2. amps-preamps
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Is there life after a KXR? Help

I finally found the ultimate preamp. My own version of audio nirvana. The Ayre KXR. The trouble is I can't afford to keep it. So now I have to find a worthy successor. I'm especially interested in a tubed pre. If it has a great phono stage that's a huge advantage but not required. The rest of my system are Ayre MXRs, and Aerial 20t speakers. I've owned (and liked) an Ayre K-1xe, Levinson 380s, and I've tried using a Wadia system and forgoing the preamp altogether. I intend to buy something used. $10,000 is the top of my budget but I could eek out a tad more if I had to.
mmike84
curriemt11
220 posts
 
> In the end I decided the MXRs mate perfectly with my speakers and should therefore be kept together.

And yet you have your MX-Rs listed for sale here on Audiogon? Weird.
mmike84 OP
309 posts
 
Happy New Year everyone!

I sure wish people could stay on subject and offer suggestions for potential replacements. I guess I offerred too much information.

Curriemt- You seem to be questioning something without actually expressing your point. Not sure what that's all about. I hate to offer such a mundane explanation to your conspiracy theory but.... yes it is a fact I did have my MXR's listed for sale too. Believe it or not the KXR did not sell right away. As I managed to get a bit overextended (hence the sale(s)) I decided to list the MXRs too and see what sold first. If they had I would have kept the KXR instead. Thanks for the reminder.
sonofjim
557 posts
 
Mike,
I wanted to buy your KXR, I really did but I just bought the MX-Rs and that's too much at once. On the subject of BAT preamps, I've found them to work very well with solid state amps. I've used the VK 5i, VK 50se, and now the VK 51se over the past 11 years with a Krell FPB 600. I don't have it set up yet but very soon I will be using my VK 51se with the MX-Rs. I can't say for sure yet but I have no doubt the combination will work very well. I'm switching to the MX-Rs because they're considered a great match for the Vandersteen 5As. If you're curious on how this all works out, I can keep you posted. I plan to use the VK51se with the MX-Rs until I can comfortably afford a KX-R which may be a while.
mmike84 OP
309 posts
 
Sonofjim- Yeah I know the feeling. I bought my MXRs last summer. I thought I could swing them both but the stock market collapse changed that. I like your system. I plan to try 5as some day. Thanks for the BAT confirmation. I'd love to hear how it turns out fro you. The VK52 is intriguing as it's has an upgrade path to the top of the line model.
mtdking
157 posts
 
I have compared the Lamm M1.2 Ref to the MXR's. Let's just say that the MXR has some catching up to do. The only thing with the Lamm's is they are very preamp dependent. They don't like much gain. I also had the latest MXR with the newer transformers and Cardas wiring. All owners of the MXR should have that done as it gets rid of the transformer hum. The Cardas wiring helps also but it still doesn't catch the Lamms.
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