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Ayre QB-9


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Chris I hope you get your review unit soon. Our QB9 came in Friday morning and we installed it with our Ayre KXR preamp and MXR mono amps with Wilson Sophia speakers with Transparent and Ridge Street Audio cabling. Files were served by a Mac mini and controlled by an i touch. Initial impressions were very good especially considering the lack of warm up time and time for settling in. Most audio files were ripped from CD but we had 24/96 files from Linn, Audiophile Jazz profile, and vinyl conversion from a Sumiko USB Phono. We rebooted I tunes when changing sample rates. We had an Ayre C5xemp in the system and felt it was superior on Friday. The system was left on repeat cycle onernite. By Saturday morniing dramatic changes occured. For those who have heard the MP filter update for the C5xemp, you will agree that a significant hurdle in digital sound quality has been conquered. Fleshy and visceral are the best adjectives to describe the improvements. By Saturday the QB9 was "more of everything good" than any other digital device we have ever heard. We had a continuous stream of about 40 friends and customers listening and agreeing that 'it sounded like great analog" or had "3D tube like imaging". We did structured AB testing between USB cables, Itunes 44.1 vs upsampling to 88.2 or 96, again rebooting itunes after each sample rate change, various sample rates for vinyl conversion files from a USB phono, and finally various different digital sources. We discovered that it was best to send a file in it's native sample rate to the QB9 to allow the Ayre to process the signal as opposed to the src of the computer. The expensive Ridge Street Alethias USB cable was judged to be a " no brainer" and indispensible to the pursuit of reference levels of reproduction. Current judgement on the QB9 can be summarized as a breakthrough revelation. We expect it to get better as all Ayre products need an extended break in time frame. Pictures and additional details are available upon request.

I hope everyone that attended enjoyed it as much as we did hosting the event. I urge all to seek an audition whether you are in the market or not. It's just too much fun to ignore!!!!

 

George

 

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Firstly, thanks to everyone for the information. This thread/site has been extremely helpful in my research for the source upgrade/replacement.

 

Just wanted to share my current setup and my need for upgrade (as it relates to QB-9).

 

A. For Redbook CD music -- Quad 988, conrad-johnson CT6 tube preamp, conrad-johnson MV60 tubeamp, and slowly looking to upgrade Rotel RCD-1072 redbook player (retail $700).

 

B. For blu-ray/DVD movies -- Sony blu-ray BDP-S550 which has RCA outputs to CT6 preamp. (On a side note, my digital cable line is a source of ground loop, and I have to plug in my HDTV and conrad-johnson MV60 amp in the same wall outlet to keep the humming noise down to an acceptable level. I've already tried coax cable Isolators w/o success).

 

C. For High-Rez music and On-demand movies from the internet (e.g. Netflix) -- I recently ordered a new Levono laptop (with HDMI output but no Blu-ray) which I plan to use for viewing Netflix movies on my HDTV (hdmi) and audio output to my Quads via headphone jack to CT6 preamp. [i am assuming I can use the USB output to Ayre QB-9 for this]

 

For my source upgrade, I have the following objectives: sound performance comparable to Ayre CX-7e (I haven't heard this CD player, however, based on the professional reviews that I have read, this is my budget for comparison). Also based on what I have read about Ayre QB-9, I thought it was going to be my one-stop solution for all (except for world peace). Using the optical audio output from the blu-ray player to a DAC would also solve my ground loop problem. Without this input, QB-9 only solves 2 out of 3 requirements.

 

Would like to hear others view on my situation if I missed anything or if anyone has a different perspective. Thanks.

 

 

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CA buddy,

A. Not sure if you mean you want to buy more from Rotel. Anyway, I own and really like Rotel for its value and sound. I have the rcc-1050 chager, but i find myself using my Rotel rdv-1092 (now its called rdv-1093) most of the time. Its a great cd player and dvd-audio player in one. Something to consider for around 1300 bucks. Oh yeah it upsamples dvd as well and you get hdmi out.

