Ayre AX-5 Twenty Integrated Amplifier – Black

Put simply, this is one of the finest integrated amplifiers money can buy and in audiophile terms here is relatively affordable…

Ayre Acoustics was founded in 1993 by Charles Hansen, and they’ve been manufacturing their products in Boulder, Colorado since that time. This followed his earlier success as a speaker designer and founder of Avalon Acoustics. Here we have an example of one of their top integrated amplifiers – the AX-5 Twenty – that comes in very good condition, with original packaging, remote control, manual, mains cable, and of course our standard 3-month warranty.
Ayre Say….
We have been innovating new circuit designs and building amplifiers since 1993. Our first amplifier, the V-1, set a new industry standard using fully-balanced circuitry without any negative feedback. Since then we have never stopped pushing our designs making each new product better than the last.
The Ayre AX-5 offers a significant advance in the musical performance of high-fidelity equipment. The warmth and immediacy of a live performance are apparent from the first listening. The combination of superb resolution and a natural, relaxed quality will draw you into the music, time and time again. This level of performance has been implemented using the highest level of workmanship and materials.
Featuring Ayre’s Double Diamond output stage, our exclusive EquiLock circuitry, and a Shallco solid-silver contact switch for gain control, this fully-discrete, fully-balanced, zero-feedback integrated amplifier provides a complete solution for your modern music system.
The key to perfecting the AX-5 was to incorporate the Variable Gain Technology (VGT) of the award-winning Ayre KX-R preamplifier into the power amplifier section. The addition of ultra-transparent FET input selector switches completed the transformation of a basic power amplifier into a compact one-box solution which will become the heart of your high-performance audio system.
Features:
Variable Gain Transimpedance (VGT) volume circuit
46 step volume control, each of 1.5 dB
Ayre’s new Diamond output stage
Ayre’s exclusive EquiLock circuit
Linear analogue power supply
zero-feedback and fully-balanced discrete circuitry
High-speed circuit board material
Custom developed audio-grade resistors
Ayre Conditioner power line RFI filter
AyreLink communication system
Specifications:
Power Output: 125 watts per channel continuous into 8 ohms; 250 watts per channel continuous into 4 ohms
Gain: 26 dB
Maximum Input Level: 8 V rms – unbalanced inputs 16 V rms – balanced inputs
Input Impedance: 1 MΩ unbalanced inputs; 2 MΩ balanced inputs (1 MΩ per phase)
Frequency Response: DC – 250 kHz
Power Consumption: 48 watts in low-current consumption mode; 230 watts in operating mode, no signal
Dimensions: 440 (W) x 480 (D) x 120 (H) mm
Weight: 22.0 kg

For a review from Hi-Fi News magazine please click here

And for a second opinion from Hi-Fi+ magazine please click here