Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty – The Digital Hub

[ctsooner]

I'm not really that good, but I do have certain information about Alex that he would like to remain confidential.

 

Not surprised, lol. He's really one of the good guys in this business. It was fun getting to know him after all the calls we've had over the last few years, lol.

[bmichels]

Anyone compared the VX-5 Twenty to the DAVE from Chord ? The VX-5 Twenty could in deed be a very good alternative to the DAVE.

[silvertone]

Anyone compared the VX-5 Twenty to the DAVE from Chord ? The VX-5 Twenty could in deed be a very good alternative to the DAVE.

 

I think you meant QX-5, no such thing as an Ayre VX-5 dac

[bmichels]

I think you meant QX-5, no such thing as an Ayre VX-5 dac

 

You are right: I ment QX-5 twenty.

[ctsooner]

Guys these just hit the dealers a week or so ago. The Chicago folks had theirs two weeks prior and even theirs probably isn't fully broken in. I've only spoken to the folks at Ayre about how it sounds when fully broken in. As excited as we all are it's going to be awhile for those of us who aren't dealers to truly make any decisions

[silvertone]

Guys these just hit the dealers a week or so ago. The Chicago folks had theirs two weeks prior and even theirs probably isn't fully broken in. I've only spoken to the folks at Ayre about how it sounds when fully broken in. As excited as we all are it's going to be awhile for those of us who aren't dealers to truly make any decisions

 

I'm still waiting for my unit, I placed my order a month ago. I'm hoping to get it this week.

 

Have all the dealers received their units? I checked with Music Lovers in Berkeley, CA and they still had not received their demo unit.

 

BTW, I agree that the comparison of the QX-5 against the Chord DAVE will be a very informative one.

[ctsooner]

Dealers will get theirs before we get ours. I'll ask to see if they have an idea when they will be able to mass ship but I thought that we are still a few weeks away

[bmichels]

Almost perfect spects. I am just disapointed by the pono's style double Jack for the Balanced Headphone-out instead of the usual 4-pins XLR.

 

We really do not need all those "new" standards (TSRR; A&K 2,5mm; pono's double jack...), the "old" big 4 pins XLR is what we have on our balanced headphones ! This is only good for cable manufacturers !

[ctsooner]

We all wish there was a standard but the electronic companies are not making extra money on this. As you stated it's the cable companies. I do full understand the 2.5mm connection. That's so they can fit it in a slim portable case. I think that we will eventually get the lighting connections like Audeze and others are starting to use. Things will shake out but none of us expect a standard I don't think. It's the same thing for the connection on the headphone end too.

[bmichels]

I have another question about "ROON Ready" : From what I understand, to use ROON with the QX-5, you need to have on the same network a PC (or a modern powerful NAS) running ROON Server. So, what "ROON Ready" means ? Why a DAC needs to be "ROON Ready" if ROON run on a server, we just need the DAC to be a "STREAMING" DAC that has an Ethernet port ?

 

So, this "ROON Ready" designation has nothing to do with ROON itself, it is just that the DAC can stream & read files from a NAS through Ethernet ? correct ?

[ctsooner]

I have another question about "ROON Ready" : From what I understand, to use ROON with the QX-5, you need to have on the same network a PC (or a modern powerful NAS) running ROON Server. So, what "ROON Ready" means ? Why a DAC needs to be "ROON Ready" if ROON run on a server, we just need the DAC to be a "STREAMING" DAC that has an Ethernet port ?

 

So, this "ROON Ready" designation has nothing to do with ROON itself, it is just that the DAC can stream & read files from a NAS through Ethernet ? correct ?

 

I'm not a Roon expert. In order to run Roon so that it puts the operation system all in one place, the DAC still must be set up in a way to use with the Roon program. I'm sure it all has to do with talking to each other etc... Maybe it's just a marketing deal. I will try to run Roon if I can figure out where and how I will store my files. I run a Linn Kiko in the bedroom. It's not Roon ready, so maybe I can't run Roon on it and will have to stay with Linn Kazoo. It's something many of us have thought about. Everyone I have asked said you need a Roon ready DAC to run it. Maybe it's because the Ayre is a digital hub that just needs a hard drive attached.