 

I have been taking my hi res files and making them dvd-audio with dvd-solo and playing it back on my rdv...wow! and its simple!

 

B. My audio friend has the Sony BDP-S5000ES (the cream of the crop) and it's analog out is not great. Don't expect much out of the BDP-550 in analog. Pic and hd audio via hdmi should be good. ps sounds like you need a line conditioner and a dedicated power outlet direct from the panel ;) Its the only way to fly!

 

C. Hi res music on laptop =yes. Movies on laptop to htdv = hit or miss. The hdmi may not work right with larger tvs. If it does let me know. Most laptops have lite weight on board video cards unlike towers where the sky is the limit? Headphone jack to anything = forget it thats junk and an old trick :(

 

USB output to Ayre QB-9 = bliss! My contact at the audio store has heard it and he is impressed and he is not easy to impress.

 

D. My audio friend has the Ayre CX-7e along with the Ayre pre and amp. Its incredible! Buy it, but keep in mind the jump from Rotel is big and so are the upgrades. My opiniion, if your going to do this you are going to need the works....better everything (interconnects, power cables, speaker wires, power conditioners). PS the Ayre CX-7e has an upgrade for a few bucks (makes it even better).

 

The QB-9 is not a DAC its a USB player/source with a DAC. Ayre doesn't make a DAC they incorporate the it into the source. Its the way they do things and a good way to do things.

 

Just my thoughts....

 

Regards

 

vortecjr

 

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I was at AV South's demo yesterday and can certainly agree. The entire room was nothing short of stunning! It had dynamics and soundstaging to die for :) Imaging was very good although the speakers were a bit far apart for my taste but I understand pulling them out further to try and make them sound good for the whole room. I cannot isolate the exact benefit of the Ayre DAC but I can tell you that there was certainly nothing lacking anywhere in the audio chain. And the bass from the Sophia 2's was beyond subwoofer levels; punched in the chest from anywhere in the room.

 

I would love to go back to AV South and compare my Weiss DAC2 with the Ayre. I spoke with Dave a bit about this and he seemed quite interested. I think that would be very cool. But anyone thinking about the Ayre DAC from what I heard yesterday it is a no-brainer at its price.

 

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When will the QB9 available in France?

I would be curious to read from people having compared QB9 and top wavelength dacs?

I wish I could visit your store in Florida...

Regarding USB cable: my recent purchase of a Ridge Street Poiema USB has brought a wonderful improvement to my music despite the fact that my dac is a modest Dacmagic (hence the interest for QB9 or Brick or Proton)

Would it be possible for someone to do a musicality ranking of the popular usb dacs: Chris si doing so few reviews of dacs?

 

Dac202/LebenXS/MagicoV2 Stealth cables www.bluedy.com

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Hi gregeasley,

The QB9 has a truly balance out circuit. No volume controll and only a usb input. A pc/mac may provide additional inputs and the M-audio Fastrack pro can add a 4x4 matrix switcher with analog and spdif to your pc/mac. It is bundled with Ableton Live Lite software which will give you a high quality input gain/ output controll. Not the most convenient solution but perhaps a viable compromise for the performance levels achieved. The M-audio arrives this week and I will post my initial impressions.

 

George

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

 

I noticed some comments on Wav to AIFF above. Anyone know if FLAC support 24/96? I have used .ape to support lossless compression/playback of 24/96 (I think I have even done 32/96).

 

RYDENFAN - I'm in Tampa. Are you a member of the TBLS? I plan on getting a Proton soon, and I'd love to hear your Weiss DAC2 sometime! Give me a shout sometime.

