satbox Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 Satbox, just ask him or Ayre again. They're very responsive, in my experience. Done (email sent to Charles Hansen this morning). Link to comment
satbox Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Done (email sent to Charles Hansen this morning). No answer from Chales has come to my question yet... Link to comment
bluebeat Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 He's probably too busy. You could try to e-mail Ayre through their support page. Link to comment
Axiom05 Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 I think they prefer people to just phone them. Of course, you won't speak to Charles Hansen. Main System: [Synology DS216, Rpi-4b LMS (pCP)], Holo Audio Red, Ayre QX-5 Twenty, Ayre KX-5 Twenty, Ayre VX-5 Twenty, Revel Ultima Studio2, Iconoclast speaker cables & interconnects, RealTraps acoustic treatments Living Room: Sonore ultraRendu, Ayre QB-9DSD, Simaudio MOON 340iX, B&W 802 Diamond Link to comment
mink70 Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 The person at Ayre who handles questions like this is usually Alex Brinkman. He's really knowledgeable, responsive and a nice guy. Link to comment
Jim Smith Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 The person at Ayre who handles questions like this is usually Alex Brinkman. He's really knowledgeable, responsive and a nice guy. +1 Various speakers, electronics, cable, etc. on loan for manufacturers' evaluation. More or less permanently in use: Schiit Iggy (latest), Ayre QB-9 DSD, Ayre Codex, Uptone Audio ISO Regen/LPS-1 Power supply, Berkeley Audio Alpha USB, PS Audio LanRover, Small Green Computer, Sonore ultraRendu, gigaFOIL4 ethernet/optical filter - Keces PS-3 power supply, (3) MBPs - stripped down for music only, AQ Diamond USB & Ethernet, Transparent USB, Curious USB, LH Lightspeed split USB, Halide USB DAC, Audirvana +, Pure Music, ASR Emitter II Exclusive Blue amp, Ayre K-5xeMP preamp, Pass X-1 preamp, Quicksilver Mid-Mono Amps, Pass XA-30.5 amp, Duelund ICs & Speaker Cables, Paul Hynes SR-7 power supply, Grand Prix Audio Monaco Isolation racks & F1 shelves, Tannoy Canterbury SEs w/custom Duelund crossovers and stands, 2 REL 212SEs, AV RoomService EVPs, ASC Tube Traps, tons of CDs, 30 IPS masters, LPs. http://www.getbettersound.com Link to comment
rickca Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 I've asked Ayre about DSD128 and 384 kHz PCM on the QB-9 DSD several times and it doesn't look like likely to happen. They claim I'm one of only two people worldwide who have ever asked them for it. Ayre clearly doesn't understand the number of people doing PCM --> DSD with HQPlayer. The Codex does support DSD128 and 384 kHz PCM. Ayre claims their engineer couldn't get it working on the QB-9 DSD noting that the Codex uses a ES9018 vs 9016S on the QB-9 DSD. I don't think Ayre considers it in their interest to further upgrade the QB-9 DSD. The QB-9 DSD is still a fantastic PCM DAC. Please PM me if you would like mine at a very reasonable price. I've bought a Jeff Rowland Aeris which, like the Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference Series, doesn't do DSD. It's interesting to read Berkeley's comments about DSD here Alpha DAC Reference Series. There's no way I can justify keeping two DACs of such high quality. I just started feeding my QB-9 DSD with the Sonore micro rendu rather than the Uptone REGEN, and it is just an incredible combination. It's clear that the QB-9 DSD is even more capable than I thought. Pareto Audio AMD 7700 Server --> Berkeley Alpha USB --> Jeff Rowland Aeris --> Jeff Rowland 625 S2 --> Focal Utopia 3 Diablos with 2 x Focal Electra SW 1000 BE subs i7-6700K/Windows 10 --> EVGA Nu Audio Card --> Focal CMS50's Link to comment
