Ayre V-5xe best tube pre-amp to match with?

Frank: The cost to upgrade a VK30SE to a VK31SE was $1300 when I did it three years ago. The cost from VK50SE to VK51SE was a few hundred $$ more than this. The 30SE was so very muted in the trebles; this was significantly refined with the 31SE. I suspect a similar improvement was made with the transition to the 51SE. My gut feeling is that the 31SE would be the more tonally coherent product compared to the 50SE. They are both in the same price range on the used market so take your pick.

24phun: The CAT sound has "synergy"? Synergy to what?

I have a lot of experience with the CAT Ultimate II vs. the Aesthetix Callisto Signature in my own system. A CAT dealer loaned me the Ultimate three months ago and I have done much listening with both the CAT JL-3 amps and the Wolcott mono amps driving SoundLab A1s.

The CAT products are not about synergy - they are about phenomenol low-level resolution, excellent coverage at the frequency extremes and dynamic contrasts like few if any other product lines can match. One must decide if these strengths are a priority or to go with another product that perhaps has a greater presence of harmonic textures, ambience, decays, portrayal of space, etc.

My own experience has consistently been that the preamp can make or break the performance of the system far more than the amp. I would find a preamp that put a smile on my face like no other, then nail down a speaker that worked well within my room and budget, AND THEN find an amp capable to drive the speaker and provide the balance in many sonic attributes with the rest of my system. