I have heard the Ayre but not enough to form an opinion on sound other than it matted well with a pair of Wilson Sophia II's. I like the Ayre philosophy of supporting thier equipment long after model upgrades. I do have the Classe and have compared it extensively with the Mac 402, Pass 250.5, Sim W7 and chose the Classe. The classe does not have the slam or bass wt of the sim. The classe strength is in the mid range and in timbral accuaracy. It really matches well with my Verity's. I recently listened to the new Classe in the home theater version of the 2300. The 2300 has a more pronounced bass and the highs were perhaps a little more extended but at the cost of some of the timbre, this was best noted on strings and piano. The 2300 wowed me from the start, the 2200 was more of a slow seduction. I could see where someone would like one over the other based on system and tastes. When they come up, used 2200's are a steal. Hope this helps.
