Ayre QX-5 Twenty First Listen

[Garytn]

Thanks ctsooner. That matches what Ayre and my dealer told me. I'm anxious to try it, as well as see the degree of improvement of the QX-5 over the QB-9.
Since the QX-5 will be the "brains" of both my CD playback and download playback, I'll be able to do a comparison. In my previous set-up, my downloads sounded much better than CD.

[BillK]

I heard very magical sounds in the Ayre demo room with the Ayre SACD player playing Red Book CDs via the QX-5 Twenty, so I think that will be an amazing and very musical combo.

[Garytn]

Thanks BillK. I'm hoping to test it soon.

[Logey]

Originally Posted by Garytn

Well, my QX-5 has been on order for over 4 weeks. Anticipation......
I traded my QB-9 for it so I am without computer based music. My dealer says late this week or early next week for ETA. I intend to output my Ayre CD player thru the QX-5. Has anybody else done that? If so did it improve the sound compared to using the CD player's on-board DAC?

I ordered my QX-5 3/22 and I picked it up on 4/4. Lucky I guess. It replaced an Auralic Aries and Vega combo. The graininess I heard from the Auralic is gone. Very happy.

[Garytn]

Thanks Logey. I'm not sure what's up with the delay. I'm hoping for similar results. Dealer told me I should know more by end of day today about ETA. We'll see.

[BillK]

Originally Posted by Garytn

Thanks Logey. I'm not sure what's up with the delay. I'm hoping for similar results. Dealer told me I should know more by end of day today about ETA. We'll see.

Hopefully you got good news; Ayre tends to order parts and make a bunch sporadically rather than one at a time, so the fact that one owner got his may mean Ayre filled several orders.

[ctsooner]

They are selling very well it seems. The fact that I don't see any on the used market already, means that folks are enjoying it very much. I can honestly say that I have been to a few dealers who sell a few DAC's in the higher price points and they chose the Ayre all day long. That tells me a lot. One dealer I met with recently told me that the Ayre ref amp/pre with the QX5/20 is the best sounding signal he can feed his speakers. He has 6 DAC's that far surpass the price point of the Ayre and he has amps that double and triple the price of the Ayre ref stack and has Ayre for his own personal choice along with Vandersteen 7 mk2's over the other offerings he has.

I found that interesting as we were talking about what other high end amps he should look to carry as he needs one more line. Everytime either of us mentioned a company, we both said we still liked Ayre better. Didn't matter if it was tube gear or SS. I personally have no skin in the game other than ownership as it's the only way I can afford to play in this high stakes arena.

[Garytn]

Well, I'm working on week 6 and it seems it is at least a week away. Obviously it would have been easier if they had just said it would be 6 or 7 weeks. But, enough whining. I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

[Blackstone]

I suggest you watch this public service announcement while you wait:

https://www.whathifi.com/news/bbc-fi...59-masterpiece

[Garytn]

That's priceless. A little too true perhaps!!!!!!!!