Regarding the new preamp:
I spoke with the guys from Ayre at CES and the new preamp is not really a replacement for the K-1xe, as it really is their new reference line stage, which will match their new reference monoblocks. It will not have the capability of having the internal phono stage boards like the K-1xe, so if you want to have an Ayre phono stage, you'll have to buy the separate P-5xe phono stage (and an interconnect). This line stage will be in boxes similarly sized to the new reference monoblocks.
As far as the new amp you mentioned, I have no information about that.
Hope this helps!
PS If you wish "straight from the horse's mouth" information, you could ask Charles Hansen via Audio Asylum's forums, as he usually participates there regularly. (Although he does chime in here from time to time too!) |
Hello-
There is no such thing as an MX-4 in the works. There will be a KXR to match the MXR's.
If you have any other questions please feel free to call me at Ayre
Regards,
Steve Silberman
Ayre Acoustics
303-442-7300 x233 |
Kurttank / Vinylmonkey: thanks for the info. In one of the show reports I stumbled over a pick showing an Ayre power amp titeled MX-4 which mated fine with the rumours I´ve heard at CES (a pitty that this info is wrong as I like the design of the monos a lot but find their price quite prohibitive). By the way: Ayre C-5xe is a mighty fine product - well done! |
Hi Frakpiet-
Could you show us a link to that MX-4 show report. Also, I failed to mention that there will not be a 5 series integrated.
If anyone ever has questions regarding products feel free to call.
Steve Silberman
Ayre Acoustics
303-442-7300 x233 |
Hey Vinylmonkey,
A question for you:
Once the KXR preamp is in production, will the K-1xe still be produced as well?
(Given that the K-1xe, is a different unit, being a full function preamp rather than a line stage, I would hope so.)
Or are you envisioning that the KXR will replace the K-1xe as your premier preamp?
Thanks for the information.
PS I know that Ayre prefers to have people call them with questions, (yes, I've been through this before, being a long time Ayre owner), however, it would be more convenient, and consumer friendly, if Ayre were to have an email address we could send questions too. (Just my two cents worth.) |
-- The KX-R is in the early planning stages. If all goes well, it will be shipping by late summer. If things don't go smoothly, it could be the fall before it is shipping. We don't know the price yet, but it is safe to say that it will be significantly more expensive than the K-1xe
-- We will continue to manufacture the K-1xe as long as there is a meaningful demand for it.
-- E-mail sucks as a way to communicate with customers. We tried it when we first put up our website, and it was a disaster. One problem is that it takes about 10x as long to type an answer as to tell the same thing on the phone. The next problem is that most people ask the wrong question. ("What is the peak output current of your V-1xe amplifier?") Then it takes three more e-mails to find out what they really want to know. ("Will the V-1xe drive my Humma-Junga speakers well?") It ended up taking over 50% of our Sales Manager's time with no visible benefit, so we just dropped it.
We participate on the various forums for two reasons:
a) There is so much mis-information on the internet ("Ayre is introducing a new MX-4 stereo amplifier!") that it is worthwhile to try and correct it.
b) It still takes longer to type an answer, but (unlike and e-mail) at least more than one person will read it. |
Thanks for the information, Charles!
Keep up the good work, and I hope your injuries have completely healed.
Best of health to you! |
Charles: to be honest I can´t tell you on which side I saw the mistake. I remember a picture showing a silver coloured MR-X with an acrylic top stating underneath the picture "Inside view of the Ayre MX-4"). The pages I´ve screened for show-reports were: 6moons, stereophile, stereotimes, soundstage, ultraaudio. Hope this helps.
AND: thanks for the hint you gave me once on audio asylum to tape the cooling devices of the V-5xe. Have you got another tip for K-1xe and C-5xe - I´ve just bought them to use them together with Aesthetix Atlas power amp. |
Frank,
Be sure that the AC power cords are the correct polarity. (This happens automatically with US cords, but the Schuko cords can be inserted with either polarity.) Use wood blocks under all of your components. Use wood blocks to keep all of your cables (power, interconnect, and speaker) off the floor. Use balanced interconnects. Use a Marigo mat when playing the discs. (The thinnest one will usually work well, but sometimes will cause some hiccups.) Don't connect a video system to your audio system. Bi-wire if your speakers will allow it.
Good luck,
Charles Hansen |
Thanks Charles. Appreciate your input (as always). Will add additionally a ModWright LS 36.5 to my system to get the full tube flavour. The Cardas wood blocks are already in use as well as Stillpoints universal resonance dampers. Do you still recommend the Cardas Golden Reference to be used in conjunction with your gear ?
Rgds.,
Frank |
The Cardas Golden Reference cables are great cables. And for the past few years we have also been making our own interconnects (manufactured by Cardas to our specifications), that are especially designed to work well with our equipment.
But as always, you should listen for yourself before purchasing. There is probably more disagreement concerning cables than any other component.
The other thing to remember is that both the Ayre and Cardas cables are extremely sensitive to break-in. When they are new, they require at least 100 to 200 hours of play to get sounding good. At first they sound pretty good, but a little bit "tight". Then they will go through a murky phase and then a bright phase, and finally start to sound the way they are supposed to. And if they have been physically moved, they will take another 10 to 20 hours of play to get back to normal again. |
Ah...so looks like there is no new integrated amp in any time soon. I currently have CX-7e and i wish that Ayre can produce high power integrated amp such as 200wpc? Great products by the way. |
Hvu: I would love to see a BIG Ayre integrated at least at the performance level of K-1xe + V-5xe. As the Boulder 865 wasn´t released right on time I´ve bought K-1xe and V-5xe (again) and I´m very happy with the gear as it matches well with the C-5xe I´m currently using.
Nevertheless I´ll switch to Boulder 865 sooner or later as I like the idea of a limited amount of gear and cables and I find the other offerings ML 383, JRDG Concerto, Gryphon Diabolo, etc. quite booring.
Charles: probably you should think about a high performance integrated in the price range US $ 7.000,00 - 9.000,00 as your competition (Pass, Boulder (forthcoming), Gryphon, ML, Burmester) has got nice offerings in this area.
Rgds.,
Frank |
I agree that ayre cables seem to be a very good match for their equipment...and I am particularly pleased with the new speaker cables for the mono blocks...
John |
will there also be a new reference phono stage to match at some point? |
Charles:
should you go through this thread.. Is it possible to remove the umbilical of the K-1xe and to substitute it with a very high performance power cord ? Effects ? |
Charles Hansen..: I´ve found the passage which showed the "Ayre MX-4 power amps". It was in the CES 2007 Showreport of the Positive Feedback Journal, Issue 29, Page 3, Part 4.
A real pitty .. I´d loved to have a nicely shaped stereo amp looking like the MR-X´s to substitute my current Ayre stereo power amp. |