Freann Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 QB-9 DSD owner here with 95% redbook music archive. For me its a relief not to have to worry about upsampling. I almost gave up on the whole thing after fiddling with the utterly stupid iZotope filters (don’t get me started on the GUI…). Impossible to find the right combination. HPQ as upsampling an engine is nice an all, but how much $$$ for DSD512 upsampling..? Roon direct to a microRendu is the way to go. Roon client on iPad/MacBookPro Roon Server & HQPlayer on Mac Mini 2.0 GHz i7 with JS-2 LPS-1 & ultraRendu → Lampizator Atlantic → Bent Audio TAP-X → Atma-sphere M60 → Zero autoformers → Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3 Link to comment
intermediatic Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 I like the product but can't get over its homely appearance :~| Ha. I think it looks great. Have you seen it in real life? Plus just tuck it somewhere and it's barely visible. Software: Roon [depricated: Moode Audio (http://moodeaudio.org), Audirvana Plus+] Digital: Ayre Codex [upgrading to Ayre QX-5 Twenty]; Oppo UDP-205; [depricated: Raspberry Pi 2 with Hifiberry Digi+]; Synology Diskstation 412+ NAS; Tidal Preamplification: Ayre KX-5 Twenty; Amplification: Ayre VX-5 Twenty; Speakers: Vandersteen 5A Analog: Clearaudio Performance DC, Concept tonearm, Artist v2 ebony cartridge, Ayre P-5xe, Nakamichi 630 (Tuner… just for fun) Cables: Audioquest Aspen for speakers, otherwise Anti-cables throughout (except Audioquest running from P-5xe to K-5xeMP) Link to comment
Sam Lord Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 DSD512 costs a DSD512-capable DAC, $148.46US for HQP, and a fast computer or a slower one with an Nvidia CUDA-capable graphics card. Mac Mini 2012 with 2.3 GHz i5 CPU and 16GB RAM running newest OS10.9x and Signalyst HQ Player software (occasionally JRMC), ethernet to Cisco SG100-08 GigE switch, ethernet to SOtM SMS100 Miniserver in audio room, sending via short 1/2 meter AQ Cinnamon USB to Oppo 105D, feeding balanced outputs to 2x Bel Canto S300 amps which vertically biamp ATC SCM20SL speakers, 2x Velodyne DD12+ subs. Each side is mounted vertically on 3-tiered Sound Anchor ADJ2 stands: ATC (top), amp (middle), sub (bottom), Mogami, Koala, Nordost, Mosaic cables, split at the preamp outputs with splitters. All transducers are thoroughly and lovingly time aligned for the listening position. Link to comment
alpha421 Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Saving up a pretty coin for this. I'm more of a headphone guy versus speaker for the time being, and I'm wondering if anyone here has listened to the Grado GS1000/GS2000 headphones with the Codex. Link to comment
OldBigEars Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 QB-9 DSD owner here with 95% redbook music archive. For me its a relief not to have to worry about upsampling. I almost gave up on the whole thing after fiddling with the utterly stupid iZotope filters (don’t get me started on the GUI…). Impossible to find the right combination. +1 Tidal / Qobuz--> Roon--> Fios Gigabit--> Netgear Prosafe GS105 --> Supra 8-->EtherRegen --> Fiber--> opticalRendu / CI Audio LPS --> Curious Evolved Link --> Chord Qutest--> AQ Water --> Belles Aria Integrated--> AQ Robin Hood--> Kudos Super 20's Link to comment
Kelly Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 Saving up a pretty coin for this. I'm more of a headphone guy versus speaker for the time being, and I'm wondering if anyone here has listened to the Grado GS1000/GS2000 headphones with the Codex. I can't tell you how it sounds with Grados (in fact, I generally do not like Grados, but I am told you either love em or hate em) I can tell you for certain, is that the Codex performs significantly better in balanced mode with all headphones (and active monitors) that I have tried. So plan to use balanced connectors. Roon ->UltraRendu + CI Audio 7v LPS-> Kii Control -> Kii Three Roon->BMC UltraDAC->Mr Speakers Aeon Flow Open Link to comment
