Mx-r

[KMC45]

Is anyone here using these amps?

[jdandy]

Keith.......The only person I know who is using the KX-R and a pair of MX-R amps is Lyle (lyle1), one of our Canadian members. He had a full blown McIntosh system with a C2300, MC501's, MCD500, and PMC EB1i speakers. He kept the PMC's, but changed all of his electronics, going to the KX-R preamp, a pair of mono MX-R power amps, and the C-5xeMP universal stereo player. The last time I spoke with him he said he still has the Ayre system, and loves the way it sounds.

[KMC45]

Dan,

Thanks, I thought there was somebody.

Yesterday I was pushing a pair of Amati's pretty hard with these amps and I was able to reach pretty loud levels. I'm a little concerned about the heat they seem to generate, and of course they look like they were shrunk in the dryer compared to what I use.

[PHC1]

Not using them but have heard the MX-Rs many times. It was actually the KX-R/MX-R/C-5xeMP system driving the Sasha's the first time I heard them and I fell in love with the Sasha's. Not having heard them with my own Lamm gear until they were delivered, it was a bit of a gamble but I was confident the outcome would be very satisfactory. I was right as it turned out. The MX-Rs are great amps, very musical, great bass, sparkling, smooth highs, a bit on the warmer side of neutral as far as solid state goes and have ample current reserves to light up everything but the most difficult speakers adequately in most rooms. I did hear a bit of struggle from them with the Sasha's with their 1.8 ohm dip in bass heavy musical content but the room was 3x bigger than my own. Again, many didn't even notice that tiny bit of bloat and I was being very critical.

[KMC45]

Serge,

You just answered the PM I sent you, thanks.

[jdandy]

Keith.......The amps are physically small when compared to the McIntosh amplifier stable, but the real beauty of the Ayre MX-R amplifier size is the solid CNC milled aluminum chassis. It begins life as a 75 pound block of billet aluminum. Once all the internal cavities are milled, and the external shape is milled, the entire enclosure becomes a heat sink, so no need for big external fins, with the additional framework necessary to support the cooling fins. This automatically generates a substantial physical size reduction. The custom made dual transformers nested into their respective milled compartments in the chassis are a thing of beauty. The zero-feedback, fully balanced discrete circuitry employs ThermalTrak output devices that auto bias no matter the temperature of the output transistors. The engineering, design, and build quality appear to be flawless, with an incredible frequency response of DC to 250kHz at rated output. Capable of 300 watts into 8 ohms, and a whopping 600 watts into 4 ohms, the MX-R is no light weight amplifier, despite its demure appearance.

So, how did the Ayre MX-R's sound driving the Amati's? I have not had the pleasure yet of auditioning the Ayre MX-R amplifiers, or the KX-R preamp. I need to get into Jacksonville, and stop by House of Stereo for a listen.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by jdandy

So, how did the Ayre MX-R's sound driving the Amati's? I have not had the pleasure yet of auditioning the Ayre MX-R amplifiers, or the KX-R preamp. I need to get into Jacksonville, and stop by House of Stereo for a listen.

Sounds like it would be a nice road trip in your new King Ranch Expedition Dan.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Sounds like it would be a nice road trip in your new King Ranch Expedition Dan.

Serge.......Absolutely. I love driving the Expedition. It is very comfortable, rolls down the road very nicely, and is quiet. I have over 100 CD's on the sound system's hard drive, so I won't run out of music.

[KMC45]

Dan,

They powered the Amati's just fine to levels that I would not often reach around my house. It's just a visual thing that i'm working to overcome.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by KMC45

Dan,

They powered the Amati's just fine to levels that I would not often reach around my house. It's just a visual thing that i'm working to overcome.

Get them in black. That's why I went with the optional/surcharge black KX-R, knowing that I may one day own a pair of MX-Rs in black as well. They don't look as dimunitive in black. Great amps though.