Ayre owners and preamp options: seeking advice

Now that new 8 series looks interesting.  I will also look at the codex specs again.  It has received a lot of positive reviews.  My current dac receives a USB input from my Mac Pro as well as an optical input from an older meridian CD player which I use as a transport.  I should try a newer dac  and see where that brings me.  If not a big change then I will very likely just get a new Ayre pre.  I really do love the Ayre stuff.  It's built well,  reliable and musical.  I'll probably die before it does.  thank you all for the helpful suggestions!

I am using a VAC Renaissance Mk3 pre with phono in front of my Ayre VX-5 Twenty with excellent results.

if your DAC is several years old, I'd definitely try another one - that technology is rapidly evolving

the Ayre integrated is 80 W/ch into 8 ohms

Ayrelock analog linear power supply

Double-Diamond amp circuit

"unexpected price" is TBD

Randy-11:  Agreed.  First thing on my list.

 Drrsutliff: if you are using a mc cartridge with yours, what is its output?  Can you hear tube rush at medium loud listening levels?

jc4659, I use an Ayre C-5xeMP - K-5exMP - VX-5 Twenty balanced link in one of my setups.  When asked about inserting a balanced Bryston high-pass crossover between the preamp and amp, Charles Hansen responded in strong terms not to do it.  I can only imagine what his response might be to the notion of modding the preamp.  OTOH, he did approve of taking the single-ended outputs from the preamp to a low-pass crossover that drives the subs.

I too want to update the K-5xeMP to a KX-5 Twenty, for the additional balanced inputs in my case.

db