2. digital
  3. 1227537678

Transporter vs Ayre CX-7e

About a month ago, I bought a Logitech Transporter and it was a noticeable improvement over my Music Hall Maverick SACD player (for playing RBCD) so I gave it some thought and ultimately decided to dump all my physical disc players and move toward a media-server based solution with the Transporter as my final digital front-end.

However, I was in the showroom the other day at a local HiFi store and they had an Ayre CX-7e pumping through some decent, but not rediculous equipment. It was going through an Anthem TLP-1 Preamp, feeding an Anthem MCA-20 amp and pushing Paradigm Signature S6 v2 speakers.

I had heard just about all of this equipment before, but the Ayre was new to me and I was in awe over the tonal accuracy of instruments and voice. BUT, it was in a showroom, different equipment than I have, etc, etc, etc.

So my question is, does anyone here have any direct experience comparing a CX-7e with a Transporter? Was what I was hearing in the showroom a product of the showroom acoustics or is the Ayre clearly a better sounding device (when it comes to airiness and tonal accuracy).

I currently have a Marantz AV8003 preamp feeding an Outlaw 750 amp (although looking to replace the amp as mentioned in another recent post) pushing a pair of Focal/JMLabs Electra 1027be's. I'd like to think that my preamp/amp/speakers equal or exceed the quality of what I heard but I can't get the sound from that showroom out of my head.

Maybe I'm just rambling and I've already subconsciously made a decision here, but I figured I'd reach out to see what ye almighty Audiogonners thought.

Thanks in advance,

-Ben
fatgh0st
fatgh0st OP
43 posts
 
Cerrot: No apologies necessary. I'm glad you cleared up the difference a bit for yourself :-)

The fact that you have listened to both a transporter and a 7e in the same system is a huge plus for my opinion gathering.

If you don't mind me asking, what type of preamp, amp and speakers did you listen to both units through?
chesebert
67 posts
 
Cerrot, thank you for the update. I have a hard time going back to CD now that I am listening to 24bit files (you should really try running the transporter with 24bit files)

Wireless, I generally buy from Linn, although I have been buying from High Definition Tape Transfer Online in the recent months (little tight on $$ ;)
coors
3 posts
 
before you go with the ayre take a listen to the Linn DS system. I heard the Linn Akurate DS demoed against the ayre c5, arcam and DCS puccini. the linn was the best digital I have ever heard. the price is above what you are looking into however they have another product the Majik DS which is about the same price as the cx-7e. It is also a music server which I think will be the future of digital. take a look at the linn forums there is a lot of discussion about the ds versus the transporter and squeezbox. even if you dont go with the Linn system i encourage anyone to listen to these machines, they really are a breakthrough in digital
No affiliation with Linn. I dont even own any linn components but I do own ayre phono, pre amp and amp. My next upgrade will be a ds system no doubt, unless another company comes out with something better in the same price range.
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
I had not listened to hi res files on the transport.

The system I listened to the Ayer 5/7 and Esoterics in was yre preamp (not expensive, about $3,000); Ayre MXR amps (awesome amps) and speakers were the Dynaudio Saphire's. The system I head the Ayre 7 and transporter in was Classe amp & preamp and B&W 802's.
papajoe
43 posts
 
Chesebert,

How would the Ayre C-5Xe reading a redbook layer vs. a transport running a 24bit/88khz flac file?
More to discover