What speakers are you driving, and what is it about the sound of the Ayre are you most looking to retain? Have you ruled out tubes (for example ARC) or class D, or class A for that matter? My personal suspicion is that you're not going to duplicate the sound of the big Ayres especially in a different brand, but you might find happiness in a completely different direction.
Downsizing from Ayre MX-R monoblocks
I am looking to downsize from my previous amps, the wonderful Ayre MX-R monoblocks to an integrated amp. I want something that has the same quality and sound as the Ayre. I know the Ax-7e is an option but to be totally honest, I am not too keen on its looks. In terms of price, I would like to stay at $5K or less used. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.