The guy who made the comment about the McIntosh sounding better than Ayre sounds like a PS Audio dealer or a McIntosh dealer. Either that or he is tone deaf. Go audition one and see for yourself. I knows guys who have $30,000 monoblocks being driven by that pre amp and it really shines.
If you are going fully balanced I can’t recommend it enough. If not Ayre is not the last word in single ended design. If you are going single ended I highly, highly recommend the Belles Aria Pre Amp. It’s not expensive, is hand made, dead quite and extremely neutral. I almost bought one for myself and I’ve been listening to Ayre electronics for 14 years. You can even get it with phono.
If you are going fully balanced I can’t recommend it enough. If not Ayre is not the last word in single ended design. If you are going single ended I highly, highly recommend the Belles Aria Pre Amp. It’s not expensive, is hand made, dead quite and extremely neutral. I almost bought one for myself and I’ve been listening to Ayre electronics for 14 years. You can even get it with phono.