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Ayre C 5xe Universal vs. Cary 306 SACD

Has anyone done a direct (as in same system), thorough comparison of these two players? If so, please let us know if you were able to compare their performance on both red book CD's and SACD’s and how it turned out. Some back ground about the setup, gear, music material, etc. would be helpful, too. Thanks.
kalan
joey_v
668 posts
 
I'm stuck in this dilemma... Cary 306 or Ayre 5xe.... dangit.

Joey
robal
8 posts
 
I used to own the Ayre and now I own the Cary. I think they're about equal on redbook cds, the Ayre having more detail and the Cary more body and weight. The Cary has a warm presentation that draws you into the music while the Ayre is all about truthfulness. It really is all about one's preference. I definitely enjoy sacds more on the Cary; I didn't like the lowered analog output level on sacds with the Ayre.
tboooe's avatar
tboooe
1,009 posts
 
joey, with your ML Summits, I would go for the Cary. I would be concerend that the Ayre combined with the Summits would be too much of a good thing. The sound may be too clear and detailed to the point of sounding harsh. Let me know what you decide...
kalan OP
185 posts
 
Joey_v, I am also interested in your decision. Please keep us posted. There is no replacement to hearing both units, side-by-side, in your own system.
brm1's avatar
brm1
108 posts
 
I would agree 100% with Robal. My experiences were exactly the same as his. I really like the Cary 306, its much more enjoyable to listen to compared to the Ayre.
Mike
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