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How good is the Ayre DX-5 Universal as a CD player

A huge part of my listening is with DVD concert videos. Right now I have a great Universal player, modded Faroudja DVP4000, but it does not play Blu-Ray. To me, the Ayre DX-5 is the perfect player, it does everything including Blu-Ray. However, how good is the audio section of the Ayre? I have searched the reviews and forums, sent out emails, and everyone raves about the Ayre.......but at all times they are raving about it compared to good players! I want to know how it compares to great players! How does it compare to say an Esoteric player, or Burmester, MBL, etc., with respect to audio?

The only reason I am considering the Ayre, is for the Blu-Ray option! Perhaps I should forget about Blu-Ray and put my money in a high end DAC and keep the Universal I have!? Would the Ayre compete with a DAC like say the Lampizator, or an MBL or Esoteric DAC? Is the audio on a Blu-Ray concert any better than the audio on a DVD?
bullot

Showing 3 responses by tmsorosk

tmsorosk
1,013 posts
 
I tried both The Ayre DX5 and the Ayre CD5mp in a show room and at home . They were both great . On the audio side , the DX had a bit more drive but didn't seem as smooth as the CD5 , the CD5 also exposed more air around the instruments . I bought the CD5 nearly a year ago and can't say enough about it , half the price too . Later added an upscale DAC .
tmsorosk
1,013 posts
 
Hello Bullot . The DAC I chose after much research and many auditions was the Audio Research DAC8 . It adds a bit of warmth and roundness that the CD5 , KX-R preamp , Levinson power amp combination missed . The improvements are small , yet seem important when we listen . Some of my analog loving friends feel it removes the digital edge that they seem to hear . I was using a Levinson #360s DAC , but it added to much warmth and just messed with the original signal a bit to much . Now I'm demoing some different digital links between the transport and DAC , the Madrigal I'm using is good but some of the links I've tried show marked improvements , haven't found just the right one yet .
Regards Tim
tmsorosk
1,013 posts
 
Alfa , I have not had very good luck with optical cables , they sound a whisker thin and sterile for my taste's . I've preferred the XLR type cable's in my music makers last few incarnations . The XLR cable made it feel like something had been removed between the musicians and me . So far we've tried the Audio Quest - Raven , Shunyada's -Anaconda and a new one from Cardas , can't remember the model .
Of the three we tried all were an improvement over the Madrigal link that I have always liked . Talk about passive tone controls .
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