I really do appreciate all the feedback from everyone. Mu6, I checked the price on a Bladelius Thor Mk2 and at five grand, its a bit over my budget. The Primare products are not a house brand as one of the other posters claimed. The British publication Hi Fi News has included the I30 in its integrated amp shootout and it won (also did a pre-power shootout and the Primare separates won there too). But I cannot miss the passion with which Ayre owners talk about their equipment, in this thread and in other threads on AudiogoN. So the AX-7e will be my new amp. I'm going to look for a used one in very good condition, but if I haven't found one by Christmas, I'll buy a new one. If anyone knows a reseller in the US that might give a small discount to a poor audiophile like myself, please shoot me an e-mail.
Ayre vs Primare
I'm still looking for a new integrated amp. I currently have an Exposure 2010S2 driving Spendor A6's with a Sony 5400ES SACD player as my source. I have moved my system from a large living room downstairs to a smaller room upstairs so there is no longer a need for a high powered amp. My two candidates are the Ayre AX-7e and the Primare I30. Deep controlled bass and extended highs, while nice to have, are not as important to me as a natural, transparent musical presentation. Another reason these two amps are on my short list is because they have balanced inputs. Also, as a long shot I might add the NAD M3 to my list. I've searched the net, but can't find a direct comparison between the Ayre and the Primare.