Forté Model 5 on the way

[E-Stat]

Any experience with Ayre? This one's quite a lot more money than the Threshold, though ... HERE

Unfortunately, my experience is limited to the Ayre IBE disc.

I've heard only good things about their components and I've enjoyed reading Charles Hansen's posts on AA.

[Feanor]

Unfortunately, my experience is limited to the Ayre IBE disc.

I've heard only good things about their components and I've enjoyed reading Charles Hansen's posts on AA.

Thanks. Apparently Ayre amps are a classic case of measure bad / sound good.

[E-Stat]

Thanks. Apparently Ayre amps are a classic case of measure bad / sound good.

AX-5 Measurements

"It was a pleasure to measure Ayre's AX-5, given its consistently good behavior on the test bench. Its wide bandwidth and low distortion despite the lack of overall loop feedback are a testament to the intrinsic linearity of the diamond circuit.—John Atkinson"

They look good to me, too. Nice smooth square wave response. If by *bad*, you mean largely irrelevant "double ought" THD numbers, I find that a blessing from a sonic standpoint. I'll take an "intrinsically linear" amp to one pumped up by lots of NFB anytime.

[Feanor]

AX-5 Measurements

"It was a pleasure to measure Ayre's AX-5, given its consistently good behavior on the test bench. Its wide bandwidth and low distortion despite the lack of overall loop feedback are a testament to the intrinsic linearity of the diamond circuit.—John Atkinson"

They look good to me, too. Nice smooth square wave response. If by *bad*, you mean largely irrelevant "double ought" THD numbers, I find that a blessing from a sonic standpoint. I'll take an "intrinsically linear" amp to one pumped up by lots of NFB anytime.

Yes, those measurements are very decent but they are for the latest/greatest "diamond circuit" AX-5 model. I was referring specifically to those for the 10 y/o Ayre V-3, HERE. These are nowhere near as good.

I was noticing a Ayre V-3 MkII for sale on Audiogon. I might be able to afford that but certainly not to the $10,000 AX-5.

[Feanor]

My Audio Research (ARC) LS9 preamp arrived today and I've had a few hours listening, mostly to the Forté 5.

Having found a passive preamp, (Jolida JD50A), very satisfactory with the Class D Audio SDS-258, I was surprised how much improvement of the Forté 5 was wrought by the active LS9. The PRaT deficit of the Forté 5 is largely (though maybe not entirely), closed with the active pre.

Now the Forté 5 is much more competitive with the SDS. The latter still has an edge in tighter, leaner bass, and some fine advantage in transparency & air.