I have this player in my posession on loan from a dealer. I listened to it last night for about an hour, so take this for what its worth.
This is a very nice player, extremely smooth and musical. Its light in the bottom end and lacks air and depth compared to my Cary 306/200. With the Cary the music has more texture, depth and feel. Now these players have a difference in $$$, so keep this in mind, the Cary retails for about another 1500.00. I had a Cary 303/200, and with what I can recall the Ayre would give the 303 a good run. The Ayre is probably smoother than the 303 and maybe even a little more musical. I know the Cary 303 would have more low end. The Cary 303/200 is a great player and both of the Cary's are better made than the Ayre. The Ayre is nice looking, but the buttons are cheap feeling and whom so ever thought up the hyrogliphics on them must have been way stoned.... they dont make much sense. The cd drawn is cheap, flimsy plastic, the Cary is machined aluminum, I know they dont do that much, but still, build quality counts.
The mids and highs that the Ayre reproduces are very nice, voices are reproduced beautifully. That is easily the strong suit of this player. I wish I could hear a Gamut compared to these players, but that not a option in my area.
Dont get me wrong the Ayre is a nice player, in fact so is the integrated, they would make a great set that I would be very happy with. They just dont happen to be better than what I currently own.(Cary sli80/306/200) Of course thats my HO.
Mike