Ayre recommends Cardas cable and the Golden Reference is a good one.
I personally use Audioquest Cheetah with the upgraded 72v DBS. I have found this cable to add less to the overall sound than any cable I have tried. It seems to work well with any type of music and presents a very neutral presentation.
Other cables I have tried seem to add something to the sound. It really boils down to personal preferences. You will probably receive numerous answers which tells you there are no answers to this one. |
Hi Frankpiet,
I would recommend Purist Audio Design. I am using Venustas, and they are the best interconnects that I have tried.
Good luck,
Mark |
I am using Cardas Golden Reference on my C5xe and I beleive that Ayre does use a lot of Cardas on internal wiring. I know they offer the Myrtle Blocks same as Cardas only with the Ayre logo. There seems to be a connection there between the two companies. What ever it is, it is a good combo. |
Ayre voices all of their components with Cardas cables. That doesn't mean you might not like something else better. |
Thanks so far. I found the TaraLabs ISM 0,8 onboard far superior than Cardas GR. Would like to know any opinion on Nordost TYR, Jena Labs and Shunyata Altair.. |
I have owned and tried many diferent cables over the years. The best I have heard are the Jena labs. I replaced the Acoustic Zen Silver II with the mid line Jena Symphonies ($1,100 per meter). The Acoustic Zen are great cables, but the Jena symphonies are more tonally natural with a more open soundstage, better sense of space, bit better focus, depth and greater purity. To top that off, they are also very transparent as well. I also use the Valkyres for speaker cables and love them.
The Jenas have been superb in various systems but I do not know how they work with Ayre. |
I tried a bunch of cables for going from a CX-7 CD player to my preamp (Krell KRC-3). Some, like the PAD Venustas, were interesting and quite good in many areas (incredible resolution and soundstage). Others that were good were the Shunyata Aries and Nirvana SX-LTD. They were many others that were not as good as those mentioned here.
Ultimately, I thought the Venustas too colored and dynamically restrictive in my system (though at least a cut above everything else in other areas). In my system, and based on my interpretation of neutrality (which is what I am after), I thought the best cable I tried was the Nirvana SX-LTD. On the other hand, Cardas Neutral Reference had a way with the CX-7 and was much cheaper, so that's what I went with. |
I have to agree with Glenn-garza. The Nirvana SX Ltd is a great cable with Ayre as is Cardas Reference (Neutral, and Golden and the new Golden Presence). Purist is also very good with Ayre, but I would use the Aqueous Anniversary rather than the Venustas as it has less "color" in the mids and far more detailed extensions both top and bottom. Have fun - try some different cables and get what sounds best to you. John |
I went for a pair of Shunyata Altair Helix (between V-5xe and K-5xe) and for a pair TaraLabs ISM 0,8 Onboard between DV-50 S and K-5xe. Found Nordost to thin sounding with Ayre and PAD to coloured. Cardas Golden Ref. lacked detail, speed, slam and transparency compared to ISM 0,8. Excellent but to expensive was Siltech SQ 110 MK II. |
Forgot to clarify... the power filter and new rack tamed the brightness in my system, and so the Ayre i-c's, which are brighter than the Golden Cross, now are better for the system, whereas before, they were too forward in their sound. |
I've used Cardas Golden ref. and the Golden cross cables from begining to end with the Ayre gear. Could not get into any of it. i have had tried others also, but the Audioquest DBS cables (anything from Panther and up) have given me the best results. Best amount of detail, while still smooth and with by far the best soundstage of any cables I have tried. |
Well there are a million cables out there... And I was in the same boat. But I have discovered cables and power cords that transformed my Ayre System and brought it to a level of clarity, purity, and musicality that I never dreamed possible. It also brought forth a huge, magical, pinpoint accurate soundstage. Truly a wonder to behold! I dare say even Charlie Hansen has never heard Ayre Equipment sound as good as my system. The company is Virtual Dynamics. I strongly suggest you give them a call. I am in no way connected with Virtual Dynamics and have spent around 10K with them now. Their B-Stock cables are affordable but not cheap. They put a photo of my system on their site with more of my comments. You owe it to yourself to give them a call. I cannot give their product a higher recommendation. Here is my system:
http://www.virtualdynamics.ca/content.php?id=96&secondary_id=52
My final setup is:
