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Ayre AX7e vs Hegel H160

Buying a small system for my daughter and son-in-law's house warming gift.  The both use Pono's which can be used in balanced mode with amps that have a balanced input.  The best integrateds I can find with a balanced input  in my price range are the above mentioned ones.  No tube amp recommendations-- too fussy for these folks.

Speakers are Dynaudio Focus 160's.  Room is 12 x 15 and they listen mostly to acoustic Americana music at moderate volumes. Both are well reviewed -- the Ayre particularly so.

Is the Ayre at 60 watts/8 ohms and 120 / 4 ohms  enough to drive the relative inefficient speakers? The Hegel at 150 watts is clearly more powerful but I am worried about the DAC becoming out of date. The Ayre is slightly cheaper but with a couple hundred of the Hegel. 

Help me decide please.  I need to pull the trigger tomorrow.
teeshot

Showing 1 response by techno_dude

techno_dude
382 posts
 
Had the Ayre V-5xe and K-5xe combo ( a step up from the A-X7e integrated), before replacing it with a Hegel H160. (Have an external 15k Euros dac, so never used the Hegel dac).

The Hegel has some more resolution, a bit more low midrange richness than the Ayre combo. The Hegel has more snap, pratt and bass.

That Ayre gear was price competitive in the mid 2000s years. But not anymore, you get a lot more for your money now with brands like Hegel, and others. That is if you don t mind the lower end casing and look, because sure the Ayre has better quality casing made from brushed aluminum...
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