Price Paid:  $4000.00 from Used on Audiogon

Summary:
This is for the K-1X model. My unit has all the upgrades, including the phono boards as well as the remote.

This preamplifier is one of the best preamplifiers I have heard. It is very detailed, without being fatiguing. It has excellent soundstaging and imaging qualities as well.

The preamp is very quiet (quite a bit quieter than my old ARC LS-2), and the number of inputs (3 SE & 3 XLR) and outputs (both SE and XLR) is more than adequate. The looks are very pleasing to the eye.

The remote is very basic, (volume and mute only), but that is all I really need to be honest. It is built like a brick. (An aluminium brick actually!)

The phono stage is really incredible. It has a very, very low noise floor, much lower than my old ARC PH-3. It is very detailed as well.

I doubt I will be upgrading anytime soon.

Strengths:
Very Neutral. Soundstaging. Imaging.
Dynamic range. Both SE and XLR capabilities.

Weaknesses:
A bit pricey, but you get what you pay for.

Similar Products Used:
ARC LS-2
ARC PH-3
Counterpoint 3.1

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Simply wonderful - There's a new mod - I know it's heavy...don't be lazy, send the thing back..you won't regret it.

Strengths:
Music

Weaknesses:
Don't know - You should use all balanced cable(not a weakness, just an expense.)

Similar Products Used:
Rowland, Mark Levinson, Krell

Summary:
My K-1 is still under "break-in" but the sound is already much, much better than my ARC pre-amp. The phono section is even more marvellous. Previously I can't imagine the performance of my Shure V-15 mm cartridge can be raised to such high levels.

Considering the performance and high quality material used throughout this pre-amp, K-1 is reasonably priced (if not under-priced).

Strengths:
Fast, neutral, detailed, extremely good treble extension, deep and clean bass,

Weaknesses:
Some bad sounding CDs can be even worse.

Similar Products Used:
ARC LS-1

Summary:
I bought this preamp second-hand, at the upper limit of my resources.At first I was a little underwhelmed- the main probs being a perceived harshness
in the far treble, and constant background hiss heard at all volume levels.
A change in CD player (from Sony CDP XA7ES to Copland CDA-266) showed that the
treble brightness was CD-sourced- is this intermodulation from RF "grunge"?
Now I can appreciate the qualities of the Ayre:
- lovely build quality
- amazingly fast-sounding acoustics
- an ability to make all music interesting (if still not making crappy recordings sound like Chesky)
- truly realistic transients and occasionally voices.

This doesnt sound like an unqualified recommendation but I am very happy with the K-1. Its main advantages are neutrality (NOT solidstate leanness), and an
ability to disappear that allows no, forces one to listen to the music and
forget about the machinery. Finally it is obviously not the limiting factor in
my system's quality. (Sony;Goldmund SRAs;Sonus Faber Minima Amators)

Mine is an early example-without power supply or "Ayre Conditioner" upgrades.