D'Agostino vs. Ayre

I haven't had a chance to listen to any D'Agostino amps but my Ayre Ax-5 Twenty is the best integrated I've ever heard. Better than most separates. Btw, I also own several other Ayre  products and the guys over at Ayre are great. Just like anything else in audio the correct speaker match is a must. The Ayre amps in my opinion is especially good with Vandersteen speakers.  

I would not considered Vandies dark.  The Treo CT is in my opinion mostly neutral with a touch of warmth..smooth.  With that said, the Ayre, just makes my Vandy Treo CT sing  :).  It just makes it sound musical and natural.  I can listen to the combo for hours at a time. The AX5/20 gives me a feeling that I'm listening to a tube amp but they are not.  Each note is separated and can be heard clearly. The bass is clean, tight and solid.  Lastly, the soundstage and imaging is one of the best I've heard, in this price range.    

Sorry guys for going off topic. @tecknik, I’m not sure if you were referring to my comments but I did say most separates (asumming also that we are talking about components in the same price range). Btw, I would not include the higher in the line Ayre reference R series separates in my comments. The MX-R series are indeed better sounding, especially if you pair its with the KX-R/20 pre-amp (this combo is almost triple the price). I'm talking in the $12-13k range. 

I'm looking forward to hearing your opinion.