Cygnusx Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Saving up a pretty coin for this. I'm more of a headphone guy versus speaker for the time being, and I'm wondering if anyone here has listened to the Grado GS1000/GS2000 headphones with the Codex.I listen to the Codex with a set of Grado GH1. Originally, I was listening to the HPs single ended but recently had them modded to be balanced. The HPs sound significantly better in balance mode. I'm very happy with the sound. In balance mode the sound becomes about 20% louder that's my guess. The lows become tighter and the highs become clearer. The mids seem to be about the same, which is very good with Grados Link to comment
bluebeat Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Looking at the Ayre website, there will be no upgrade for the QB-9DSD: it's officially retired. So are the QA-9, and the - imho legendary - AX-7e and CX-7eMP by the way. I'm wondering what's next: all new 7-series components, including a DAC, or companions to the Codex? Maybe both? I guess RMAF will bring news. Link to comment
beetlemania Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Looking at the Ayre website, there will be no upgrade for the QB-9DSD: it's officially retired. So are the QA-9, and the - imho legendary - AX-7e and CX-7eMP by the way. I'm wondering what's next: all new 7-series components, including a DAC, or companions to the Codex? Maybe both? I guess RMAF will bring news. I wasn't too surprised to see the QB-9 go down but was quite surprised that the QA-9 got the axe (poor sales? It was well-reviewed). Sales of CD players are prolly near zero, so the CX-7 had it coming. As great as the AX-7 is (that's my amp!) it is about a 15 year old design now. Hopefully, they'll replace it with something even better at a similar (or lower) price point. Roon ROCK (Roon 1.7; NUC7i3) > Ayre QB-9 Twenty > Ayre AX-5 Twenty > Thiel CS2.4SE (crossovers rebuilt with Clarity CSA and Multicap RTX caps, Mills MRA-12 resistors; ERSE and Jantzen coils; Cardas binding posts and hookup wire); Cardas and OEM power cables, interconnects, and speaker cables Link to comment
Axiom05 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 I recently "upgraded" my QB-9DSD by buying a KX-5 Twenty preamp. Simply amazing. Main System: [Synology DS216, Rpi-4b LMS (pCP)], Holo Audio Red, Ayre QX-5 Twenty, Ayre KX-5 Twenty, Ayre VX-5 Twenty, Revel Ultima Studio2, Iconoclast speaker cables & interconnects, RealTraps acoustic treatments Living Room: Sonore ultraRendu, Ayre QB-9DSD, Simaudio MOON 340iX, B&W 802 Diamond Link to comment
beetlemania Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 I recently "upgraded" my QB-9DSD by buying a KX-5 Twenty preamp. Simply amazing. I haven't heard the KX-5 but the AX-5 is one of the very best amps I've heard and is first up on my list of upgrades. Roon ROCK (Roon 1.7; NUC7i3) > Ayre QB-9 Twenty > Ayre AX-5 Twenty > Thiel CS2.4SE (crossovers rebuilt with Clarity CSA and Multicap RTX caps, Mills MRA-12 resistors; ERSE and Jantzen coils; Cardas binding posts and hookup wire); Cardas and OEM power cables, interconnects, and speaker cables Link to comment
austinpop Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 I love my Codex, but am now looking enviously at all this MQA content coming out on Tidal. In an ideal world, Ayre would roll out a firmware upgrade soon, that would make the Codex an MQA DAC. In the real world, the chances of that seem slim. Still, I've sent Alex B. of Ayre a question about this. If they have no plans, I guess the search will begin for an MQA DAC of equal or better quality. Has anyone compared the Codex to the Mytek Brooklyn? My Audio Setup Link to comment
ElviaCaprice Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 I love my Codex, but am now looking enviously at all this MQA content coming out on Tidal. In an ideal world, Ayre would roll out a firmware upgrade soon, that would make the Codex an MQA DAC. In the real world, the chances of that seem slim. Still, I've sent Alex B. of Ayre a question about this. If they have no plans, I guess the search will begin for an MQA DAC of equal or better quality. Has anyone compared the Codex to the Mytek Brooklyn? Question, if Ayre could make a software change to the Codex for unfolding the entire MQA file, then why can't Tidal themselves do it in a software solution? Maybe your asking the wrong parties the question? (JRiver) Jetway barebones NUC (mod 3 sCLK-EX, Cybershaft OP 14) (PH SR7) => mini pcie adapter to PCIe 1X => tXUSBexp PCIe card (mod sCLK-EX) (PH SR7) => (USPCB) Chord DAVE => Omega Super 8XRS/REL t5i (All powered thru Topaz Isolation Transformer) Link to comment
