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The imperfect amp: Pass or Ayre?

There are two high end SS amp brands which, from a technical perspective, don’t do very well, which I am thinking of:

Ayre and Pass.

Pass has stated that even ordered distortion is euphonic. Ayre’s zero feedback, diamond circuit has a great deal of distortion compared to the very best measuring amps.

I have to admit, that like an IPA vs. a Belgian White, I have a very strong preference, but my preference is not canon. It is just how my wallet moves me. You should in no way feel like my tastes matter. Buy what makes you giddy with joy.

Would you, kind lady or gentleman, tell us if you have heard both, what did you think?? Is this to narrow? Would you throw another brand into the ring??
erik_squires
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,895 posts
 
Wolf - harshing the mellow love it....what low distortion strings are ya using on the eight thousand dollar wonder ?
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,895 posts
 
@earthtones  Welcome to the unfair advantage of Vandersteen powered bass and finally an amplifier PURPOSE designed to exploit that advantage. The M7- HPA replaced the Ayre in my system, not a fair fight for a lot of reasons. yes Vandersteen had very specific goals to hit for odd order harmonic distortion in the M7 and M5. Really a towering achievement IMO and little understood : just 5 parts in audio signal path, liquid cooling for bias set point and device stability, no emiter resistors, analog temp control ( no RF trash near audio ), built in HRS suspended truss isolation, 128 V DBS....cyclotronic circuit....the list goes on, but of. course the music and the listening are the gig....
gdnrbob
4,442 posts
 
@tomic601 , 
How I envy you...

I hate to sidetrack, and, I probably should just PM you, but I'm here...
You mentioned you had both a non-Twenty and Twenty version of an Ayre amp. Could you describe the differences between the two versions?
I keep wondering if I should upgrade.
Bob
wolf_garcia
6,691 posts
 
I use Elixer Nanoweb lights.
caphill
673 posts
 
Good components or gears are the ones that provide us with musical enjoyments. We can never judge hifi audio components with bunch of numbers (measurements). We all have to listen, listen, listen. What I look for in amps and other components or gears is musical involvement and engagement if it's used for stereo music application. 
I won't look for their distortion measurements, etc, etc. 
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