Ayre Codex DAC-pre to power amp


Hello

I am seriously considering buying the Ayre Codex DAC which can also be used as a digital only preamp. I currently own a Jolida 202 tube integrated - but would like to get rid of of it and connect the DAC/Pre to a power amplifier directly in order to get a more high power system (ideally at least 200W/ch).

In light of that, my question is as follows. Ayre are very particular about the no-feedback designs and perhaps that is the reason that I like the sound of their DAC and other amplifiers (that I have heard). However, a lot of their power amps are slightly out of my budget. If I chose to connect the output of an Ayre DAC to one of the following devices, would they color the output beyond all recognition?

Are any of the above power amps going to be good at retaining the exact color and time coherence that comes out of the Ayre? Should I be looking at others in the around 3K price range (used)?

badri
Badri
sorry it is on Ayre user group page. when I just looked at it my posts are visible but not Hansens..odd. Gist of it was I asked If I might be better to run DAC w volume control into amp vs thru my REF 5 se. His answer was sound would suffer.

Can you ? sure.

That was not my question.

You will get lots of opinions on this. 

Ayre service is top notch. Love my VX- R twenty.

@tomic601 I got my Codex yesterday. While it is too early to say what it’s sound is, given that it needs about 200 hours to break in, I can already say that the midrange is liquid, the highs are silky (though, just a bit bright) and the soundstage is much more expansive than just the Sonos. Already hearing things in my music that I had never even heard before. Massively happy with it - and can’t wait to see what happens when I move to using the balanced outputs!
badri
Happy is the ultimate goal and it sounds like the Codex is delivering that. Keep us updated as you listen more.
JD