austinpop Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Question, if Ayre could make a software change to the Codex for unfolding the entire MQA file, then why can't Tidal themselves do it in a software solution? Maybe your asking the wrong parties the question? Theoretically, no reason. Have you been following the MQA saga? Exactly a year ago, MQA (the organization) made a decision that the technology would only be delivered end-to-end, and that because the "DAC profile" was a key part of the chain, therefore only MQA-certified DACs would be licensed to do full (or really, any) decoding of MQA files. Throughout 2016, the only way to decode MQA content was through an MQA DAC. Fast forward to this week. Clearly, Tidal was able to get MQA to change its stance somewhat with regard to SW decoding. So far, the "SW decoding" we've seen on the Tidal app is not a full MQA decode. It is a "partial unfold" of the MQA file from the 24/48 (or 24/44.1) container to a 24/96 (or 24/88.2) container. This resultant stream is still "MQA encoded," because it still causes the "blue light of truth" to come on in an MQA DAC, but it is still better on a non-MQA DAC than the fully folded original. Disclaimer - the above is at best an educated guess at what's going on, but it seems to be holding up empirically so far as a plausible theory. Again - it remains to be seen if MQA is willing to license "full MQA decode" in SW to any licensee, including Tidal and Roon. Only time will tell. But back to your question. Ayre is a DAC HW vendor, so as such, they always have the option to license the full MQA decode capability. Whether they do depends on their assessment of the cost-benefit economics, and the (strong) opinions of their top technical people like Charlie Hanson. My Audio Setup Link to comment
ElviaCaprice Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 But back to your question. Ayre is a DAC HW vendor, so as such, they always have the option to license the full MQA decode capability. Whether they do depends on their assessment of the cost-benefit economics, and the (strong) opinions of their top technical people like Charlie Hanson. And you as a consumer, would you pay the difference for this DRM to be licensed by Ayre or Tidal? One way or another, you are going to pay. I won't. Since your already paying Tidal for this half decoded DRM, shouldn't you be filing your complaint with them? (JRiver) Jetway barebones NUC (mod 3 sCLK-EX, Cybershaft OP 14) (PH SR7) => mini pcie adapter to PCIe 1X => tXUSBexp PCIe card (mod sCLK-EX) (PH SR7) => (USPCB) Chord DAVE => Omega Super 8XRS/REL t5i (All powered thru Topaz Isolation Transformer) Link to comment
austinpop Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 By definition, this is DRM. We disagree. But I'm tired of this DRM FUD, and choose not to debate you on this. My Audio Setup Link to comment
austinpop Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Fellow Codex-heads, Have any of you tried HQPlayer with your Codex? What did you find to be the optimal configuration? The conventional wisdom appears to be to upsample to the highest supported rate (in the case of the Codex, DSD 128 or PCM 384), whereas my inclination is to trust that Ayre know what they're doing, and just pass through the native sample rate of the stream. Just curious if any have tried HQPlayer with the Codex? Please don't answer in abstract terms - there are entire threads debating HQPlayer. I specifically want to know how (or if) it improves the Codex. My Audio Setup Link to comment
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