Any experience with Ayon Audio preamps?
 

I really enjoy my Pass labs electronics (XP27 phono, XP22 preamp, XA60.8 amps) but lately, I've been curious about trying a tube preamplifier in the $10,000 - $15,000 range (new or used). I need a balanced design with a remote. I'm looking to keep the transparency, dynamics, and detail of the Pass preamp but add some tube liquidity, 3D, and warmth.

The Ayon Auris II was recently suggested to me by someone who also sells Pass labs. But I can't find any professional reviews or measurements other than brief show reports. Does anyone here have experience with Ayon preamps?

Other tube preamps on my list include VAC Signature SE or maybe Zesto Leto II.

Thanks,

Dave

Not quite the same thing but my Ayon CD5S has an analog tube preamp using 6H30s

I thought it was pretty close to my original Audio Research Ref 5 but it was outclassed by the 5SE and 6 that I upgraded to.

It did have the option of adjustable high or low gain which is great - that low gain should come in handy with high gain power amps like Pass.

It does have a fairly high output impedance so just check what the input impedance of the Pass is.

I have the Ayon Auris II. It replaced a PS Audio BHK preamp. It was the single biggest improvement I have ever made to my system beyond my speakers. I was using it with the BHK 300 amplifiers which sounded really great but because I like the Ayon preamp so much I bought the Ayon Evo Epsilon monoblock amps to go with it. Now everything is even better.
I have never owned Pass gear so I can not compare to what you own.
Looking at the output impedence on the Auris and your XA60.8's input impedence, no concern in regards to impedence mismatch.
Build quality of Ayon gear is very good. On par with the Jeff Rowland gear I have owned and much better than the PS Audio. The remote is aluminum and feels good. It is small but I like that because I keep it in my pocket.
Good luck.

I have the Ayon S3 , which is a network player/Dac/Pre and over the years have used it in exactly that order. Never failed to amaze me. The tube pre section is completely Feedback free , now playing in an all feedback free chain which Metrum Dac , S3, Ayre VXR and it sounds very dynamic and open and alive with great purity of tone , also very good fast deep bass which may be a bit of a surprise . The Metrum added a great amount of joy to the playback which the Ayon as pre did not hide from me . When I bought it I listened to it in two systems comprising SF Aida and Lansche 7 with plasma tweeter and both sounded just incredible, never felt the ayon was a weak link there, quite the opposite , also importantly, in many years now it never failed on me or had any issues . I’d say give it a listen if you can , cheers

Thanks doggiehowser & kaarmstrong, I appreciate your perspectives.

kaarmstrong - how quiet is the preamp? Do you hear any tube hiss or other background noise? Also, have you tried any tube rolling, or are you using the tubes it came with?

Thanks,

Dave

Matthiasmenz… Welcome to AA! :wave:

Dave, I have not rolled any tubes in my preamp. Using the stock tubes which came with the preamp.
The preamp is very quiet. With the volume maxed out in a silent room I can not hear any hiss from about 1ft from the speaker. I can pick up a very slight hiss around 8" from the speaker. As quiet as any SS preamp I have used.
Take this with a grain of salt because this is a comparison not in the same systeem but other systems which I listen to on a regular basis. My impressions: Compared to McIntosh c1100, the Auris has more detail and is less warm. Compared to ARC Ref6SE, Auris has similar detail and a bit warmer.

Thanks kaarmstrong. These are some very helpful comparisons, particularly with the Ref 6SE. That was also on my shortlist, but I knocked it off based on comparisons others have made with the Pass XP22 preamp.

Dave, I don't have experience with the Auris II but I can share some thoughts regarding other Ayon gear I'm familiar with.

I have owned the S3 Streamer/DAC/Pre and can pretty much second Matthiasmenz' highlights.

I now run the Stealth in my system, sometimes as a DAC, sometimes as a DAC+Pre, alternating with the Nagra Jazz, depending on the rest of the system.

Ayon make excellent tube gear, the sound is always musically satisfying with good quality bass, nice sense of airiness, without ever compromising on dynamics nor detail. The build quality and finish is first class and makes for proud ownership.

One word about the 6H30 tube complement in all these units: it is reliable, affordable and is known for bass control and detail. It's maybe one of the cleaner tubes around, not as smooth as the 12AX7 or 6922, but far from cool. On the downside there's little room for tube rolling. BAT are also using them in their preamps.

I'm currently at the mountain place but I could run a careful test of the combo Ayon Stealth as preamp + Pass Labs XA30.8 (edit: on the Elipsas!) when I get back at the end of the week and report about the synergy if that would be of interest to you.

The Auris would obviously elevate the experience on another level from the units mentioned above, and as described by Kaarmstrong.

Thanks Matthiasmenz, I appreciate the information on Ayon. It is confirming what I have heard from others.