Ayre V-5xe best tube pre-amp to match with?

thanks so far for your responds. one question to all of you: why didn´t you choosed an Ayre pre-amp?

Bigtee / Classical1: which tube pre´s caused a hum when connected to the V-5xe ?
I´m not familiar with the BAT hause sound, but I´ve heard the best value pre from BAT is the VK 31 SE - is this a good one? I´ve also heard Aesthetix Calypso, CAT SL-1 and Modwright SWL 9.0 SE would be a good match ?

Just heard Hovland HP-100, Nagra PL-L and Aesthetix Calypso (have heard all before but never against each other in one system except of the latter one). Hovland (less dynamic and less resolution and tightness than the others but a midrange to die for). Nagra to analytical but extremely tight bass, great micro / macro dynamics and air around Instruments, tons of details - but surprisingly quite uninvolving. Calypso despite the glowing reviews quite flat and noisy (probably stock tubes were not burned in, but great ergonomics and nice to look at). I´m very keen to listen to CAT SL-1, Ayre K-1x and BAT VK-31 SE.

Keithr:
would you though say that the VK-31 SE is a bad product? The two other remaining products on my short list are Aesthetix Calypso and Ayre K-5xe.

Have you any experience with Ayre K-5xe pre amp? When it comes down to soundstage depth, focus/ imaging, air around instruments, speed, clarity and detail, low lever and high lever resolution which one was to your ears better VK-31 SE or Calypso (or probably Ayre K-5xe)?

Keithr: any experience with VK-50 ? I heard its better than VK-31 SE and can be upgraded to VK-51 SE status anytime.. ?

Russell..: in your case I would look for a late series HP-100. The Calypso was great in my system but the K-5xe with a few mods easily outperforms the Calypso except of the lowest octave and pin-point imaging (all Ayres I know miss the punch in this area).

24phun: I´ve learned from Charles Hansen that he likes the SL-1 VERY much, but values the Aesthetix and BAT gear as well. Next weekend I´ll be able to compare Hovland HP-100 with BAT VK-31 SE and Ayre K-1x. The Hovland matches as well very good with the V-5xe (I´ve already experienced that in an all Ayre system driving Avalon Ascendant speakers). Can´t tell you about HP-100 vs. SL-1.

So, here we are. After comparing HP-100 to VK-31 SE and Pass X-1, X 2.5 and Rowland Synergy II i I ended up buying Ayre K-5xe and added several modifications. The result is amazing !! US $ 900,00 for mods turns the already impressive K-5xe into a giant killer. Leaves X-1 and X 2.5 as Synergy II i (last two previous units in my chain) far behind. Musically more involving + added speed, transparency and detail compared to VK 31 SE. HP-100 nice, very appealing but not as a partner for V-5xe.
Next higher level was Nagra PL-L (GREAT), CAT SL-1 Ultimate MK II and Ayre K-1xe (all great units) but a) to expensive for me and b) the difference is not that huge to pay twice the money.

The following mods were done to V-5xe and K-5xe:

adding of damping material (case work); set of three Stillpoint Universal Resonance Dampers underneath each unit; one Shakti Stone on top of the V-5xe; replaced the cheap fuses with high-quality gold-silver ceramique fuses; replaced power inlet with a high-quality cryo treated gold-silver one; use of Walker E-SST on all contacts (fuse contacts as well); replacement of Diodes, etc. with highest quality parts; taping of the cooling device of the V-5xe (tip from Chrles Hansen) - total amount for the K-5xe US $ 900,00.

Charles gave me the tip to reduce internal vibration of the V-5xe cooling device to tape it with a clear cellofane.

Larryi, yes you are right. The next upgrade will be either a bigger Ayre pre-amp (hopefully Charles will design a more appealing (to the eye) successor to his sonically very good but designwise very poor K-1xe or I will upgrade to the forthcoming Boulder Series 800 integrated and get rid of my Ayre Series 5 pre-power combo.

Larryi: a friend of mine owns a Boulder 2008, 2010, 2020, 2050 set-up connected with TaraLabs Zero and Omega cords to a pair of Acapella Sphäron Excalibur speakers, cd-drive is Barclay X-1, turntable is Micro Seiki SX 8000 MK II - never ever heard music reproduction like this. Better than life like - o.k. the set-up is worth € 550.000,- but o.k. If the 865 integrated is at least able to reach 75% of the top-components - I´m very very happy.