I find the Ayre nomenclature confusing in that there are models with the same letters and number but their order seems significant. I'm looking for a VX-5, not VX-5 Twenty, and wonder what the used market price is likely to be. A 5-VX is too tall to fit in the space I have with 3" clearance. Any advice will be appreciated.
The Parasound JC 1 monoblocks drive the KEF Reference speakers with a sense of neutral authority, with fine detail and imaging. The amps have sufficient current to extend LF to below 20 Hz. Pairing the JC 1 amp & JC 2 preamp is often said to approach a straight wire with gain.
I've been using 20-watt Cary CAD 572 SE tube monoblocks as an alternative to drive the LS50s with surprisingly good results. I look forward to pairing them with the Ayre preamp.
There is a dealer for both Ayre and Vanderstein in Santa Monica, a pleasant drive down PCH from Santa Barbara with only Malibu as a possible source of traffic. So it's entirely plausible that I may hear an Ayre/Vanderstein pairing.
Very nice set up. I did hear the LS50s and they do sound very good for the price performance. I really do enjoy the KEF sound. I haven't heard many Parasound components but when I did they were solid. The Vandy + Ayre combo is pretty special so if you haven't heard them together, I hope you get a chance. Good luck in your hunt!
You'd be surprised how good the LS50s sound in the setup. I have a setup that uses KEF Reference 107/2s and 204/2C driven by 3 Parasound JC 1s. The stereo preamp in that setup is a JC 2 BP, surround processor a Bryston SP-3. Sources are vinyl through a JC 3, Ayre C-5xeMP, Oppo 105D, and Esoteric SA-60 disc players. The setup use a pair of 15" subs for surround and HT, but not for stereo.
Btw, it seems like a bit of over kill to power up a pair of KEF LS50s. Hee hee...You might want to starting look for a used pair of Vandies to advantage of all that Ayre gear you're collecting :).
I installed a K-5xeMP preamp yesterday that replaced a Cary Cinema 12 processor. I'm using a 30-year-old Proceed Amp 2 to drive a pair of KEF LS50s. Sources are an Oppo 105 and Sony HAP-Z1ES. All connections are balanced. The sound quality is excellent, with sufficient LF extension that I don't miss the subs. The Ayre preamp is a big improvement over the Cary processor. I'll continue to look for a VX-5 not V-5xe, but the dual monoblock Amp 2 is serving well so I'm in no hurry. The setup appears clutter-free, with everything fitting in the cabinet and without the subs and bass manager. I suspect replacing the Amp 2 with a VX-5 will not have the impact replacing the Cary C12 with the Ayre K-5 had.
How scrupulous are you in observing the recommended 3" clearance above the amp? I can see maybe less than 2" being available, so I wondered about installing one or two 6" exhaust fans in the side of the cabinet adjacent to the amp. The front and rear of the cabinet are open.
The cabinet will house a Sony HAP-Z1ES, Oppo BDP 105, Ayre K-5xeMP and V-5ex. Another possibility is to mount the Ayre units on the upper shelves and mount the exhaust fan in the top of the cabinet, although that would be cosmetically more intrusive. The cabinet is glossy black.
"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.
BTW, I think I found the answer to my OP. The market rate for an Ayre VX-5 seems to be around $4.5K, more than I want to spend for an amp in a secondary system. 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.
"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.
hgeifman asks, "Are you saying that its 4.875 height is too tall for your space? If yes, what is the maximum height you need?"
The slot is 8" high, so a height of 5" would provide the 3" ventilation Ayre recommends -- these amps are reported to run quite warm. The cabinet is completely open front and back, and I'd be willing to drill 2" diameter holes along the side. I might try an inexpensive V-3 that has a height of 5.5".
Finding an audio component to fix into a specific space with height limits is not easy. And, yes,the cost for the VX-5 will be lower than the price for the VX-5 Twenty unit. The difference is usually the retail price difference between the two units
The dimensions for the Ayre AX-5 Twenty power amplifier is 17.25" W x 18.75" D x 4.875" H.
Are you saying that its 4.875 height is too tall for your space? If yes, what is the maximum height you need?
The sound quality for Ayre Acoustics equipment is excellent. We need to find a model that fits your space (if possible).
re decluttering: A pair of 20-watt Cary 572 SE CAD monoblock tube amps do sit on either side of the equipment cabinet in the living room, but they are only about 8" wide, seem decorative, and sound surprisingly good driving the KEF LS50s.
Thanks for your insight. In an effort to declutter the living room, I sold a Parasound A 21 that was too tall to fit into the equipment cabinet so sat on the floor. Having three JC 1 monoblocks sitting on the floor of our music/HT room is one thing, having an A 21 sitting on the floor of the living room is another.
The V-5 series seems to be over 7" tall, whereas the VX-5 seems a bit over 4" tall. To me, that's not a small detail. I admit my only experience with Ayre components is my C-5xeMP that I think it has a superb non-HiFi sound I hope to capture with their preamp and amp.
BTW, as part of the declutter I took down the bass manager and subs. The unaided KEF LS50s are quite satisfying for the jazz and baroque music I prefer.
"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.
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.
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.
I don’t have an informed answer to your question, but I am looking for a VX-5 Twenty so if I see a regular VX-5, I’ll let you know and if you see a VX-5 Twenty maybe you’ll let me know. :)
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