amplifier sound

marvda1

anyone compare the sound of classe amps vs. ayre amps ? what are your thoughts?

[Deleted User]

Depends on its pricing point. But again. Don't you know all watts rated the same sounds the same?

Halen

BlueFox

Also, depends on the listening environment. Are you just engaged in boring hum drum listening, or is it a Friday night and your hearing is at an elevated level?

tonyb

marvda1 wrote: »

anyone compare the sound of classe amps vs. ayre amps ? what are your thoughts?

Vintage or newer stuff ? Can't speak to much to the Ayre, haven't had an ear on them in a very long time.

marvda1

Newer in the 5 to 6k range. Also add simaudio.

marvda1

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-ayre-acoustics-v-6x-2-channel-ultra-pure-power-amplifier-2016-01-13-amplifiers-34787-winter-garden-fl

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-simaudio-moon-w5-3-2016-01-12-amplifiers-m8y3g4

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-modwright-llc-kwa-100se-100-wpc-power-amp-2016-01-05-amplifiers-24073-christiansburg-va

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-magnus-audio-ma-200-dual-mono-class-a-amplifier-in-factory-box-5815-2016-01-07-amplifiers-80020-broomfield-co

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-coda-technologies-15-0-like-new-class-a-60-off-2016-01-11-amplifiers-95670-gold-river-ca

tonyb

Of those amps, I think the Modwright and the Coda would be similar sounding and the Classe and SimAudio also similar. Never heard any newer Ayre or Magnus stuff. I would give the nod to classe in that comparison mainly because to my ears the Simaudio signature sound is a tad too thin sounding for me in the upper registers. I've only heard older Coda stuff and wasn't that impressed with how they handle lower bass. Wouldn't hesitate to own anything Modwright. That's about all I can add, but if you want to give the big class A amps a whirl, you'll need lots of breathing room and you might get dizzy watching your electric meter spin.

Speedskater

While we can say that all accurate amplifiers when driving reasonable loudspeakers under reasonable conditions sound the same.
But that rule does not apply to euphonic amplifiers.

tonyb

Speedskater wrote: »

While we can say that all accurate amplifiers when driving reasonable loudspeakers under reasonable conditions sound the same.
But that rule does not apply to euphonic amplifiers.

Who's "we" ? Certainly I wouldn't....and a lot of folks around here subscribe to that statement.

marvda1

Speedskater wrote: »

While we can say that all accurate amplifiers when driving reasonable loudspeakers under reasonable conditions sound the same.
But that rule does not apply to euphonic amplifiers.

that's like trying to tell me chittlins taste like chicken! that's the east texan in me

11tsteve

All apples and oranges, when being eaten by a reasonable person, under reasonable conditions, all taste the same......

erniejade

Speedskater wrote: »

While we can say that all accurate amplifiers when driving reasonable loudspeakers under reasonable conditions sound the same.
But that rule does not apply to euphonic amplifiers.

Gonna take a different approach to this, to me this statement depends on the rest of the chain. If your cables and speakers can't hear the difference, then your right.

Sorry I can't add anything else to the thread on the amps listed. I have only heard older Classe and an old coda that was from Legacy.

marvda1

narrowed it down to:
magnus ma200 100 watt class a $2200 used (demo 1 year warranty)
pass labs x150.5 150 watt class a/b $2300 used
ayre v6x 150 watt class a/b $2700 new open box (5 year warranty)

Speedskater

Speedskater wrote: »

While we can say that all accurate amplifiers when driving reasonable loudspeakers under reasonable conditions sound the same.
But that rule does not apply to euphonic amplifiers.

If they don't sound the same then at least one of them is not accurate.
Or the loudspeakers are not reasonable.
Or the conditions are not reasonable.

tonyb

Lets not turn the man's thread into a "all amplifiers sound the same" schtick.

Marv,
Of those you narrowed it down to, I'd try the Pass or Magnus. The Magnus being all class A though, is gonna eat up some electricity and get hot I would imagine.

[Deleted User]

I'm doing an informal poll, @speedskater do you come from a pro audio background?
Please pm as this isn't my thread.
Can't help on the class A amps. Sorry in advance.

marvda1

well, after listening to an ayre amp today i pulled the trigger on this one.

