Kenwood
L-07M
November
26, 2016
Marc,
Are
those Kenwood monoblocks listed in your Ayre review really so good that they can be used in your
super-expensive and exotic system?
Patrick
Vancompernolle
You
have a keen eye to spot the Kenwood L-07M monoblocks in my Associated Equipment listing. I
found the amps, which are 150W solid-state monoblocks and nearly 40 years old, by
accident, while looking at a turntable that someone had for sale. I bought them on a whim,
because I knew they were part of the same series that produced the Kenwood L-07D
turntable. When I first heard them, I was shocked that they sounded as good as they did --
very pure and direct. I did some research and discovered that they were a favorite of
Harry Pearson in the late 1970s. Since then, I've moved them into and out of my reference
system (and the smaller system in my office), often just to hear how they drive a certain
speaker. They aren't the equal of many expensive contemporary solid-state amps, but at
around $400 for a pair used, they certainly outperform their cost many times over. When I
get the time, I will write a blog on them, just to let readers know that they are a little
gem worth buying if the price is right. -Marc Mickelson
". . . I made the right decision"
November
19, 2016
Marc,
I
very much enjoyed reading your review of the Ayre KX-5 Twenty preamp and VX-5 Twenty amp.
Previously I owned the Ayre K-5XE MP preamp, which I had for nine years. I had this preamp
upgraded to the MP version and enjoyed the improved sound quality that I heard.
Once
I borrowed the new KX-5 Twenty from my dealer and inserted into my system, I could not
believe the sound improvement I was hearing -- as though a veil was lifted from the music,
allowing me to hear the tonality of each instrument from the lowest bass to the highest
treble. This was not just a subtle change, but a transformation that occurred, allowing me
to hear music that I never knew existed on my recordings.
The
preamp is also very quiet. I could hear hiss from my tweeter from a few feet away with the
previous system when I had the unit up at a fairly loud volume with nothing playing. With
the new KX-5 Twenty, my ear needs to be right up against the tweeter, even at maximum
volume, for me to hear even a faint hiss. I believe this is also partially responsible for
the sound improvement I am hearing.
The
other big benefit I noted was that even at low volumes, I could appreciate that the
improvement was quite remarkable. Previously I would have to turn up the volume to a
greater degree to hear the music fully fleshed out. So the new KX-5 sounds the same to me
whether playing at low volumes or cranked up.
The
bottom line is that I traded my K-5XE MP for a new Ayre KX-5 Twenty. The fact that after
nine years of ownership I received trade-in value of approximately 75% of what I paid for
my previous unit is a testament to Ayre and how well their products retain their value in
the marketplace.
At
first, with the preamp just out of the box, the sound was flat, and I thought I had made a
mistake by trading out my previous unit, but after calling my dealer, he said “You
need to let it break in for 50-plus hours and I can assure you it will sound the same as
the loaner unit you had." At first I doubted this, but after a few weeks of listening
it sounded more like my dealer's loaner, so I now believe that components such as this do
need some break-in.
I
have read that the heart of your system is the preamp, and after hearing the KX-5 Twenty,
I believe it. I cannot imagine spending more money on something else unless Charles Hansen
comes up with an upgrade for the Twenty series.
Thanks
again for such a great review, which just confirms in my mind that I made the right
decision.
Greg
Gale
Reference
Anniversary or Reference 6?
November
14, 2016
Dennis,
I
really enjoyed your review of the Audio Research Reference 6 preamp. I have a question,
though. Should a guy buy a used Audio Research Reference Anniversary preamp for $10,000 or
a new Reference 6?
Rod
Parks
I’ve
not heard a Reference Anniversary preamp side by side with a Reference 6, and in fact I
haven’t heard the older Reference preamp in quite a few years, so my memory buds are
not fresh enough to make a reliable judgment on that basis. Here is what would go through
my mind if I were wrestling with the decision you are trying to make. The Reference
Anniversary is now about six years old and has been replaced by the Reference 10 as Audio
Research's two-box Reference preamplifier. That means ARC incorporated its latest thinking
into the Reference 10, which trickled down to the Reference 6. I’ve heard feedback
from prior owners of the Reference Anniversary who have moved on to the the Reference 6
and preferred it; indeed, I’ve heard of owners who have preferred a switch from the
Reference 10 to Reference 6. If I had to throw the dice and recall my memory of the sound
of the Reference Anniversary, I would say that I prefer the sound of the Reference 6. I
also happen to prefer a one-box solution, which would make the choice fairly easily for
me. The only downside is that the new Reference 6 needs break-in, but that’s not much
of a hardship. -Dennis Davis
Wilson
Alexx so far
November
11, 2016
Marc,
I
really liked your latest Ayre review. Similar to you, I enjoy my Ayre, Shunyata, and
Wilson Audio products.
Do
you have an opinion on how the new Wilson Alexx compares to the Alexandria X-2 Series 2?
