Used Ayre amp market pricing

"cedargrover: The V-5xe is listed in the AudioGon Blue Book, but too tall for my use. I think I saw a VX-5 Twenty listed at Audio Mart for $6400. I hope the VX-5 is less pricey -- presumably it's an older model".

"The V-5 was replaced by the VX-5. One of the things that makes the models sometimes confusing to look at it the upgrades. Every time a product is updated, they change the model number to reflect what was improved. (Example from oldest to newest: K-5, K-5x, K-5xe, K-5xemp.). The upside to all the different changes is that you can take any Ayre product and have it upgraded to its most current status. I have 2 V-5's in my main system. The original V-5 is almost 20 years old, but over the years the upgrades keep them competitive. Its great if you can't afford to go out and get the current version of an Ayre product. Get an older one and have the piece of mind that you can always upgrade so you're not stuck with something.　 　 "

ebm: A little forbearance might be warranted, because I just bought a K-5xeMP and a VX-5 seems an ideal amp to pair it with. It would fit in my cabinet with adequate ventilation above the amp. I've downloaded the VX-5 owner's manual and a couple of reviews that suggest it's the amp I want.

"The K-5 is the matching preamp to the V-5. But one thing to note is that the K-5 is part of the 5 series, so it can be considered an equally good match with any 5 series component, including the VX-5. Once you get your system together, you won't be worrying about these small details. You'll be listening to music.

"I might try an inexpensive V-3 that has a height of 5.5"."

There's a very big difference between the V-3 and the V-5. Have a look at listing lis7gccg. Its for a pair of Pass Aleph 0 mono amps. I used to have a pair. If you are able to work with their size, I think they're a much better choice than the V-3. For the price and condition, you can't go wrong, and should have no problem getting all your money back if you sell them.

"I'm trying to devise a plan for fitting a taller V-5xe in into my cabinet.  The market for a V-5xe seems to be in the mid $2K range."

That's a very good choice. I have 2 V-5's in my system, and even though Ayre makes newer, more expensive amps, the thought of upgrading never crossed my mind.