need help regarding new Ayon spirit iii

I have the Ayon spirit lll generation 4 with KT150. Everyone tells me they don’t match with dynaudios. I had them with the C1 86 db 4 ohms, best sound I’ve had. Now I have them with special 40s excellent sound. I did change the drive tubes and cables. High fidelity CT1 made great difference. Sylvania for the four and Ken rad for the two are some of the best.

Hiya all
The issue(s) with the Bass and rhythm on the Ayon are now a non issue, it has finally broken in and my ears have become more accustomed to the sound, I must say that the Bass is now more powerful and tight and matches the pace of my SS setup. I have now bought the KEF R900's speakers and I have a very happy person indeed

Couple of questions - are you listening in pentode or triode?  What are your issues specifically with the sound?  Can you offer more nuance?

Saying you don't like the PRaT and bass is sort of like saying I hate everything about the sound of this pairing. If you were happy before, are you sure you want new speakers or do you want to return that amp?  

Your Q900s are easy to drive at 91dB. It is not the SPL of the speakers that is the issue. With the right amp, 15w of power is enough to make them sing.  For instance, I use a 45w amp to drive speakers with an SPL of 84dB and gets loud enough to make my ears ring.  

The reality is tube amps, especially in triode mode are going to tend to emphasize the mids at the expense of bass which will get a little less refined and usually treble will get slightly rolled off.  PRaT typically improves with tubes at the expense of bass response.  

First test would be, turn the amp off and switch from triode to pentode.  Do you hear an improvement in performance in terms of bass and do you like the sound better with the exception of detail?  Pentode should give the amp better control over the speakers and will tighten things up and is great for home theater.  You tend to lose detail, especially in the midrange.  

Second test, use your MF Pre.  Attach your MF pre to the "Direct In" and see if you like the sound better.  This will bypass the integrated amps preamp stage and volume control.  

Third test, use the pre out on the Ayon and attach it to your MF power amp.  

I suggest these tests to isolate the issue with the Ayon as this will provide a separate evaluation of the preamp and power stages of the integrated.  

Use the same couple songs and listen in triode, pentode and these other two configurations.  take notes and decide what you like and dislike.  Then you can make a more informed decision.  

Do those tests and let us know what you think?  

Also, KT150 are real fire powers when I compare to my old Spirit 1 using KT88.

Even in the triode mode!

Own and love Spirit III and Stealth DAC from Ayon. Match made in heaven! Also, VR-44 Aktive speakers with Tara Labs The 0.8 cables gave me everything I wanted with accurate bass to spare! 

Hiya... that is interesting to know, once I get some decent high-efficient speaker I will be using to mode more often for sure, gonna check out the Reference 3A Episodes and De Cappo's that you mentioned but I live in New Zealand so not too sure about suppliers.

Cheers Buddy

I used the exact same tubes in both the Spirit II and III, but found the sound of the Spirit II to be a bit more lively, with a little more detail and transient attack. I was comparing both amps when using the triode mode.
The pentode mode does have more bass weight and "punch", with twice the clean power of  course, but it does give up some texture, detail and ambience compared to the triode mode.

Hiya...and thanks for your feedback, I actually have not used Triode mode too much as my speakers do not seem to match the Ayon too well, I find there is too little volume in this mode, Pentode mode if a better match atm. What area(s) did you prefer the ii over the iii?...just curious 

I am new to tube rolling so I will check out the Amperex 7316's and do some trial and error.


Thanks again for your time 

I have owned both an Ayon Spirit II and Spirit III amp for over 10 years now. I bought the new Spirit III, thinking it would be a sonic upgrade from the Spirit II. After comparing both, I found that I actually liked the sound of the Spirit II better, so I sold the Spirit III, and continue to enjoy the Spirit II. 
For my tastes, I prefer using the triode mode with the amp, for the fine details and ambience are more obvious. I also like the sound of the 8 ohm tap over the 4 ohm tap. For input tubes or driver tubes, try a pair of Amperex 7316's, which are very dynamic, detailed, and lively, with great highs. I would not suggest using them in all 4 positions, for it may get to be a bit forward sounding. I also like using the direct RCA input on the amp, if you already have an excellent sounding pre-amp, especially when listening at lower levels. 
I have tried many speakers with the amp, and have found that 91 db efficient 8 ohm speakers like my Reference 3A Episodes and De Cappo's are an excellent match with the Spirit II in the triode mode (approx. 35 w.p.c.) If you tend to listen at loud playback levels, or need to fill a big room with sound, you may want a much higher efficiency speaker. Hope this helps!

Former Ayon Spirit owner. It’s been some time, so I cannot advise on specific tubes to roll other than saying that doing so will be worthwhile.

First, get the speaker. Evaluate it with the stock Ayon Spirit III and only then start with tube rolling.

In terms of speaker recommendation, consider Tekton Design. I’d look strongly at their Perfect SET speaker, for starters ($1,800 delivered). Your music genres and overall sound performance preferences (depending) might change my recommendation towards another model in their line up.

You’ve got a great amp. I’m sure you will be very happy once you choose the right speaker to pair it with.

You should check out Audio Note speakers their AN-E floorstander is 94dB sensitive an easy impedance and full range. They are designed to be powered by tube amps. Though a floorstander they do sound best on short stands.

https://www.audionote.co.uk/an-e-speakers


Not sure your budget but they are in the $12K range and up depending on options. They do show up used fairly often there is a pair on here now:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9e7bd-audio-note-an-e-lx-full-range

No relation to the seller just a happy Audio Note speaker owner, the slightly smaller AN-J model.