Ayre Ax-5 Review in Soundstage

[aardvarkbark]

Thanks yage. I'm figuring on 300 hrs (and with new B&Ws and a new K-03X coming next week, am resigned to waiting it out for the benefit of all pieces), but I'm wondering when others have started to hear improvement, especially in detail and bass. So many report out-of-the-box semi-magic with various components in their reviews. Plus, it's been years since my last system upgrade and I have conveniently forgotten the investment of time required on the front end.

[frankie_d]

The Ayre components can actually take from 500 to 600 hours for full break-in. Improvements should be easily discernible after 150 hours or so, but they will continue to improve up to the 600 hour mark. By the way, as you own an AX-5 Twenty, the break in period should actually be per input for the preamp section. Excellent equipment. Enjoy!

[aardvarkbark]

Review on HiFi+.com couple days ago:

Ayre Acoustics AX-5 twenty integrated amplifier | Hi-Fi+

"What the AX-5 twenty delivers is absolutely stunning amounts of detail retrieval, always staying the right side of ‘forward’, but with a fine sense of musical order and a good deal of enjoyment thrown in for good measure. It’s the resolution that hits you first, though – you get a sense of being almost injected into the music, an up-close directness and energy that could make you smell the rosin on a violin bow. It’s a vivid, visceral, and lively presentation."

"That Ayre makes a well-engineered amplifier in the AX-5 twenty is something of a given; the brand has the reputation for good design and well-made products. That it sounds this good under such a wide range of conditions shows just how good Ayre is at making amps. If there is a sweet spot in audio amplifiers where quality, performance, and price converge, then the AX-5 twenty must be sitting right in the middle. Strongly recommended!"

[audiohippo]

I am very tempted to pickup the vx5/kx5 twenty combo for my office system, they are cracking units!

[ctsooner]

Originally Posted by audiohippo

I am very tempted to pickup the vx5/kx5 twenty combo for my office system, they are cracking units!

Yes the Ayre Twenty series is amazing. I had one of if not the first AX-5/20 and it took a full 500 hours to fully break in. I feel the difference between the original and the twenty is huge in my system. My VANDERSTEEN Treos sound better than I've ever heard them anywhere. I'm selling the Treos because the Ayre is perfect with the Quatros or even the 5CT. Plenty of drive, pace and rhythm

[Tikkenator]

CT Sooner,

How do you use the Ayre integrated amp with the high pass filters necessary to the Vandersteen Quattro or 5CT? I thought these had to be placed between a preamp an amplifier. Thanks

[ctsooner]

Sorry ti took so long, but I just found this post. There are two ways. One being better than the other and they cost around the same. you can send the AX5 back to Ayre and ask them to do the high pass IN the amp itself. They will use a very high grade cap for this and you can speak with them about it as they know what sounds best doing this. It can be reversed if you ever want to sell the AX5. Actually anyone who can solder and desolder should be able to change it back if you ever want to. If you want to use the external high pass (either the 7 for better sound or the 5), then you just take the source to the high pass and the high pass into your AX5 in balanced mode (just sounds that much better). I have all my digital going into a Synchro-Mesh from Empirical Audio and the DAC Empirical OSDE/SE into the USB on the DAC so all I need to do when I want Vinyl, it's go disconnect the DAC from the high pass and hook up the Rhea phono stage. If you really want better sound Steven Nuggent makes mono transformers that take analog inputs and then all I'd need to do is change the two switches on the transformers which is easy. Personally, once I get the Quatro, I'm sending the AX5 back to Ayre and have them install a very high end cap to do the high pass.

[ctsooner]

Also, their customer service is known throughout the industry as being one of the best along with Vandersteen. I"m shocked to have read in this thread that it wasn't strong. I know they want folks do go through the dealers as do most, but I've never heard a bad thing until that post and one other I just responded to. The other one seemed to come from someone who called them out for changing way too much and it seemed more like a troll post or someone who was just very very upset (I do understand that). Just strange to hear to be honest. They will usually send you back to your dealer, but they are great at answering questions.....well at least most of the time.

[imprezap2]

Hi ctsooner, I would forget about, only one person complaining here

[aardvarkbark]

The great thing about forums like this is that folks can share their experiences, both good and bad. It's unfortunate when criticism, however valid, is simply discounted for no reason other than that member's experience is different from another's.