I am driving my Thiel 2.2s with an Ayre V5xe via a PSE HL-1 preamp. It sounds great, the best sound I have ever had. The E upgrade is a great improvement over the X upgrade, which was a great upgrade over the standard V. In fact, I really wasn't very happy with the standard V, because it was very lean in the bass. The XE has very good, if not slamming bass. The transparency of the V5xe is remarkable with the 2.2s. The sound is warm and tames some of the down side of the Thiel's treble. I've never heard the Aragons, but I would give the Ayre's a shot. I'm looking to upgrade to the 3.6 and have no interest in a new amp. I'm sold on the V5xe.
ARC 100.2 VS AYRE V5Xe with Thiel 2.2s
Calling all Audiogoner's
I have been narrowing my search space for suitable amps, to drive my 2.2s. I have been through a bunch of amps lately, in an attempt to characterize them as well as find a long term keeper. I wrote, in another post, about my current amp, an Aragon 8002, and how mediocre my system sounded with that...until I replaced the TLC-1 with an ARC LS-15 (retubed with EH-Platinums 6922). The sound is totally different now. Enjoyable really, but it is not quite where I know it can be, esp in the high frequency/ air category. The bass is awesome with the Aragon, and I have no desire to improve on it in that category ( I did not know the 2.2s could sound so deep and powerful ).
There is a characteristic warmth to the overall sound that I know is mostly attributed to the Aragon. On some recordings its welcome, on others I sense it too much and wich for greater transparency.
Anyway, I am looking for specific experience here, with the ARC 100.2 and/or Ayre V5 to be the next amp. I have read that folks used the 100.2 to drive the 3.6s (much tougher to drive); that is encouraging. It is a rare moment when I am home alone to crank it, so my listening is moderate on avg. I think 200-ish hi-quality watts into 4 ohms is plenty for me.
Thanks for your time!
I have been narrowing my search space for suitable amps, to drive my 2.2s. I have been through a bunch of amps lately, in an attempt to characterize them as well as find a long term keeper. I wrote, in another post, about my current amp, an Aragon 8002, and how mediocre my system sounded with that...until I replaced the TLC-1 with an ARC LS-15 (retubed with EH-Platinums 6922). The sound is totally different now. Enjoyable really, but it is not quite where I know it can be, esp in the high frequency/ air category. The bass is awesome with the Aragon, and I have no desire to improve on it in that category ( I did not know the 2.2s could sound so deep and powerful ).
There is a characteristic warmth to the overall sound that I know is mostly attributed to the Aragon. On some recordings its welcome, on others I sense it too much and wich for greater transparency.
Anyway, I am looking for specific experience here, with the ARC 100.2 and/or Ayre V5 to be the next amp. I have read that folks used the 100.2 to drive the 3.6s (much tougher to drive); that is encouraging. It is a rare moment when I am home alone to crank it, so my listening is moderate on avg. I think 200-ish hi-quality watts into 4 ohms is plenty for me.
Thanks for your time!