Ayre, wow

On the hunt for a new amp + pre-amp for my Mani-2's. This weekend I listened to a pair of Dynaudio Confidence C1's hooked up with some locally manufactured speaker cable to a Ayre K5/V5 combo. CDP was also an up to date Ayre model.

The sounds was very delicate, natural. On a Mozart piano piece, I could hear the pianist touch the keys. Norah Jones invited me for lunch -- had she been there physically as well. Every syllable of her songs was audible. Take Five in the middle has the piano vs. drum piece. It was like watching a tennis game -- left, right, left right -- the separation was sublime. And shivers when the sax kicked back in after that piece.

Then I listed to a McIntosh MA6600, an integrated. In comparison to the Ayre, it was like somebody had switched from ultralinear on a tube amp to triode mode. The McIntosh sounds great but the music is more around, less from the speakers -- it sings around. Almost like hitting the "surround" button on a walkman of old. Quality still very good, but this "surround" thing overrides, to my taste, the music. The Ayre is so much more subtle, delicate.

Next try will be at my place with the Mani-2's. Cannot wait...with what I heard and knowing that Totum considers the Ayre one of the "really good ones" for the Mani-2....magic may be just around the corner!

Anybody has suggestions for other combos I should try? Please send over thanks!

Ari