I lived with Ayre’s AX-5 Twenty built-in amplifier for a number of years and I’ve reviewed a bunch of Ayre gear so I really feel I’ve a great grip on Ayre’s home sound. I’m more than pleased to report that the brand new 8-Collection merchandise sing with an analogous voice.
In my expertise, essentially the most compelling gear transcends Class, topology, and kind to depart us within the presence of music seemingly unadorned. As if our hifi opens an enormous door via which we fall into the world of track. One beautiful factor about hifi is there’s not one door, not one single finest opening. As a substitute, there are a lot of voices for simply as many rooms and the Ayre KX-8 preamp and VX-8 energy amp provide a really compelling view onto what ever music I despatched their method via three pair of audio system—the YG Summit (evaluation), Rockport Atria II (extra information), and the Barn resident DeVore Constancy O/96 (evaluation).
I’m going to concentrate on the pre/energy combo, KX-8/VX-8, to get issues going as their voice remained in step with every pair of audio system with one standout high quality, and it’s one thing I’ve come to count on from Ayre—a silky easy but extremely resolving presentation—that acts as invitation to discover music as deeply and totally as your time and a spotlight enable. This type of sound is one thing the hifi generalizer would possibly sometimes attribute to tubes however because the KX-8/VX-8 show, you don’t want tubes to keep away from glare or a metallic sheen that may include some stable state gear. And whereas we’re right here, I’ve heard tube amps that sound harsher than skeletons copulating on a tin roof so generalization-busting cuts each methods.
The Rockport Atria II arrived a couple of month in the past and so they’ve been making music on the Barn’s A-Facet ever since. Whereas I’ll maintain off on giving an excessive amount of away, I’ll share that the Atria II provide beautiful decision that exceeds each speaker I’ve reviewed in Barn to this point. Gorgeous decision, and the Ayre KX-8/VX-8 mixture introduced out this high quality and extra with no qualifiers wanted, which is about as excessive reward as I can consider for a pre/energy mixture that value about 1/3 the value of the Rockports. Certain, value is not any assure of high quality and extra money doesn’t essentially purchase higher efficiency, however within the case of the Atria II it does and the Ayre combo was on no account outclassed on this context. Spectacular.
With the YG Summit, the Ayre KX-8/VX-8 mixture introduced these 3-way bruisers to wealthy, full life in Barn, providing music-inspired full vary energy, purity, and delicacy. Once more, there have been no shortcomings of observe on this system context, simply clear, clear and all consuming musical goodness, ripe and prepared for exploration.
The KX-8 preamplifier homes loads of acquainted Ayre tech together with the true variable achieve quantity management that brings with it various sonic features together with wonderful sign to noise numbers even at low volumes based on the corporate. As is the case with all Ayre merchandise, the KX-8 is a fully-balanced, zero-feedback design and presents 2x balanced XLR inputs and 3x single-ended RCA inputs, together with balanced and single-ended outputs and a pair of AyreLink RJ45 ports to permit one distant the flexibility to manage a number of Ayre gadgets. Ayre presents its digital choices—Roon Prepared Ethernet, USB, and Digital Inputs—if you wish to flip the KX-8 right into a streaming DAC, too.
The spartan entrance panel, that matches the Ayre CX-8 CD participant, QX-8 Digital Hub, and EX-8 built-in amplifier, consists of two buttons for energy and enter choice, a small blue LED show, balanced and single-ended headphone jacks, and quantity management all wrapped in anodized aluminum. My ideas in regards to the KX-8 (and the remainder of the 8-Collection merchandise) boils right down to what I mentioned in my evaluation of the EX-8 from 2018—I’d ask for little extra sexiness in its look—to which I’d add some dampening so the chassis doesn’t ring when wrapped with a knuckle.
The VX-8 Energy Amplifier presents 100 Watts into 8 Ohms and 170 Watts into 4 and consists of the acquainted listing of Ayre tech inside together with a 100% Zero-Suggestions design, fully-balanced discrete circuitry, Double Diamond output stage and Equilock achieve stage, and a linear analog energy provide. Being the latest amp within the lineup, Ariel Brown, Ayre’s President and chief expertise officer, has improved on the efficiency of the EX-8 Built-in, the premise for the VX-8’s amplification, which can get trickled up the road with new fashions to come back.
