Audio Research, AYON and Primaluna tube amplifiers.

Two years ago I upgraded from a Wyred4Sound STI-500 v2 to an Ayon Triton III Gen 4 with KT150s to power my JM Labs Mezzo Utopias. This was a huge upgrade in sound quality and sound stage.

I got to directly compare the Triton with an Audio Research VT80se. While the VT80se had a gorgeous sound, it was beaten (obviously) by the Triton in the power department. The Triton has all the detail, warmth, and loveliness of the ARC with soooooo much more power.

I then added an Audio Research Ref 6 preamp. The soundstage bloomed and became much larger than the actual listening area. The detail was incredible, though the high end could be a bit harsh at times.

The next step was to replace a Wyred4Sound essential music server and DAC 2 DSDse with an Ayon s-10ii signature. This was the upgrade that seemed the most tangible to date. The soundstage extended further in every direction, the bass intensified, detail increased, instruments became more separated, and much of the occasional harshness in the high end was rounded off. Wow. So many wows.

I loved the sound though was forced on the path of wondering how an Ayon Auris ii would affect the sound. Would there be some special kind of brand synergy with 3 components from the same brand?

Two months ago I found a great deal on an Auris ii that had been used at trade show and jumped on it. The changes were not subtle. The soundstage shrunk, seemingly like 15 feet. Though smaller, the sound seemed more dense. The midbass slam went through the roof. Guitars, violins, voices, everything seems more intense. Any harshness in the high end has totally gone away.

I’m only a couple hundred hours into the break-in process and I’m really hoping the soundstage will open up. If the Auris’s soundstage comes anywhere near the Ref 6’s, it will be a clear winner, no contest. If it doesn’t, I don’t know. The Ref 6 soundstage is so special.

I’m pretty sure I’ll hang on to the Ref 6. I wonder if the upgrade from the 6 to the 6se would add the same qualities as the Auris ii while maintaining the soundstage. The person I spoke with at ARC claimed that not only should the upgrade to the se provide that oomph I was looking for, but that it would also show a marked increase in sounstage Big claims. I’ll hopefully find out some day.

Tl;dr - Ayon is superb. So is Audio Research. I have no experience with Prima Luna.

Guys, how about adding a new Jadis (not old) into a mix ?

How would they stand against ARC as for signature sounding and other criteria that I listed on OP?

I could consider Jadis integrated instead of Jadis stereo amp

Thanks all so very much

@onemadchemist  I haven't heard the Ayon, but I had my Ref 6 upgraded to the SE late last year.  My biggest observation was that the soundstage sounds more dense.  I don't know how it would compare to the Ayon in that context but it was noticeable for me in my system.  I also feel the soundstage expanded even further (well outside my room's boundaries) and, not that I ever had a problem with the noise floor on the regular Ref 6, the '6SE has individual instruments emerging from the blackest background I have ever heard in my system.  I'm not wanting for anything more, it's a nice (if temporary) break from the upgrade itch.

FWIW other components are ARC REF as well.

I have Audio Research, LA audio (no longer in business), Shanling, and Cary Audio. Cary CAD is 60 watts pure class A stereo tube amplifier and I personally like it the best of my tube tube amps. I thought about upgrading to another tube amplifier (Ayon Audio, Allnic Audio, or Atma Sphere) all class A amplifiers, but not sure it's worth the money.