2. digital
  3. 124453-113

Ayre now has a new QX-5 all in one

box with DAC/Streamer (Tidal etc), Roon ready. It has nearly any input and a great headphone amp too.  It can also be used as a preamp, although I personally have yet to hear any digital pre sound as good as a great preamp, but that's me.  It's all balanced and has the Ayre power supply filters that all the Ayre products have.  I can't wait to hear it. I personally am running a great sounding Empirical Audio OSDE/SE with all the upgrades from Steve and I also have a Mac Mini server that Empirical totally rebuilt with a separate Hynes linear power supply.  It's full of only hi rez, well recorded music of all genres.  I love it, but the new servers do sound a bit better, so I've been looking.  I didn't want to set up a NAS, but since I run a Linn DS system in the bedroom I'm open to it.  I love the Melco NAS and may just get that for my NAS and the Ayre for everything else.  I want a simple, one box solution and I do use IEM's and cans on Sunday and Sat mornings so having a great amp solution in my main rig is enticing too.

I rn an Ayre AX-5 Twenty with Vandersteen Treo's (going to sell so I can upgrade to the Quatro's) and Basis/Aesthetix's for vinyl.  Pretty exciting times in digital.  I'm sure that Ayre will be a great value for all that it offers and it should sound incredible.  Time will tell.
ctsooner
ctsooner OP
2,480 posts
 
Network bridge?  I have to look and see.  Is it similar to an isolator/optical converter?  I have also heard that Waversa has some cool device that's not too  expensive that does similar. I'm not sure if that one is USB or ethernet.
ctsooner OP
2,480 posts
 
Oh, just read about it.  It's redundant in the system I'm doing.  The Melco takes care of the clean signal.  It's a direct ethernet connection to the Ayre QX5 Twenty.  I'll be using the streaming device in the Ayre and not using the one in the Melco.  It seems easier to just control the noise at the source using the optical converter and simple ethernet hook ups.  Let properly designed pieces like the Melco and Ayre take care of the rest as they too isolate and clean up the signal before sending it forward.  If you don't have streaming in your DAC, like the Ayre does, then you would possibly need a bridge I assume, to run your internet music.  That seems like a waste of money when using the new DAC's that are digital hubs I think....  I may be dead wrong here.  If you think I am, please let me know what I"m missing as I"m trying like heck to get a total handle on all of this.  I'm lucky to be getting great advice from a couple of audio engineers that I trust and who run digital audiophile boards etc... or are main posters to help others.  So many cool products out there that it's hard to always figure out what we do and don't need and what works best together as just like in analog products, the best isn't always best with the rest of the system.  Just need to be informed and match properly. Thanks for sharing and keeping this thread going in a positive direction.  Learning a ton. 
knghifi
1,668 posts
 
You're correct don't need it with QX-5.    It's something I'm considering if going with just a DAC.   

I love the idea of a bridge where data can be accessed if on the network.   This is exciting times with so many options.
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