Ayre owners and preamp options: seeking advice

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

That there is nothing out there regarding Ayre mods speaks volumes about the quality of Hansen's designs and overall satisfaction of owners of Ayre equipment.  Guess I answered one of my own questions.

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

Cadenza Black - 0.3mv output with no tube rush issues.