I would grab this great piece asap, if I hadn't already got one myself. It has done wonders for my system. JA/Stereophile rates it a "solid Class A".
Here's a link to a good discussion on the Ayre K5-xeMP, with some brief comparison to ARC, VTL and even its big brother, the KX-R.
http://www.audioaficionado.org/ayre/11647-ayre-k5xe-mp.html
Happy listening.
J