Art Dudley reviewed the AX-5 Twenty in August 2015, (Vol.38 No.8):
"You are going to freak out."
In February, that prediction was offered to me by Alex Brinkman, the usually understated sales manager for Ayre Acoustics. The suggested catalyst for my otherwise unforeseen psychotic episode: A new edition of Ayre's AX-5 integrated amplifier, the original version of which I reviewed for Stereophile's September 2013 issue. I was impressed with the first edition—a zero-feedback, solid-state design that I described as being no less than "one of the three best, most musical, and most…
Of the hundreds of product reviews I have written over the years, it is perhaps those of power amplifiers that present the hardest task in defining their worth. This is not because power amps are unimportant. As I wrote in my review of the MBL Corona C15 monoblock, in June 2014, "it is the power amplifier that is responsible for determining the character of the system's sound, because it is the amplifier that must directly interface with the loudspeakers. The relationship between amplifier and loudspeaker is complex, and the nature of that relationship literally sets the tone of the sound…
Overall, however, it was the palpability of the Ayres' sound that most impressed me. (I wonder if this is what Art Dudley means when he discusses components having "flow," the individual acoustic objects within a mix clearly existing separately from the overall image.) I have mentioned before the problems I had mixing the Jerome Harris Quintet's Rendezvous (CD, Stereophile STPH013-2; out of print, though one track is still available on our Editor's Choice CD, STPH016-2). Jerome's Taylor acoustic bass guitar has a distinctive tone and a somewhat soft sound—but if I brought its level up too…
When all you've ever heard are wooden boxes that shout, it's difficult to recognize their highly accented "voice." Few of us actually notice how miserably distorted all loudspeakers are. Don't believe me? Try listening to a recording of your child's voice, the sounds of rattling keys, or an audience applauding.
After you've spent a bunch of time with horns, electrostats, or ribbons, box speakers won't sound "boxy," as many reviewers claim; they'll just sound squawky and . . . peculiar. To my ears, the bigger and heavier a speaker cabinet, the more peculiar it sounds. In contrast, petite…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid-state monoblock power amplifier. Inputs: 1 balanced. Output power: 300W into 8 ohms (24.8dBW), 600W into 4 ohms (24.8dBW). Frequency range: 0Hz–250kHz. Voltage gain: 26dB. Input impedance: 2 megohms. Power consumption: 45W (standby), 120W (operating/no signal).
Dimensions: 11" (280mm) W by 3.75" (96mm) H by 18.75" (480mm) D. Weight: 52 lbs (23.6kg).
Finishes: Silver, Black (add $500/pair).
Serial numbers of units reviewed: 14G0129 & '130.
Price: $29,500/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 25.
Manufacturer: Ayre…
Forget sissy foot tapping. I believe completely in the value of involuntary lap drumming, head bobbing, and ecstatic fist pumping. These actions signify that I am in sync with the music, that I got my ears wide open and my mojo workin'. And when I find myself synced up and delirious, I play the same records over and over. (Yes, I was that neighbor you hated.) I've been playing, over and over, David Byrne's Eno-produced score for Twyla Tharp's The Catherine Wheel (LP, Sire 3645), and especially the penultimate two tracks, "What a Day That Was" and "Big Blue Plymouth (Eyes Wide Open)." I used…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Linn Sondek LP12 turntable with Lingo power supply, Linn Ekos tonearm, Linn Arkiv B cartridge.
Digital Sources: Ayre Acoustics C-5xeMP universal player; Apple 2.7GHz i7 Mac mini running OS10.7, Audirvana Plus 1.5.10, iTunes 11, Pure Music 2.0; Ayre Acoustics QB-9 DSD, Bricasti M1, PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream D/A converters; Ayre Acoustics QA-9 USB A/D converter; dCS Vivaldi digital playback system.
Preamplification: Channel D Seta L phono preamplifier, Ayre Acoustics KX-R Twenty line preamplifier.
Power Amplifiers:…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way, stand-mounted, infinite-baffle loudspeaker. Drive-units: 0.75" (19mm) Mylar-dome tweeter, 5" (127mm) Bextrene-cone mid/woofer. Frequency range: 70Hz–20kHz. Sensitivity: 83dB/2.83V/m. Nominal impedance: 15 ohms.
Dimensions: 11.9" (304mm) H by 7.4" (190mm) W by 6.4" (165mm) D. Weight: 11.8 lbs (5.35kg).
Finishes: Cherry, Walnut; additional charge for Elm, Rosewood, Yew.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: 00124A & B.
Price: $2995/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 10.
Manufacturer: Falcon Acoustics, Mallories, Pound…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I performed a full set of measurements using my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see www.ap.com and the January 2008 "As We See It"). Before taking any measurements, I preconditioned the Ayre by running it for 60 minutes at one-third the specified power into 8 ohms, which is very much the worst case for an amplifier with a class-B or class-A/B output stage. Like the original MX-R, the MX-R Twenty got hot, the temperature of its heatsink fins reaching 140.3°F (60.2°C) and the top of its case 116.1°F (46.8°C). The THD+noise measured 0.03% with the amplifier cold, and…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Acoustic Signature WOW XL turntable & TA-1000 tonearm, Thorens TD-124 turntable; Abis SA 1.2 tonearm; Ortofon CG 25 DI II, Shure SC35C, Soundsmith Carmen, Zu Audio DL-103 cartridges.
Digital Sources: Onkyo Integra DPS-7.2 DVD-A player; Line Magnetics LM502 CA, Halide HD DACs; Mac mini computer.
Preamplification: Intact Audio step-up transformer; April Sound GB-1, LFD LE, Sentec EQ-11 phono stages.
Integrated Amplifiers: Hegel Music Systems H160, Line Magnetics LM518 IA, Simaudio Moon Neo 340i, Vinnie Rossi LIO.
…
