Ayre MX-R20 ...from CES

[Manbient]

My dad owns the MX-R, and I have the VX-5. I don't really think 'warmer' is the way to describe the differences. I have to go mainly on memory since I haven't had a close back to back, but I think the VX-5 has a but more bottom punch than the MX-R. MX-R is so liquidy smooth though I think it's ahead of the VX-5 there. VX-5 (and especially KX-5) has done a remarkable job of approaching the original R series performance (and I'd risk it and say in some ways bettered it!), which I'm sure is why they felt so compelled to include their new approaches to the R series.

[Bar81]

Originally Posted by Alan Sircom

For the record, the price of the upgrade is the difference between what was paid for the MX-R, KX-R or VX-R when it was purchased new and the current price of the same 'Twenty' model.

In other words, if you paid 12,000 Quatloos for your MX-Rs when you bought them new and the MX-R Twenty costs 20,000 Quatloos, you pay 8,000 Quatloos for the upgrade.

Apparently, it's a major update, and should cost a whole stack of Quatloos, so everyone wins.

Thankfully, they changed their mind on this/the information was inaccurate since it was nonsensical. They would essentially be penalizing earlier adopters who helped support Ayre. The prices for the upgrades are fixed as noted in the later post. US$9,000 for the KX-R Twenty update and somewhere between US$11,000 and US$14,000 (not yet finalized) for the MX-R Twenty upgrade.

[BillK]

Well, yes and no.

The upgrade price is not the difference between what you paid, but rather between the MSRP of the non-Twenty product and the Twenty product.

I don't know if Ayre tracks ownership, so if not, this suddenly raises the value of used KX-Rs, MX-Rs and VX-Rs as you could conceivably end up with effectively a brand new, fully warranted Twenty for less than the price of a new non-Twenty four months ago if you make a shrewd used purchase.

[Bar81]

It doesn't raise the price of anything. Every used KX-R in the same condition is worth the same price, just like any used KX-R upgraded to Twenty in a similar condition is worth the same price.

[BillK]

Not true; the ready availability of the upgrade makes a used R product worth more as a stepping stone to a brand new design; last year a used R product was just a good (but to those for whom such things matter, a several years-old) design.

So take a KX-R: MSRP of the KX-R Twenty is $27,500, so in theory you may be able to find someone willing to pay you up to $18,400 for one as that would still make their net cost for a Twenty $100 less than MSRP.

In reality the numbers would fluctuate, but certainly a used KX-R may fetch a higher price as long as that price + $9000 remains below the best price you can negotiate for a brand new KX-R Twenty.

[Audio Lee]

KX-R upgrade will come first and then followed by the MX-R, months later. Heard from the dealer that they are still tweaking the MX-R upgrades.

(Audio)

[BillK]

Yep, the MX-R Twenty update will be coming soon, with a VX-R Twenty update around the end of the year.

[jax4736]

Hi BillK, how are your impressions of the KX-R Twenty lately?

[BillK]

It was just a loan, and it went back a few weeks ago.

I am thinking about hopping on the upgrade list, though, so that's about as favorable a review as you can get. :-)

[jax4736]

Thanks Bill. I thought perhaps you still had the unit. I saw Ayre's new advertisement for the KX-R20 in the latest Stereophile. I liked the red lighting in the picture.