[bluebeat]

No marketing, but RoonReady means indeed that a device like the QX-5 is able to talk with the Roon Core. The language is RAAT...

 

You can read more at the Roonlabs website, for example here: https://kb.roonlabs.com/Roon_partner_programs

 

So, bmichels, RoonReady has everything to do with Roon itself...

 

 

Sent from my A0001 using Computer Audiophile mobile app

[ctsooner]

No marketing, but RoonReady means indeed that a device like the QX-5 is able to talk with the Roon Core. The language is RAAT...

 

You can read more at the Roonlabs website, for example here: https://kb.roonlabs.com/Roon_partner_programs

 

 

Sent from my A0001 using Computer Audiophile mobile app

 

Thanks blue. I thought that I was told along the way that my Linn Kiko won't be able use Roon, but the QX5 will. That's my main system anyways, so that's where I care about Roon.

[bluebeat]

Quite right, ctsooner ?

 

Sent from my A0001 using Computer Audiophile mobile app

[Blackstone]

It means you can simply put it on the same network as your roon core and it will be identified by Roon core as a Roon endpoint. Whereas a non roon ready dac would need to be connected somehow to an endpoint, be it a pc or special nas or whatever. It also means the volume control slider on your roon controller (phone, tablet) will actually control the onboard volume control on QX-5. I saw this myself. So you do not need to use Roon's dsp volume control at all. It is great.

[ctsooner]

It means you can simply put it on the same network as your roon core and it will be identified by Roon core as a Roon endpoint. Whereas a non roon ready dac would need to be connected somehow to an endpoint, be it a pc or special nas or whatever. It also means the volume control slider on your roon controller (phone, tablet) will actually control the onboard volume control on QX-5. I saw this myself. So you do not need to use Roon's dsp volume control at all. It is great.

Blackstone, we will need to meet when I get to Chitown to visit. I knew you'd have the right answer. Thanks!!! I won't be using the QX5 volume as the AX5's preamp is still better sounding based on everyone I've spoken with. I'll figure it all out when it gets here....soonish I'm hoping, lol.

[Blackstone]

The funny thing is I (1) don't even have a dedicated room to listen in because I am not moving until September, (2) do not have very good components and (3) probably spend only a few hours a week listening at the most.But when I am waiting for a new gadget I find spamming the forums about it very therapeutic and diverting. I got really good and hyped up about the QB-9 DSD upgrade and that took like a year.

 

But I am not a shill or Ayre fanboy by any means. It is highly unusual in my experience to assemble a system that is comprised of every component from the same manufacturer. This unit serves a specific purpose so I am preordering. I probably would not buy an Ayre amp, however, without at least investigating offerings from Boulder, Bryston and Classe. And normally in this price range for dacs I would be comparing with the dCS Debussy but the Debussy is not a headphone amplifier, is not a roon endpoint, does not stream, is more expensive, and has no ethernet interface and from what I have heard from others is not as competent direct into a power amplifier. So Ayre sort of won this round by default. Normally I don't purchase like this, however.

[silvertone]

... I would be comparing with the dCS Debussy but the Debussy is not a headphone amplifier, is not a roon endpoint, does not stream, is more expensive, and has no ethernet interface and from what I have heard from others is not as competent direct into a power amplifier. So Ayre sort of won this round by default. Normally I don't purchase like this, however.

 

Blackstone,

 

The dCS Debussy is old news, tons of DACs in the market for half the price completely destroy the Debussy on sound quality alone.

 

The more fair comparison for the QX-5 will be against the dCS Rossini and Chord DAVE dacs.

[Blackstone]

Yes I would like to see how it stacks against Rossini for academic purposes but Rossini is not in the same price range.

