Multitest: Seven integrated amplifiers 5000 – 6500 euro

Ayre EX-8

Ayre is well known in the world of high-end audio. The U.S. company has been active since 1993 and fully believes in a fully balanced, zero-feedback topology for its amplifiers. Now there are more roads that lead to Rome. But of course there is a core of truth in this philosophy. The reason your editor was such a fan of Densen, is the speed that came from their zero-feedback setup. And this speed and air is also clearly audible in the Ayre EX-8.

Purist

Ayre’s approach is pure. Simplistic in operation. And effective in sound reproduction. But before we talk about that… first, a foreword. The modular EX-8 can be equipped with a ROON-compatible dac-board and streaming module. That would bring the total to about 8500 euros, and that would be way above the price range for this test. But without modules you are at 6500 euros. And that’s… borderline okay. We test without streamer and dac. Of course, we did listen to these modules. And yes… they’re worth the extra cost.

Briefly about the connections. On the back of our model we see, apart from Ethernet and digital inputs which are optional, two large speaker terminals in which only cables with spades fit. Something to take into account. Luckily both a set balanced and two single ended inputs are present. That may not be enough, but given the times we live in, it should be enough; most sources today are digital. The dac-board offers optical as well as usb as coax and aes. Even a word-clock is possible. Streaming is via Ethernet.

Air

Back to playback. Ayre plays… Airy. That sounds very silly, but it’s just the first thing you notice. Air, speed, insight. Purely. Especially in combination with the Focals it plays incredibly clean. There seems to be nothing left between the source and us. And while that’s fantastic, you have to love it and choose it. Because sometimes a veil is nice. Isn’t that right?

But we like this approach. No coloring, no nonsense… just a clean pass through and done. It does bring you closer to the music in the end.

What is striking about the sound of the Ayre EX-8 is the absence of sharpness. In no track do we hear edges or roughness. Not in the middle, not in the high. No frayed high-hats… nothing. A lot of energy and a lot of spaciousness. And while the focus remains razor-sharp. In some ways, this amplifier is reminiscent of the Yamaha A-S3000 which also has a very fine mid / high range. Extremely suitable for vocal work. But the Ayre knows how to provide a little more energy. The Yamaha is a bit calmer sometimes… which has its advantages, of course.

Not critical

A very pleasant feature of this Ayre EX-8 is that it drives both the Focals and the DALI Phantoms very well. That gives confidence. In the DALI’s it puts – in this test field – without a doubt the most punch and energy. In fact, it’s a very fine match! Were it not for the fact that we wouldn’t be so quick to integrate it into a cinema. The Ayre gets pretty hot, which makes putting it in a cabinet… problematic. This is an amplifier to put in a rack where cooling is not a problem. After a hard day’s play, we just can’t hold the EX-8. So we let it cool down before we put it in the box… Yes: the Ayre is a temperamental piece of equipment!

Judgement

Incredibly fast, airy and light-footed amplifier that will be able to drive virtually any speaker. It is the most expensive in the test, but also one of the best in terms of coherence, detail and imaging. On the DALI’s he wins with flying colors… On the Focals, it’s a matter of taste… but that it’s a top-of-the-range device is beyond question.

Specifications