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How hot does the Ayre EX-8 2.0 Integrated Amplifier get?

I am considering the Ayre EX-8 2.0 integrated amplifier and am concerned how hot the amplifier gets.  The amplifier will be placed in my Salamander Designs Wooden Cabinet (66"long, amp in middle cabinet), so heat is a concern.   The cabinet front doors will be closed, and the back is completely open (all panels removed).  I know the new 2.0 upgrade added new vents to remove the heat, but I am unclear how hot the unit gets.

There are no channel markings on the back of the amp for the left and right speaker connections and balanced inputs.   As you FACE the unit, is the left side for the left channel connections and the right side for the right channel connections?  

I called my retailer today for answers but they are closed on Mondays so I will call them on Tuesday.  To be honest, I prefer some real-world experience for how hot the unit gets.  I read a review who suggested Ayre’s Myrtle blocks to help cool the bottom of the amplifier.   Any other comments would be appreciated.  Thanks.  


hgeifman
beetlemania
834 posts
 
Why doesn't it have one, I wonder?
Charles Hansen used to write on these forums: “Performance, features, price. Pick any two.” 
The AX-5, IMO, gives you nearly all the sound of SOTA separates but at a relatively affordable price point. I think most AX-5 owners use the amp only to drive speakers. In my setup, for example, I have neither the space or desire to listen with headphones. I have a Pono player for that.
gdnrbob
4,444 posts
 
Charles Hansen was quite a character. I never got to meet him, but from his words and those who knew him, he was one of a kind.-In a good way.
B
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,618 posts
 
hgeifman
Nice score! on the AX-5 Integrated amp. There is magic in the "Twenty" series version. Impressive that you felt it bettered a Sim Audio 700i V2 amp.On an integrated this level, I would not want a headphone jack.

Another Ayre onwer here.
Happy Listening!
hgeifman OP
2,191 posts
 

Can the Ayre EX-8 2.0 Integrated Amplifier be left on 24/7 or should the ampliifer be placed in sleep mode when not in use?   Ayre specifications say '60 watts in operating mode'.   Thanks...

beetlemania
834 posts
 

Yes, you can leave an Ayre amp powered all the time. It doesn't hurt anything other than your wallet when the power bill arrives. Sleep mode saves power without powering completely off. I put my AX-5 in sleep mode most nights and I unplug it if I'm gone from the house more than about a week (my previous house was hit by lightning and I lost several components of my then mid-fi system).

I've read accounts of Ayre not sounding its best unless warmed up for many hours. That's not my experience but I rarely go from sleep mode to a full scale listening session, and pretty much never from completely off to critical listening. If I'm home and awake, my system is playing music so it's pretty much warm when I'm ready to sit down and bliss out.

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