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Feedback on Ayre and Aesthetix with Vandersteen 5As

Hello,

I am looking to upgrade my two channel system. This will also be part of home theater setup. (75% two channel listening vs 25% movies). Currently I am running Vandersteen 5a (non-carbon) with a Bryston amp (9bsst) and Marantz preamp (8801).  I have narrowed it down to two brands, Aesthetix - Atlas & Calypso or Ayre-  KX-5 twenty & VX-5 twenty. I do not have a local dealer for these brands but I was able to listen to both while out of town hooked up to the Vandersteen 5a carbons. They both sounded amazing. I felt the Aesthetix had a warmer laid back sound and the Ayre had a more revealing, forward sound. I am looking for some feedback on your experiences with these brands or things I should be thinking about. Both retail for around the same cost but I am able to get Aesthetix combo for less. My listening preferences are all over the board from classic rock (Pink Floyd, CSN, Elton John) to jazz and classical/acoustic music.

Thanks
Rob
robertkat
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,733 posts
 
Excellent discussion guys. I like SS for both electric guitar and bass.
Otherwise, tubes are good choices. Be sure to mention your cabling.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,470 posts
 
I'm using my 5A's with Ayre....no complaints.  I would heed Audio Connection's recommendations...he's never steered me wrong.....however......I have just installed ClearAudio double shotgun bi-wire speaker cables and was shocked at the presentation.. so good.  I know John at the Connection doesn't like silver, but....

Everything sounds different in different setups...the NY Philharmonic sounds different in Avery Fischer Hall and Carnegie Hall.  The audience smiles in both places.
robertkat OP
2 posts
 
Thanks for the feedback. I did go to Audio Connection to listen to both systems. I do have some concerns about the maintenance factor with tube gear. 
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Robert,
If the tubed  components  didn't sound any better than Ayre during you latest audition and you have reservations concerning tubes, you should just get the Ayre components. Tubes only make sense if you clearly hear /believe that they sound better than transistors. 
Charles, 
ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
Only you can decide what you want. I spent all morning figuring out which tube to fix. Sure enough it was a bad tube so it's still down. I love the sound. I do. It's just where I'm at in life to stay SS. As long as you get from Johnny he'll take great care of you as all of us will attest to. Did you ask him him thoughts on which way to go. 

Guys us silver can be warm. It has to be drawn in small batches and alloyed properly so you have small grain size and directionality in the wire. Most done know how to do this. AQ is one of the few companies who make production silver cable where they can do this. There is also a situation as to how fast the signal travels within the cable as well as the outside i.e. Skin effect. Garth Powell was explaining this a few weeks ago at Johnnys. Fascinating stuff actually.  There are some brands that go great together but that doesn't mean there aren't others that still sound great that the dealer doesn't sell. 
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