1. Speaker cable -- Master LE, spade terminations, 8'
2. Ayre preamp to Ayre power amp -- Master LE, XLR, 3 m.
3. Ayre CD/SACD player to preamp--Master LE, XLR, 1 m.
4. Power cord on CD/SACD player -- Old style Revelation, 5'
5. Power cord on preamp -- Old style Revelation, 5'
6. Power cords on amps -- 2 Master LE, length 7' and 10'
I traded my long beloved Thansparent Reference in on this cable and it is light years ahead. I also ordered Cardas Golden Reference power cords for my Ayre system before trying the Virtual Dynamics power cords. After listening to both brands, it was no contest. I returned the Cardas and bought more Virtual Dynamics. It is THE REAL DEAL ! |
Paul: you are absolutely right. VD Master Series II and upwards are GREAT cables. I used the Revelation Signature IC´s and couldn´t be happier - until I bought Stealth Indra. The Cardas GR wasn´t very good with Ayre. I liked more the Acoustic Zen Absolute which I had prior to the VD´s. |
Thanks Frank! Have you ever had your entire system cables, and power cords done with Virtual Dyanamics? One of Rick's main selling points for his product is the wonderful synergy you can obtain by having all the speaker cables, power cords, and interconnects be from Virtual Dynamics, and he so much believes in that, he gave me a good trade value for my previous cables on the total system package. I have certainly found everthing he told me to be true. The entire system approach seems to be more important with Virtal Dynamics product than with other companies. At least that is when my system attained the magical quality of a live performance, more so than with any other system I have EVER HEARD..... |
Paul: the same argument is with taraLabs and with Jena Labs, Siltech etc. I do not believe in cabelling a complete system with only one brand - unless you have e.g. a complete Ayre or Levinson system were all components are voiced quite similar.
In one of my previous set-ups I had different brands (Wadia, Ayon, Ayre, Pass, etc.) joined together and I had to use different brands all over to archieve best performance. |
To be honest Frank, I have not tried many super premium cables other than the Transparent Reference I traded in on the Virtual Dynamics. There may be many other things in the ballpark of Virtual Dynamics, and I am just unaware of them. But when I cabled the whole system with Virtual Dynamics cables and power cords, it just came alive, is the best way I can describe it. Everything is BIG, extremely musical, and the soundstage grew and focused as though I had doubled the physical size and quality of my already wonderful Wilson speakers. So I don't know what else is available in the cable world really, but I and my seasoned audiophile friends just close our eyes in amazement at the sheer power and beauty of my system transformation. I wish I could afford to get everything at the Genesis level by Virtual Dynamics. But I am very happy with a couple of Revelation power cords and Master LE for all the rest of the system. In my hifi travels of many many years, I have been most impressed with Magnipan speakers, Lux Audio seperates (no longer available?), and Ayre Equipment across the board, and now I am every bit as WOWED by my application of Virtual Dynamics in my system. Other cables and power cords that I have not yet heard may possibly do as well, but I cannot imagine that it could get much better... |
darn you!!! I have my full ayre getup cabled with all cardas (save for audioquest bedrock speaker cables) and now I'm wondering if it wouldn't be much more detailed and musical etc etc with different cables.
I even sent an email off to the cable company.
*sigh* |
Call Virtual Dynamics direct at 877-347-4489, and talk with James or Rick. They may be able to let you try some really great stuff, and also do you a very fair trade on your Cardas. I tried a Cardas Golden Reference power cord on my Ayre CD player, and it sounded very nice, but then I tried Virtual Dynamics and found the Virtual Dynamics to be way more spectacular in detail and soundstage....
Can't do any harm to check them out. I am now a Virtual NUT over Virtual Dynamics, and I am not in any way related to their company, just to make that perfectly clear. All my audiophile friends agree that my system is now World Class! |
Paul...
you wouldn't happen to live close to oklahoma or texas would you? I wouldn't mind giving your system a listen! |
I wish you could hear it, but I am on the east coast..... |
Well... I just picked up a 3.5m pair of 'new in bag' original master series ICs on ebay and VD is going to split them into a 1m and 1.5m pair for me. :)
They should be shipping in two weeks.
Can't wait to see what they can do! |
Adhaney, keep us posted on your experiences....
Cheers-Paul |