Scott
Pearl
I'm
still taking a measure of the Wilson Alexxes, which have been very impressive so far. It
has been quite a while since I've heard any of the Alexandria-series speakers, but I think
the Alexxes show a bit more sparkle on top than other Wilson speakers I've heard and the
bass seems tighter and better delineated as well. So far, I've been able to drive the
Alexxes with as few as 75 watts, so, like the various Alexandria models, they seem very
sensitive; I would love to try them with a pair of the Lamm ML2.2 monoblocks, because I
suspect their 18 watts would still be sufficient.
Of
course, I will have much to say about the Alexxes when I review them, and so will Roy
Gregory -- he also has a pair of them in his listening room. -Marc Mickelson
Ayre
KX-R Twenty and MX-R Twenty follow-up, please
November
8, 2016
Marc,
I
read your take on the Ayre 5-series Twenty electronics. Their
latest products truly are special, aren't they? I know your coverage can't be all Ayre,
but I encourage you to do a follow-up on the Ayre KX-R Twenty and MX-R Twenty, for two
reasons. One, it would be interesting to hear exactly what you do get for thirty large
over the 5-series products. And second, you could use what you hear as justification to
put them on The
List. I personally think Ayre's latest and greatest are top-notch electronics at any
price.
John
Leosco
Ayre
soundstaging and focus
November
6, 2016
Marc,
Very nice review of the Ayre KX-5 Twenty and VX-5 Twenty. I’ve been
contemplating the pair for a while, and in preparation, I have been eating peanut-butter
sandwiches for lunch to accrue adequate funds.
My
question to you is: How do these two perform with regard to soundstage width, depth, and
focus? I know they get the other stuff right, but any store I’ve heard these in has
had the usual demo problems -- fully formed soundstages never appear with pretty much any
gear.
Clarke
Greene
While I was in graduate school, my preferred "stretch the money" meal
was hot dogs, which were as cheap as they were bad for me. I should have tried PB&J.
As
for the soundstaging and focus of the Ayre VX-5 Twenty and KX-5 Twenty, no news in my
review is good news. That is, they convey the qualities of the recordings, sounding big
and spacious or small and intimate when the music itself does. They offer tight focus on
the music, although not of the microscopic sort, which is unnatural (and ruthless) anyway.
There are brands of electronics that sound bigger or smaller as a matter of course, but it
seems to me that hearing the recording's own qualities is about as much as anyone should
expect, and on that basis the VX-5 Twenty and KX-5 Twenty are a success. -Marc
Mickelson
Ayre AX-5 Twenty: "If you don't need the power, does it sound just as
good?"
November
3, 2016
Marc,
Thank
you very much for the review of the Ayre VX-5 Twenty and KX-20 Twenty. Do you have any
idea how they compare to the AX-5 Twenty integrated? The integrated has a little bit less
power but costs a third less. If you don't need the power, does it sound just as good?
Paul
Bujold
Normally
I'd tell you to audition the AX-5 Twenty yourself and rely on that audition (which is
still solid advice), but a point I made in my review is pertinent here: the VX-5 Twenty
and Kx-5 Twenty were "the products of a strict design philosophy whose outcome
guarantees a similar sonic personality." That applies to the AX-5 Twenty too. It is a
fully balanced, zero-feedback design that makes use of Charles Hansen's design
innovations, including the Diamond Output, EquiLock and (perhaps especially) the
Variable-Gain Transconductance volume control, which adjusts the gain of the amplifier
stage instead of attenuating output. I'd therefore be very surprised if the AX-5 Twenty
didn't sound as I report in my review of the '5 Twenty separates -- within the 125Wpc
power range of the amplifier, that is. And, of course, there is also the advantage of
having no interconnects between a preamp and power amp, saving you money and providing an
even more direct path for the signal. -Marc Mickelson
VX-5
Twenty or MX-Rs?
November
1, 2016
Marc,
I
have enjoyed reading your many reviews over the years, especially those involving Ayre
components, as I am a devoted purchaser of Mr. Hansen’s products. The recent exploration of the KX-5/VX-5 Twenty units caught my attention
in particular, as I own the preamp (purchased originally as a KX-5 and then updated
earlier this year -- a major revelation, but that is a different story). While I am
currently using a tube power amp in my system, I expect that a solid-state option will
enter the equation at some point. I have been considering a pair of the
MX-Rs (original version, as I can’t justify the Twenty price tag), but your
latest review suggests that the VX-5 Twenty might get me most of the distance. If you are
able to offer any additional insight, I would be most grateful.
John
Hall
You
ask a pertinent question, but one that I unfortunately can't answer definitively, because
it has been six years since I've heard the Ayre MX-R monoblocks in my system, which has
also changed. I still respect those amps, even though I've not heard them with their
Twenty-series updates; in their original form, they made my amplifier top-five list a
half-dozen years ago. I can tell you, however, what I would do if I were in your position
today, and that would be to purchase the VX-R Twenty. That amp is difficult to fault, and
its use with the KX-5 Twenty preamp, which you already own, would be even harder to
overlook. Also, if I bought MX-Rs, I'd be apt to upgrade them to the Twenty series, and
that would just add to the financial outlay. With the VX-5 Twenty, the electronics
shopping would be finished. -Marc Mickelson