As you’d count on, the VX-8 consists of balanced XLR and single-ended RCA inputs in addition to balanced XLR and single-ended RCA outputs to be used with a subwoofer, along with two switches to pick out enter mode (balanced/unbalanced) and subwoofer output (stereo/mono). An IEC inlet, energy swap, Cardas binding posts that make me remorse my selection of banana-terminated speaker cables, two AyeLink RJ45 ports, and a USB enter for firmware upgrades full the bottom.
I’ll observe that the VX-8 ran heat to the contact throughout its total Barn time taking part in music 24/7 for weeks on finish with out challenge.
The CX-8 CD Participant depends on an ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip for D to A conversion whereas using Ayre’s Minimal Part digital filter, single-pass 16x oversampling, a customized digital clock, the now acquainted mixture of Ayre’s Diamond output stage and Equilock achieve stage with a fully-balanced, zero-feedback analog circuit, and linear analog energy provide. The CX-8 presents single-ended RCA and balanced XLR outputs, two AyeLink RJ45 ports, and you’ll add Ayre’s digital choices—Roon Prepared Ethernet and USB Inputs—to show the CX-8 right into a one-stop store for all of your digital wants. The evaluation unit got here outfitted with the Ethernet possibility however as you possibly can see, the chassis for the KX-8 and CX-8 are lower and prepared for each possibility.
The acquainted entrance panel provides a brilliant easy working CD drawer and multi-function management wheel for CD playback capabilities. The included plastic Ayre distant gives full management as effectively.
I had the chance to match the Ayre CX-8 to the Technics SL-G700M2 Community/SACD Participant (evaluation), which prices lower than half the value of the Ayre, and the CX-8 supplied a extra compelling musical image total with a better sense of ease coupled to a richer, fuller sound palette. Whereas the Technics participant supplied compelling efficiency and distinctive construct high quality that to my eyes and fingers bettered the Ayre, my private preferences tilted closely towards the Ayre’s extra relaxed and to my thoughts extra natural sound.
For an additional unfair comparability however going within the different path, I most popular the Mola Mola Tambaqui (evaluation) to the Ayre as streamer/DAC and I solely point out this by way of system constructing considerations and the distinctive efficiency of the Ayre KX-8/VX-8. Getting again to the Ayre/Rockport mixture and pondering in system-building phrases, I enormously most popular the Mola Mola and totaldac d1-unity matched with the Grimm MU1 (extra information) in that contextvalue apart (though it by no means actually is for many of us). All to say, the Ayre CD spinner as streaming DAC presents a stunning, natural, and engrossing sound however not one that’s on par with costlier separates.
Beth Gibbons of Portishead fame launched her solo outing out of season with Rustin’ Man, aka bassist Paul Webb of Speak Speak, in October of 2002 and it stays a magically mystifying file regardless of what number of occasions I spin via it. The album credit over 40 musicians taking part in all method of strings horns, organ, and extra and canopy as many genres. I’d name it kinda bizarre in an odd sorta method, a few of my favourite kinds of music. Almost unknowable.
In comparison with taking part in this similar title from a CD rip or streaming, the CD taking part in supplied a extra incisive presentation, the place edges, assaults and decays got here into the Barn with extra definition as if the rip and streamed variations had been evenly sanded for a rounder much less exact sound. Whereas I don’t discover this to all the time be the case, the place the CD presents a extra compelling sound, it was the case with the CX-8, the diploma to which I most popular the CD was partially depending on the standard of the recording, the place higher high quality recordings appeared to spotlight these variations.
In any occasion, with the CX-8 as participant and streamer paired with the KX-8/VX-8 driving the DeVore O/96 on the B-Facet, I simply fell underneath music’s spell no matter supply, sounds, and genres. The Ayre stack’s natural silky rightness served all the music I despatched its method.
