Ayre C-5xeMP

[markc2]

Originally Posted by Stillone

Mark
It is possible that for you smoother is a good thing. You may like tubes, whereas I am not into tubes because the do "smooth" the sound. IMO it takes the life out of the music. I also thought the original Ayre had less in the low end than the Esoteric unit. These were small differences and I can see why different people would pick one over the other.
Jim

It's the fine line between too smooth or just enough. I was listening to a big band up in Estes Park this weekend, and damn if they didn't have a smoothness to it, but that wasn't the only quality to it either.

I got to try my MC275V on the Mag 3.6's and that was WAY to smooth. When I had my Thiels, it was all about dynamic swings, I think the Quads are my sweet spot, between those two extremes.

I just really liked the way the Ayre 5xe handled the high frequencies, compared to the dv-60. Then again I haven't gotten to listen to any of the above with the Quads so it could (and probably is) a whole new ball game.

The specs on the new MP sound really interesting. One of the things I like about Ayre they always have a sense of moving ahead.

Mark

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by markc2

]
The specs on the new MP sound really interesting. One of the things I like about Ayre they always have a sense of moving ahead.

Mark

Mark
You are right if you are not moving ahead, you are falling behind.
Jim

[PHC1]

I wouldn't jump to conclusions that the Ayre sounds too smooth with the MP filter. It is a filter that eliminates some of the digital artifact but the player remains very dynamic, airy and resolving sounding with great extension on both ends. There is a sense of greater purity and less edginess overall. Very musical sounding without sacrificing anything. I like it a lot.

[bob2591]

Originally Posted by PHC1

The new MP filter definitely addresses that issue of digital edge. It has to do with the "pre-echo" and "post ringing" associated with the digital process which does not happen with live musical instruments. It is an artifact that is inherent to digital process and has only now been started to be addressed. The Meridian CDP is using something similar to Ayre MP except based on what I read in stereophile's review of it, they have not eliminated post ringing and Ayre did.
In any case, the Ayre does take the edge off while still sounding dynamic and many recordings will sound more natural and smoother on the ear. I like it!

You can read about the MP filter here. http://www.ayre.com/pdf/Ayre_MP_White_Paper.pdf

Serge,

Have you played any high resolution music - 24/48 -24/96 with the C-5? I am interested in this player and will want to use it for music burned on to DVD-R/RW. Also, do you have anything new to share about CD playback since you haved lived with it for some time now?

Thanks...Bob

[jdandy]

Serge.......Well, you've had the Ayre C-5xeMP for a little over 40 days now. What is your impression of its performance now?

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Serge.......Well, you've had the Ayre C-5xeMP for a little over 40 days now. What is your impression of its performance now?

Dan, I didn't want to answer this question until I lived without the Ayre for a while and put it back into my system. The thing is, it is quite different from other CDPs I've come across. The ease and smoothness with which it presents music is very easy to get used to and one becomes spoiled quickly. After a short while, one tends to forget just how much hash and harshness many other CDPs generate by comparison. So it was, I loved the C-5xeMP from the first listen, lived with it for a while and took it back to the dealer since it was on an "extended loan". I then got side tracked with the analog/vinyl playback and focused on that for a few months while listening to the MS300 for digital.

Now that I got the C-5xeMP back into the system, I instantly heard the relaxed, smooth presentation that eliminates almost all of the digital hash and harshness. Once again the sound is smooth, easy and natural. With the MS300, I heard much of the harshness and hash of digital that I've learned to live with for the past few decades. Of course the resolution, detail and especially bass response is in a totally different league over the MS300.

The October issue of Stereophile has once again touched the subject of the new and innovative "apodizing filters" deployed by Ayre and Meridian. To sum it up about the C-7xeMP which retails for $3500 and has a Stereophile Class "A" ranking as compared to a much more expensive combo: "It wasn't a different tonal balance, it didn't sound duller or brighter, lighter or heavier in the bass, more forward or more laid back and yet every familiar CD sounded more like real music and less like a recording. So it is with my own experience with the C-5xeMP as compared to other CDPs and CDT/DAC combos in my system, the C-5xeMP just sounds more relaxed, natural while retaining all the resolution, detail, slam and anything else expected from a top notch CDP.

[Still-One]

Serge
I can see where the MS300 used as a CD player or the as a server without running the unit into a good external DAC would not compete with an Ayre unit. That would be an Ayre with our without the MP filter. It is just not a very good unit.

It seems that we will be seeing many more units using the similar types of filters to what Ayre, Meridian and a couple others are using. One thing for sure, the Ayre is a virtual bargain compared to the Meridian 808.2 and to the high end DAC's from Berkley, Boulder, DCS, MBL and Zanden. Also, if to Ayre's credit they are one of the few if not the only company to provide upgrades at reasonable prices.

You should be very happy.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Stillone

Serge
I can see where the MS300 used as a CD player or the as a server without running the unit into a good external DAC would not compete with an Ayre unit. That would be an Ayre with our without the MP filter. It is just not a very good unit.

It seems that we will be seeing many more units using the similar types of filters to what Ayre, Meridian and a couple others are using. One thing for sure, the Ayre is a virtual bargain compared to the Meridian 808.2 and to the high end DAC's from Berkley, Boulder, DCS, MBL and Zanden. Also, if to Ayre's credit they are one of the few if not the only company to provide upgrades at reasonable prices.

You should be very happy.

Jim, I wasn't really comparing the C-5xeMP to the MS300 as there is no comparison there... just making an observation. I had the MCD1000/MDA1000 combo back then when I first brought the Ayre home.

[1KW]

The MCD1100/MDA1100 should be out soon

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by 1KW

The MCD1100/MDA1100 should be out soon

They would be wise to implement a "minimum phase" like apodizing filters similar to the Ayre/Meridian, otherwise it will be just another expensive CDT/DAC combo with nothing special to offer. It is hard to go back to any CDP that doesn't have it.