 

hifitubes

 

DIGITAL: Windows 7 x64 JRMC19 >Adnaco S3B fiber over USB (battery power)> Auralic Vega > Tortuga LDR custom LPSU > Zu Union Cubes + Deep Hemp Sub

 

ANALOG: PTP Audio Solid 9 > Audiomods Series V > Audio Technica Art-7 MC > Allnic H1201 > Tortuga LDR > Zu Union Cubes + Deep Hemp Sub

 

ACCESSORIES: PlatterSpeed, BlackCat cables, Antipodes Cables, Huffman Cables, Feickert Protracter, OMA Graphite mat, JRemote

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I've had a QB-9 in my desktop system for just under a week now and am very impressed with it. It's replacing an Apogee Duet (which, incidentally, I still think is probably the single best value source out there for Mac users) and manages to be a big step up over a very competent predecessor. I've always been a bit of a FireWire fetishist, so this is a step toward the dark side for me! As such, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the Ayre versus the Weiss, rydenfan.

 

Anyway, I agree with the gentleman from AV South that the QB-9 has an appealing, natural presentation. Detail retrieval is excellent, but not to the point of making things cool and clinical. Dynamics and bass response, particularly, are in another class from the Duet. I'm primarily a headphone and nearfield monitor listener, but even so it's clear the Ayre projects a much more open sound stage.

 

As far as operation goes, setup was plug-and-play simple and the QB-9 has worked without a hitch so far with material at sample rates ranging from 44.1kHz to 96kHz. I would certainly second the opinion already expressed that it sounds far better with 44.1kHz files fed at their native rate rather than upsampled in iTunes to 96kHz. This means some futzing with Audio Midi on my Mac when going back and forth from my stock of hi-resolution material, which is a pain but hardly Ayre's fault. Please, please will someone write a native-rate plugin for iTunes? ;)

 

In a week of intensive use, I have heard no hint of system noise or RF interference. Nor have I been able to force a dropout in the USB connection, despite trying hard to do so. Kudos to Gordon Rankin for all his hard work on the asynchronous USB transfer protocol and I hope that Wavelength and Ayre will be able to add 24/192 support to the TAS1020B code down the line, as they've both suggested in the past.

 

All in all, I may well still be in the grip of "new owner syndrome", but I do think the QB-9 is a product that could do a lot to put to rest the computer-audio stigma amongst audiophiles. Or at least the more open-minded section of the tribe. I'll be very interested to hear what you think of it, Chris.

 

With that, back to the music...

 

 

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Hi Chris,

 

I know this is sometimes difficult to do but, when reviewing the QB-9 could you perhaps do some comparative references to some other know dac's like the Berkley Alpha, Wavelength Crimson, and even the Linn Klimax DS if at all possible. I was curious if this might be in the same league?

On a side note, If using a P.C. and say Foobar with Secret Rabbit Code up sampler, how does it sound?

 

Thanks.

 

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Thanks for the informative review. I'm anxious to get into computer audio. However, I can probably only afford to do it once so I will probably wait for 192 even though I am missing out for the time being.

 

It would be nice to know, when the time comes, if there was an upgrade path for Ayre or Wavelength that's less expensive that buying a new unit. Though I realize that big changes can happen it a year in DAC design. Sometimes complete redesign.

 

From what I gather, the TAS1020B may not work for 24/192 but Gordon mentioned there many other chips that are up to the task. So I would only expect this to get better as time goes on. I

 

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Gang,

 

Correct the TAS1020B cannot do anything higher than 24/96. Actually USB Class 1 is limited to 1023 bytes per frame. With 24/96 that requires 576 bytes per frame. If we double that you can see it will not work.

 

With Class 2 Audio (not to be confused with USB 2.0 but it does require High Speed 480Mhz) we can litterally do 24 channels at 192.

 

Two problems...

 

1) Windows and Linux do not support Class 2 Audio.

 

2) There are actually very few chips optimized for USB and I2S. While we are looking at two of these right now it will be a while before anything becomes of it.

 

Really though no need to wait. Ayre and Wavelength have a similar upgrade policy. When you make an investment it's really up to us to make sure you are happy long term.

 

Thanks

Gordon

 

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Is there any indication that Audio Class 2 will eventually be supported in Windows 7? Not that I care specifically, being in the Mac camp, but obviously that's going to be a key factor in determining if the avenue is worth pursuing for you.

 

I really like the Ayre DAC and the asynchronous USB implementation has just been rock solid. Thanks for all your hard work making it possible!

 

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