[silvertone]

Yes I would like to see how it stacks against Rossini for academic purposes but Rossini is not in the same price range.

 

Nah, Don't let the price points fool you

 

Dealers will always tell you (with very few exceptions) that the much pricier product sounds better. That's not always the case.

 

Here's a perfect example, in my humble opinion and to my ears, the Chord DAVE DAC absolutely trumps the pricey dCS Vivaldi Stack. That's no hyperbole, listen for yourself and see if you come to the same conclusion. That's at $13k DAC versus the $100K+ stack. I'm purchasing the Ayre because it's within my allocated budget, otherwise I would get the DAVE. Having said that, I look forward to a side by side comparison of the the two units.

 

Happy listening

[ctsooner]

Nah, Don't let the price points fool you

 

Dealers will always tell you (with very few exceptions) that the much pricier product sounds better. That's not always the case.

 

Here's a perfect example, in my humble opinion and to my ears, the Chord DAVE DAC absolutely trumps the pricey dCS Vivaldi Stack. That's no hyperbole, listen for yourself and see if you come to the same conclusion. That's at $13k DAC versus the $100K+ stack. I'm purchasing the Ayre because it's within my allocated budget, otherwise I would get the DAVE. Having said that, I look forward to a side by side comparison of the the two units.

 

Happy listening

 

This is the second DAC I'm buying without hearing. The first one was a GREAT buy, the Empirical Audio ODSE/SE. I'm still wondering HOW the Ayre will beat it out. I do think it will based on what I hear from folks who have spent time with it and are breaking it in now. I'm very excited to get it and hear it.

 

As for the DCS stack, I don't like it. Not my cup of tea, just like the Boulder and Classe gear isn't my cup either. I have heard the DCS stack as well as just the Rossini with it's clock with the top Boulder and Classe amps on wilson XLF's (different places) and I had to get out of the room. Bright and not fun for me. The Ayre gear is highly musical. Blackstone, the Twenty series amps are some of the best I've heard near their price range. I was a tube guy until the Ayre (AX5 Twenty is mine). I personally like the AX5 Twenty better than the VX5 and KX5 Twenty together. Clearer and has better synergy. JMHO

[bmichels]

reading the manual, I see that on the QX-5, the ethernet port and the 2 USB port, all 3, use the same input N°10, so... I wonder if it is possible to have the QX-5 connected to the network (where I have a NAS attached) and also at the same time with a USB Stick in the USB port, and then for music playing, being able to switch between local music (USB) using mconnect and the music stored on the NAS (using ROON) ?

[ctsooner]

reading the manual, I see that on the QX-5, the ethernet port and the 2 USB port, all 3, use the same input N°10, so... I wonder if it is possible to have the QX-5 connected to the network (where I have a NAS attached) and also at the same time with a USB Stick in the USB port, and then for music playing, being able to switch between local music (USB) using mconnect and the music stored on the NAS (using ROON) ?

 

Are you asking if you can use all the inputs to listen to? Yes, it's a digital hub. They have the ten inputs and you can set them up individually to maximize the sound etc...

[bmichels]

Are you asking if you can use all the inputs to listen to? Yes, it's a digital hub. They have the ten inputs and you can set them up individually to maximize the sound etc...

 

It has 10 inputs but... The 10th Is made of "1 ethernet and 2 associated USB" as It Is said In the manual. So, sélecting Input No10 mean may be Ethernet or USB with only one that be physically connected at once ?

[ctsooner]

It has 10 inputs but... The 10th Is made of "1 ethernet and 2 associated USB" as It Is said In the manual. So, sélecting Input No10 mean may be Ethernet or USB with only one that be physically connected at once ?

 

Maybe I miss understood. That is easily the case as I have MS and do have some cognitive problems at times. I was under the impression that you can set it up to listen to any of the inputs. Maybe you'd need to somehow reconfigure from your seat with the remote to move back and forth. I'll ask Ayre.