Jeff Rowland

Didn't expect this at all.
My apologies, Ricred, if I have unintentionally offended you. I have posted what I thought were relevant parts of your message only for the benefit of others following this thread. I was not trashing one product in favor of another. I was merely relating my personal experience with the Capri S2 vs Ayre K-5xeMP. Yes, audio indeed is very personal. The usual "to each his own", then.
Good day ahead. :)

Hi Ricred1,
I used to own the Capri S2 with the DAC card option. Since you already have the PS DS DAC, the dac card option would be redundant. That said, my experience with the Capri S2 while I had it was pleasant until I replaced it with the Ayre K-5xeMP preamp. The problem with thinking that something is good is that you don't know what you are missing until you have tried something else. With the Ayre preamp in the chain, the loss of dynamics, transparency, resolution and extension in the highs with the Capri S2 all becomes woefully apparent. My humble advice is, if you can, to audition at home in your system both the Ayre and Capri S2 before pulling the trigger.
Regards. J.

Via email, you stated :-
"Thanks for the Ayre K-5xeMP suggestion. How much is it? My current system needs more bass impact. I submit my issue is I'm using the DAC as a preamp and it acts like a passive preamp and I loose gain/dynamics. Everything else is fantastic...imaging, detail, three dimensional soundstage. Any suggestions? What amp and speakers do you have?"

"Hi Richard,
It's $3500 retail. JA/Stereophile rates it full Class A. I am using Bryston 28B SST and VA The Music speakers.
The Ayre will give you the gain/dynamics, bass impact and airy, transparent highs that you want.
The JR house sound including the power amps, is slightly dark with rolled off highs. Cheers! Jon."

Just to add to our email exchange above, you won't be losing "detail, imaging, or the three dimensional soundstage" with the Ayre. But with the Capri S2, you get less of these compared to the Ayre.

+1, G.

Try before you buy, whenever possible.
Synergy is king.