While you would have to wait a bit yet (and who knows the impact Charlie's accident and recovery will have on the release date), the next product in the "R" series (i.e., "Reference") will be a new pre-amplifier (to be designated KX-R presumably). If the step up from the V-1xe to the MX-Rs is any indication of what we can expect (acknowledging that the MX-Rs are 70% more expensive than the V-1xe), it could be very well worth the wait.
Ayre vs VTL vs BAT
I currently have an Ayre V-5xe amp and K-5Xe preamp. I am thinking about upgrading my preamp and possibly the amp as well. I have auditioned a number of companies products including Aethetix, Ayre, BAT, Cary, CAT, and Levinson. So far, I liked the Ayre K-1Xe and BAT-51SE the best. The last preamp/amp combo that I wanted to try was VTL, but there are no dealers near me. Can anyone tell me what kind of sonic differences I will hear between the Ayre K-1Xe vs the VTL 7.5? How about the V-1Xe or V-5Xe vs the VTL 450 monoblocks? Please feel free to comment on the BAT vs the VTL products as well if you have experience there.