ruthlessness.

There is no right or wrong setting, just different. I am currently captivated by the treble sparkle and clarity and more detailed presentation overall. But there's a possibility I could go back to the Listen setting after a while and regain a sense of immediacy and PRaT.

Another non-related observation is that my system, each time I plop down on my listening char, requires some play-in to get going. This happens even with the system already powered on, not from standby.

Kx5 shockingly good
 

Hi, I’m new to the forum, I just wanted to quickly post my initial impressions of the KX5 twenty. I was forced to sell my beloved Naim system recently and I was hoping to pick up more affordable gear. I was expecting a loss in sound quality and I was certain when I bought the Ayre KX5 Twenty that I’d have to live with less than what I was used to. FYI my Naim setup was NAC 552DR, NAP 135 monoblocks feeding Harbeth 30.2.

I’ve currently been running the Ayre Kx5 twenty into the power section of an affordable integrated Audiolab 8200a RRP 600pounds new. Even so, the sound of the KX5/20 is more cohesive and detailed than the Naim setup. The midrange on the NAC 552DR is more pronounced sure, but overall from what I’m hearing the Ayre is the more detailed and cohesive. The Naim pre retails for about twice the price of the Ayre. Like I said these are early impressions of only a few hours. I will report back once I have a better power amplifier connected as my Harbeths respond well to power.

Very impressed thus far.

Glad you are enjoying your KX-5 Twenty. I don't have experience with Naim, but Naim people swear by them. So, it's really a complement to hear you praising the Ayre.

Khan84... Welcome to AA! :wave:

I lost the link to the site. Sorry it’s been so long. I’m not surprised that anyone system is going to sound better using an air preamp. To me that’s the most important part of the electron a chain other than source. Air makes a great preamp. I honestly believe the KEXR is the best product I’ve ever made. As much as I would die for one the KX five is an incredible preamp also and will make most power amps sound better. Keeping everythingBalanced and using a zero global feedback design takes the clear out of the music while still allowing you to enjoy the micro and macro detail that’s so important to get to the emotion of the music. I was blown away after meeting all the guys at air as they are incredible and care deeply about music as well as gear as well as their customers. Just a bunch of audio files like we are and that’s refreshing.

While I haven’t auditioned the KX-5 20 preamp, I’ve always believed that a tube preamp should be mated to a SS amp for the best sound based on what I’ve read. Although I replaced my beloved ARC Ref 75 with an Ayre VX-5 20 and then upgraded it to MX-R 20 monoblocks, I was bit leery of SS preamps until I brought home my dealer’s demo KX-R 20 to compare with my Audio Research Reference 6 preamp. Needless to say, despite my perceived prior prejudice toward a tubed preamp, the KX-R 20 was a game changer for me and it subsequently replaced my Reference 6.

KXR is a top Ayre product. But If i have KX-5 20 should I dream on AR Ref 6(Se)? and on practice how far KX-5 from KXR?
I really love my KX-5/VX-5 twenty. I had before a lot of stuff like Bryston, Audia, Vitus, and audiotioned at home Spectral (whch are close in sound signature IMO) i had never had such a liquid and mellow music as with Ayre 5 series. Black background, very natural and coherent images.

But i have a problematic (bassless) room and i want to get some more LF energy from my Neat Ultimatum floorstanding speakers. Also I think to get second VX-5 twenty to bi amp

You need more LF energy from your Neat Ultimatums? That’s a first :).

Blimey Gibalok!

And there i was thinking that the smaller Neat XL6’s, driven by T+A amplification, had ample articulation and coherency in their bass performance for such a relatively modest enclosure(?). Even when listening to them playing electronic or pipe organ music.

Having said that. I’ve learnt from Neat users themselves that bi-amping really does wring the best performance from them. Possibly due to their Isobaric design(?)

Sorry to learn that you’re not getting satisfaction from your system. Hopefully we can collectively make some suggestions to help you improve matters(?)

What are the dimensions of your room(L x W x H)?

How far apart are your speakers? And are they firing along or across the room? How much rake and/or toe-in etc. do you give your Ultimatum’s?

How far is your listening position from your speakers?

What kind of music do you listen to and how loudly?

All the best.

Bob

Wouldn't a high-quality sub or two make more sense? I think the JL subs have built-in DSP to aid in integration.