Stringreen

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.67 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Att: All Ayre owners!!! I have D1xe, K1xe, V1xe, and C5xe. I have upgraded all my stuff first to the x and then the e versions. With each step, but expecially with the e upgrades, the stuff is transformed WAY better. Run to the UPS man and send yours away now. You won't regret it. The model C5xe you may not know. It is a brand new Universal player - plays DVD, SACD, CD, MPG, etc. It's a WOW!!

Strengths:
Every perameter

Weaknesses:
still looking

spgmclean

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
2.33 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $1750.00 from Gifted Listenerr

Summary:
This is at the heart and soul of my system. I was lucky to get a fully upgraded current piece for a real good price. I matched it with the V-3, and I must tell you my mags(3.5) are the truth. This is a match made in heaven.

Strengths:
Stays out of the way of the music Warm Sweet Sounding Sound Staging embraces the listener

Weaknesses:
None at all

Similar Products Used:
CJ-OK BAT-Below average Meridian-Below average Audio Research-OK Musical Fidelity-Steril Levinson-Makes the best pre-amps(but over priced Krell-Junk

catale

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.50 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
This is one of the best preamps I have ever heard at this price! After having heard lots of equipment in my life, I can't beleieve that any honest person can rate this preamp 2 out of 5 stars like the one reviewer below. Either he has not heard it or he has bad intentions! This preamp retrieves an amazing amount of detail, but always mantaining the necessary musicality. In some ways it reminds me of the positive qualities of tube sound but without any of its inconvenients. If I had to summarize the qualities of the Ayre K3x I would say it is dynamic, transparent but harmonically very rich and musical at the same time. It also is cabable of creating a hughe soundstage with very natural ambience, which really allows you to hear into the acoustics of the recording scenario. To my ears it is some of the best preamplifiers I have heard in much time, only surpassed by its bigger brother K1x, which gives you more of everything. Another key aspect of any component for me is that it never should cause any kind of listening fatigue. The Ayre is a champion in this field too, especially when you combine it with one of Ayre's superb power amplifiers (V5x or V1x for example). This preamp really is in the league of the very best and I think that its rating in the German Stereoplay, which puts it at the level of (the more expensive) Linn Klimax Control and Mark Levinson 380s is absolutely justified, if not an understatement. As you may know, also stereophile has rated it Class A. It is a pitty it has been discontinued. I still haven't heard the Ayre K5x, but from its price it seems probable that it won't reach the quality of the K3x. My recommendiatin is: if you can't afford the K1x, go for this one. You won't regrett it!

Strengths:
Dynamics, pace, speed, detail retrieval, harmonic richness, musicality, non fatigueing

Weaknesses:
Only 3 line level inputs.

Similar Products Used:
Lavardin, Spectral, Audio Research LS25, Krell

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
This preamp is not the last word, but for people that want music at home, this preamp is a standard. It has all what we expect from a preamp at this price, say dynamics, neutrality, extension, good bass, 3D imaging. But what amazed me, compare to the competition (and I feel the Goldmunds are the reference in performance), this preamp educates its listener to what is music and what is audio (same for most of AYRE products). It breaths with naturalness, respect of rythm, real dynamic (some have better dynamics, but so few that many people make confusion between dynamics and overshoots that make a surealistic portrait). 2 preamps are better, many sounds different but not better (I use rel piano and guitar to get a reference): The AYRE K1X and the GOLDMUND mimesis22, also I've not audiotionned some first rate product from AR, Conrad. The best quality of this preamp is that it can be in a high end sytem despite of the cost and get a good result, without having always the desire to improve. I use it with Goldmund cones, PAD Dominus AC, and Cardas caps, and Dominus interconnect.

Strengths:
dynamics, naturalness, speed and transparency (second only to the GOLDMUND), very silent and grain free. It reproduces music, at a very high quality for the price

Weaknesses:
the step attenuator has not enough plots the umbilical cord was not detachable in the K3 (X is ok) more information can be extracted (listen to mimesis 27), but at the price of musicality. More all is to buy the K1X.

Similar Products Used:
Goldmund and Levinson premps.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I went totally against my own grain in buying this pre-amp without auditioning it first. This is the first time I have ever done that, but the product was/is being discontinued and there was no opportunity to do so. I had very high expectations, given the rave reviews from the audio press. It arrived home and immediately noticed that system sounded so much sweeter than I was used to, even though the unit was as cold as my freezer. Needless to say it exceeded all of my expectations by a wide margin. I never thought that a pre-amp would make such a huge improvement, since their main functions are to pass the signal and control volume. Well, I learned very quickly that my previous mid-fi pre-amp was not doing those things very well. This pre-amp allows me to hear ALL the notes, every nuance in the phrasing, totally free from grain and with a background as black as midnight. The optional phono stage is so good, it seems as if I installed a new and expensive turntable. If you are into vinyl, This is one of the better phono stages I have heard including some expensive dedicated outboard models. The build quality is superb. Thick aluminum panels throughout, stainless steel fasteners, Shallco stepped attenuater, motorized remote volume, outboard power supply with plitron transformer. Every part is top quality, which undoubtedly leads to top quality sound. Finally, the best compliment I can pay to a pre-amp is that it gets out of the way of the music and lets you hear everything your source has to offer. If you have good sources, you need a pre-amp as good as this one. I highly recommend it if you can find it used, or get the K-1, I am sure its better, although I have not had the pleasure.

Strengths:
An open window to your source. Thoughtful, attention to detail design. Easy to operate. Top quality build, parts. Great phono stage. Stunning looks.

Weaknesses:
A little expensive, but you get what you pay for. Lack of balance control. Phono stage requires balanced XLR connectors, which requires adaptors or XLR phono cables.