Full QX-5 Twenty information finally on Ayre's web site!

[BillK]

Ayre has finally updated their web site to provide full information on the QX-5 Twenty, including specs and a PDF of the owner's manual:

QX-5 Twenty page

[ctsooner]

Thanks for the link Bill. I read the manual on Saturday. Once it's set up, it's so simple to use. The unit is fun to work as you already know.

[gaboudreaux]

Should be getting mine this month at some point... excited!

ctsooner, you mentioned in one of your other post that Ayre will eventually come out with an R-series DAC? Or was that wishful thinking on my part? I know Alex was at the event last Saturday and curious if this came up.

[Dr Tone]

Skimmed the manual. Surprised to see HDCD decoding. Nice, as I have at least 300 of them ripped.

[imprezap2]

would like to see an inside picture of the new QX-5

[ctsooner]

The outside is pretty and typical Ayre , lol...I know that they use very upgraded parts inside as they had the budget to do so. I'll ask if they have a pic I can share.

[johndoe21ro]

Did anyone put his hands on this DAC? How does it fare against its direct competitors?
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[ctsooner]

Yes, I've played with it and listened, but it only had 30 or fewer hours on it. I speak daily with someone who's breaking it in. Build is as good as it gets without a single billet milled case, lol. It's intuitive and easy to use. Even set up seemed easy to me and the directions are by Alex and he's very strong there. I feel. It should best the Berkley Ref mk 2 based on my initial hearing as well as someone who's played with it for a long time as well as a dealer who's breaking it in who I speak with about it often. I have a feeling that this will be the under 15k DAC folks are talking about. Even out of the box it bettered most of the under 10k DAC's I've owned or listened to. It had a bit of harshness on the top end, that was mostly gone by the end of the day. That was gone after 50 hours of break in. Bass is SOLID and pretty much was after 40 hours or so (the last time I personally heard it). Guys, I just sold my Empirical Audio ODSE/SE. I wasn't going to, but someone got in touch and made an offer that I reluctantly accepted. To me, that was the best DAC under 15k and that's why I purchased it in the first place. As much as I love the new Ayre gear, I'm not the Ayre fanboy that I seem like. I just appreciate what they've been coming out with IRT the double diamond circuit and their power filtering being built in. Just lowers the noise floor to almost nothing.

The Codex is a leader in the 5k and under DAC/headphone amp/pre I feel. The QX is totally different and much better in all ways. It's a very serious piece that anyone in the 15k and under range needs to listen to and I'd personally open that up to the 20k and under as I am not the biggest fan of the DCS stack (heresy I know). JMHO

Gaboudreaux, get in touch today if you can.

[BillK]

I got to hear and play with Ayre's demo and it sounded absolutely wonderful, such that I was amazed that it was regular Red Book CD.

Now I wouldn't say it was necessarily better than my Wadia S7i; I'd need it be able to compare. Likewise for ultra pricy units like the DCS or even the Esoteric players, but it certainly sounded better than say an Oppo BDP-105 or certainly most DACs in its general price range.

Really, this piece may be all you need as a pre if you have a good amp and no analog sources.

[ctsooner]

I do like the Esoteric players, but not for the price. For 13k the newest Empirical Audio ODSX may just be one of, if not, the statement DAC going. I've spoken with someone I trust and he said that it's the best DAC he's had in his system and he's run everything you can think of through his house. The Ayre is 4k less and offers more as it's a digital hub and has a world class headphone balanced amp built in too. I also get concerned about companies that are built around one person or just one engineer. when they leave, it's done. That's basically what happened to Thiel speakers. I'll make a call in a few and get an update.

Glenn, send me an email at ctsooner@alumni.ou.edu....thanks.