Ayre Ax-5 Review in Soundstage

[Blackstone]

Enough. The whole Pass thing is off topic in my opinion. If anything it only serves to make me wonder what it sounds like and whether the additional wattage is worth investigating.

[ctsooner]

Fair enough and a quick answer is no way lol. Your system is outstanding and you will love it.

[Blackstone]

We shall see.

[BillK]

FWIW, the sound of the AX-5 Twenty fell short of that of the Class D Mola Mola Kaluga monoblocks in a Soundstage review in which the Mola Molas very nearly upstaged the MX-R Twenties as well, so perhaps that should be the next area of discussion:

Since the Ayre MX-R monoblocks have been a central part of my reference system for the better part of a decade, and as the Twenty upgrade of the MX-Rs (now $29,500/pr.) has itself been ear-opening, it was exciting to hear how far class-D, as implemented in the Mola Mola Kaluga, has scaled that height. Based on my experiences, a valid argument can be made in favor of the Kaluga, which in some parameters -- iron-fisted bass control, absolute quiet -- beats what I consider to be the best of the class-A/B topology. Both were wonderfully transparent amplifiers able to transmit the underlying performance and emotional appeal. Returning to the Ayres at the end of my listening to the Kalugas, I felt I could relax into the emotional aspect of the music through the MX-R Twentys just a skosh more -- although this was perhaps due only to my long intimacy with the Ayres’ sound. Nevertheless, and all things considered, the Kalugas, fed by their companion Makua preamp, trumped the AX-5 Twenty currently presiding over my family-room system. That such an equality of excellence can be achieved with such wildly different approaches -- zero-feedback, fully-balanced class-A/B vs. massive-feedback class-D -- is a testament to the efficacy of Bruno Putzeys’s designs.

Of particular interest is Putzeys' viewpoint on feedback as compared to Charley's:

I began to form the suspicion that the sound of feedback has nothing really to do with the fact that there is feedback, but with the fact that, usually, the amount of feedback you get (called the loop gain, technically) typically decreases as you increase in frequency. So an amplifier with a massive amount of feedback at bass frequencies might actually have quite little at high frequencies, because that’s where it gets difficult. . . . Maybe that explains this very brittle, thin, choked kind of sound that is typically associated with negative feedback. . . . [F]eedback itself is not a sonic evil, but it’s how you do it. As time went on, I realized that feedback is not just one tool in the toolbox, it is the most important tool in the box. Feedback is what keeps jet fighters flying, it’s what keeps nuclear power plants from melting down, it is everywhere. . . . Indeed, I came to realize that feedback had unjustly been given a bad rap in audio, and that you could actually use it to your advantage in terms of subjective sonic result.

Soundstage: Mola Mola Kaluga Class D Monoblock Review

(To be fair, here's a review that severely panned the Mola Molas: Mono and Stereo Mola Mola Kaluga Review)

[Blackstone]

lmao just at the name Mola Mola Kaluga? Sounds like the name of a villain in an Indiana Jones movie.

[ctsooner]

I personally have yet to hear any Class D amp that I've liked a lot. I read a lot of reviews of many Class D amps and I have many friends who have owned them and eventually moved on. I know one person who has had these mono's in his system and he has had the MXR's in there too. He seems to always have to get tubes and has gone that route again, but I asked him his thoughts on the Kaluga and he said they were big and powerful, but not refined at all. He felt they lacked an emotional connection within his system.

I don't know the reviewer spoke about the Kaluga having better bass control etc..., but that could just be zero feedback vs the Class D. When he mentioned being more relaxed and connected via the Ayre, that's easy to understand for ME personally. Of all the top Class D amps I've auditioned, I can honestly say that they were a bit hard sounding to me. Kind of like what digital was just a couple of years ago vs a decent analog rig. Now that digital has caught up in so many regards and surpassed in others, I'm sure Class D may eventually do that same, but again, for ME, I've yet to hear it.

We all listen differently and I know many who just go with the most dynamic or the most open or the most.... I realize that I listen differently than so many folks do, especially on the boards. I have been fortunate to meet and get to know many in this industry over the years, including some of the larger names and I try to listen they way they tell me they do.

The one common is that all of them have different ideas of implementation, but all listen the same way for the most part. Going all the way back to being a kid and listening to Kloss discussing what to listen for in recorded music, he may as well be Richard Vandersteen, Jim Thiel or even the recently deceased (RIP) AJ Conte.

A couple of them always were upset as to what we are told to listen to in order for folks to move product, rather than having us listen to what they felt were properly listening. It's all so subjective, but as long as folks are happy with what they have or what they are building towards, that's all the matter in the end.

That's why I like reviews and have some who I trust, but so many I just don't, even when they give great reviews to something I love.

I'd rather have refinement and enjoyment than sheer power over the long haul. Wilson's are very dynamic and are a fun speaker to listen to at times in the store, but I personally could never have them in my system as I'm never emotionally tied to them regardless of what top end gear they are tied to. To me I've found that the new Ayre components are the best blend or being neither tube, nor SS. They just get it right IRT to making music with most speakers. I have heard them NOT sound their best with a few speakers out there as some just can't do bass with a zero feedback amp of any make. JMHO

[Blackstone]

Have you heard Boulder? The Boulder power amps I have heard are excellent.

[ctsooner]

Yes. I've heard the. Many times from their multi box amps and Lee amps to their smaller amps. Yes they are very nice however I've found that the Ayre Twenty series amps sound better to me overall especially for the price. The Boulder amps are very good sounding and bullet proof.