Ayre K1X vs K1Xe

Kurt_tank- Thanks!

I do have a few other questions if you don't mind. Ejlif I don't mean to hijack the thread so tell me to take a hike if you'd like to.

Kurt_tank- The K-1x has output gain set at 50db with the gain resister at 75ohms. The e upgrade changes the factory set gain to 60db (I assume gain resister stays the same at 75 ohms) with a potential range of 50db to 70db. It sounds like you run your 0.3mv cartridge with a gain of 70db. Is that correct? As a basic rule of thumb would you run a 0.4mv cartridge at 60db and a 0.5mv at 50?

The other option listed in the Ayre manual is gain resister. I'm a vinyl newbie and I'm having trouble figuring out what to do here. Did you change the factory set resister which I assumed above stayed 75ohms? How would one create a basic rule of thumb here?

Mmike,84,

Yes, I run my 0.3 mv output cart with 70 db of gain, although, if I could, I'd rather use about 65 db of gain.
60 db of gain would probably work, but just barely, IMHO.

With a cart with 0.5mv output, I would use about 60 db of gain, and with a 0.4 mv output, I'd use about 62 db. (But of course the Ayre does not allow that level of refinement to the gain stage, so I'd probably just go with 60 db.)

Okay, here is a link, which shows the bare minimum gain needed.

http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vinyl/messages/27/271912.html

Personally, I agree with garth (see his subsequent response), that these figures are the bare minimum, and really it should increased by about another 3-6 db or so, depending upon the phono stage, or else the signal is either pushed to its limit, which limits dynamics, or it starts to increase the noise floor.

Plus the added benefit of having increased gain, is that you'll have less volume control difference between your sources. (And with the Ayre's rather complex volume control, I prefer to limit its use.)

As far as which resistor I used, I'll be honest and state it has been too long for me to remember which one I inserted. If you have any questions, I recommend that you call Michael at Ayre, 303-442-7300 x 233, as he is really helpful. (If you dislike talking on the phone, you can post a question to Charles Hansen over at Audio Asylum, (in the amp/preamp section), and he'll usually respond.)

Well, I hope I helped.
Good Luck!

PS If you're using a MC cartridge, make sure that your loading is set to about 100 ohms (versus the 50K ohms that a MM cartridge usually uses, and which the Ayre's default loading is set at, as I recall). Some MC cartridges like 1000 ohms, or something between the two, but I find 100 ohms to be a good place to start.

Most helpful. Thanks!

Day 2.

Wow!

It's totally worth it.

Mike,

Glad to see you went for it, and that you can appreciate the benefits of the "e" (evolution) upgrade.
I consider my K-1xe to be one of the cornerstones of my system, which means I doubt I will be upgrading beyond it for a long time, if ever!
:-)

That being said though.....

Don't you just long to hear the new Ayre KX-R preamp in your own system?!

I know I do!
But man, the $18,500 price tag is surely going to slow me down from getting it, as even used you can bet it will run around $14K for the next year or two.

And, since it does not have a phono stage, (I listen primarily to vinyl), that means that I'd end up having to spend money on a separate phono stage, and a cable to connect the two. (And since the phono stages I know I'd want to upgrade to, from the excellent Ayre phono boards, are both very expensive (Manley Steelhead or the ASR Basis Exclusive - both around $4K used), I doubt I will be upgrading anytime soon).

That would mean spending close to $20K on the new preamps. Ouch! (I spent $4K for my Ayre K-1x, and $500 to upgrade it to the 'e' version. Quite a bargain, IMHO!)

Oh well, I can dream!