Ayre V-1x or Accuphase A-50v for Eidolon Avalons?

I use the V-1x with my Eidolons as my reference setup and would say they are a match made in heaven. The liquidity, wide soundstage, and instrument timbre were spectacular. They had that 'cut from the same cloth sound'. The bass is quite good, but it does not produce the thunderous bass of a monster amplifier.

I tried a few other amplifiers with the Eidolon's and my rankings are:

Ayre v-1x (transparent, tubey, great timbre and soundstage)
Rowland 8tihc (a very good choice. nice timbre and POWER, but not as transparent or alive sounding)

vt-100m2 w/kt88 (underpowered but wonderful sounding)

Aleph 2's (astonishing resolution, sparkling fine detail, but not enough power)

McCormack (not clean enough for eidolons)
vt-200m1 vt-200 (had old tubes, so didn't sound good)
BEL's (dry, transistor sounding - these were old mark II's)

I drive my Eidolon Diamonds with an A-50V (and previously owned Eidolons). When I last checked Cornfedboy was using a Rowland Model 8. Anyway, I use a single A-50V on the Diamonds as the room is quite small by mid-sized speaker standards. Previously had a Rowland Model 10 (on the Eidolons) and the A-50V was significantly better in every way imaginable- subjectively it sounded much more powerful than the Rowland. That being said, I have not heard the Ayre and I'm sure it it a great piece- probably would not have the current capability of the Accuphase.

Go with the V-1x. I have heard it with the Eidolons and was smitten with the music it portrayed. Also, Charles Hansen used to own/design for Avalon before he formed Ayre, so there may be a certain synergy going on here.

contact member Cornfedboy: he loves his A50V with Eidolons.