Whereas I used to be right here, having fun with the varied characters Gibbons embodies on out of seasonI leashed the Focal Clear Mg to the Ayre KX-8 for some intimate listening time. Right here, with the Focal’s beautiful readability, air, and shade in play, the Ayre’s qualities appeared the proper match for the Clear Mg, bringing Gibbons and Co’s glowing pleasant sounds immediately into my mind’s pleasure middle like tiny sparks of sunshine. As soon as once more, nothing, not a factor, stood out to fault with the Ayre’s creamy but extremely refined presentation.
Transferring again to a concentrate on the KX-8/VX-8 driving the DeVore O/96, I just lately discovered This Is The Equipment’s 2017 album Moonshine Freezea stunning folk-inspired psychedelic-tinged file lead by Kate Stables and produced by longtime PJ Harvey collaborator John Parish. For this spherical of listening, I let the Mola Mola Tambaqui deal with the digital duties because it supplied a extra compelling sonic image than the Ayre CX-8, as one would hope for greater than twice the CX-8’s value.
Horns, banjo, guitars, synthesizers, piano, bass, drums, and Stables’ crystalline clear vocals twist and switch round a meditative unfastened construction. Right here on the B-Facet of the Barn, Moonshine Freeze took up residence as a definite solid of characters specified by area, completely sized with actual physicality for some deep, tangible listening. Good. The DeVore’s can dig about as deep into the center of music as any speaker I’ve heard and the Ayre KX-8/VX-8 allow them to shine.
I get pleasure from Nick Cave & The Dangerous Seeds softer facet practically as a lot as their tougher stuff. 2001’s No Extra Shall We Half is a standout softie, a trembling orchestrated affair with Cave singing out with real longing and sorrow. “Love Letter” stays a favourite ‘check observe’, and I say stays as a result of it has been a go-to track once I need to check a system’s emotive chops. With the entire Ayre stack passing off its output to the DeVore O/96 I used to be handled to a really full serving to of sorrow, remorse, and longing within the type of a letter, a love letter, despatched out as a plea, a petition, a type of prayer. That is Nick Cave at his sorrowful finest, his voice sharing ache and a hopeless type of hope and this technique pulled at recollections of private sorrow in a deeply shifting method.
Summing up the CX-8 CD participant, I like to recommend it for folks with a number of CDs who additionally get pleasure from streaming in a price-comparable system. When system constructing with larger priced and extra resolving gear, I might go for a separate streaming/DAC resolution just like the Mola Mola Tambaqui. To make clear, the rationale this notion got here as much as start with was simply how effectively the matching Ayre KX-8/VX-8 combo performed within the greater leagues with the YG Summit and Rockport Atria II. In these system settings, the CX-8 as streaming DAC appeared to be the weakest hyperlink.
For comparisons on the pre/energy entrance, I don’t have something readily available close to the Ayre KX-8/VX-8 combo’s value and to my thoughts the Ayre’s distinct sonic qualities set it aside from most rivals. The Cambridge Edge NQ Preamp/Community Participant & Edge M Monoblock Energy Amplifiers come to thoughts (evaluation) and are in the identical tough ballpark because the Ayres price-wise and right here I might give the KX-8/VX-8 combo the sting (pardon the pun) with regards to decision and that silky easy Ayre refinement. The BAT VK-80i Built-in Amplifier (evaluation) presents an attention-grabbing distinction with its wealthy, brutish drive that delivers extra weight and solidity in comparison with the Ayre pre/energy pair. I’m not selecting any winners as I can think about completely different folks with completely different rooms and techniques preferring any of those advantageous items of substances, which is among the lovely issues about hifi, no less than in my guide.
If you get right down to it, Ayre gear has a home sound that’s exemplified by its capability to stability excellent decision, readability, and drive with a easy as silk refinement that brings music into vivid, colourful life. Whereas you will get extra, in my expertise you’d should pay extra leaving the Ayre KX-8 Preamplifier and VX-8 Energy Amplifier mixture with my highest advice.
Ayre CX-8 CD Participant
Value: $5450, +$800 USB, +$1000 for Ethernet
Ayre KX-8 Preamplifier
Value: $6400, +$1300 X-8 DAC (1AES, 2 SPDIF, 3 Optical), +$800 USB, +$1000 for Ethernet
Ayre VX-8 Energy Amplifier
Value: $6800
Firm Web site: Ayre Acoustics