Ayre CX7-e vs. Cary 303-300

You actually have a pair of Adagios? Can you comment on their sound? Are they open sounding like Vandersteen family of speakers?

I'm dying to hear comments from an actual owner after reading all the hype on these babies. Thanks.

I have not heard the Ayre but I do have the Cary 303/300 cdp. I am very happy with this unit. I do not use the tube output as I feel that the ss output is more dynamic. That being said, I have not done any tube rolling. From what I hear, getting the right tubes can really make this cdp sing! To me, the Cary just does everything right. Its sound is a tiny bit dark but I prefer a slightly warmer sounding system. The build quality is excellent. I hope this helps. From my experiences listening to Ayre pres and amps, I think you may prefer the CX7-e.

By the way, I also the AZ Silver Ref II IC's.

In terms of pre, have you looked at the Cary slp-05? Its supposed to be awesome!

Trenton40- They're so good for what you pay they'll make you weep. I just finished Roy Orbison's black and White dvd and I'm reeling from the experience. This is a dvd I've heard many times and I'm simply amazed.

Thanks Tboooe- That's kind of what I was guessing.Though I'm fan of Cary audio I don't want to go darker or warmer at this point.