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-ayre-acoustics-v-6x-2-channel-ultra-pure-power-amplifier-2016-01-13-amplifiers-34787-winter-garden-fl?show_listing=true

the ayre house sound is neutral, fast, detailed and clean. it will fit just perfect with my dehavilland ultraverve pre that i just had caps upgraded to mundorf silver/gold/oil caps.

heiney9

tonyb wrote: »

Lets not turn the man's thread into a "all amplifiers sound the same" schtick.

Marv,
Of those you narrowed it down to, I'd try the Pass or Magnus. The Magnus being all class A though, is gonna eat up some electricity and get hot I would imagine.

The Magnus is not all class A, still a class A/B amp like the Pass which runs hot. You can't build a 100 wpc pure class A amp for that physical size or price.

In fact I'd say simply by the heat sinking the Pass runs deeper into class A than the Magnus, FWIW.

I see he chose the Ayre

H9

marvda1

i found out the guy at gabriel gold cables had the magnus at one time and i asked his impressions. he simply replied "i sold it fast"

nooshinjohn

tonyb wrote: »

Lets not turn the man's thread into a "all amplifiers sound the same" schtick.

Marv,
Of those you narrowed it down to, I'd try the Pass or Magnus. The Magnus being all class A though, is gonna eat up some electricity and get hot I would imagine.

My hats off to Pass as well. There is a shop near me that has Classe and SimAudio. Of those, I prefer th look of Classe but the performance of the Sim was stellar. Magnepan 20.7s were their speaker of choice and the combination was stunning.

marvda1

Ended up getting the ayre v-6xe. This thing is 107lbs boxed. Put it on one step at a time to get it upstairs by myself. I will take pictures later tonight and give my thoughts. May not be a boulder but it's made in Boulder co.

marvda1

here's a youtube ad for the amp. although it is a multi-channel amp you can customize the number of channels, mine only has two channels. this thing has three power transformers but when in two channel they put the the channels on on power transformer. i'll have look into why each channel can't have its own power supply.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov7UcJau5TU

voltz

You should have strapped it to Halen's back and used him as a Sherpa

So do we get a review before Stereomojo?

marvda1

can't review it for stereomojo since it is discontinued. will give some thoughts tomorrow.

voltz

that too bad, I like the reviews but you can do that here

Congrats on the amplifier, but I not sure what your up to let as you have replaced your preamp and I am wondering where you going to use this new amplifier? your not replacing your mono-blocks are ya?

marvda1

keeping the mono blocks but selling the usher amp.
meant the amp is discontinued.

erniejade

Beautiful amp!

txcoastal1

I don't know about yours but my amplifiers are quiet...they just sit there, am I missing something

marvda1

txcoastal1 wrote: »

I don't know about yours but my amplifiers are quiet...they just sit there, am I missing something

it's a happy amp, it plays music on it's own

marvda1

first off the amp is not broken in yet as the manufacturer suggests 100-500 hr. out of the box it fast dead silent with dead quiet background as ayre has their built in power conditioner and states the amp must be plugged directly into the wall outlet.

one guy said the ayre amps are "dull" sounding as the amp does not accent any part of the audio spectrum. the highs while not recessed are a bit mellowed so you don't get the sparkling highs jumping out at you. the midrange is clear and sweet 9not warm) but neutral. the bass is tight and solid with the amp having a tight grip on your woofers. the bass does not hit you like say a krell

from top to bottom the sound is balanced as if the amp was equalized. some my call it boring but as you listen more and longer the equipment just loses itself in the music. the amp does not sound like solid state or tubes, somewhere in-between.
although i still enjoy my tube mono blocks the ayre v-6xe is the best amp i have had in my system.

the music just comes at you from thin "ayre" and sit in my chair looking at my setup and i don't hear a thing coming form the gear until i change volume or cd tracks.

you can get an idea of the size as that is a size 13 shoe on top of the box. i forgot to take pictures of the amp before i put it in the rack but since i put it in with the top two shelves not being there, there's no way i was going to pull the amp out to take pics.

erniejade

Looks right at home.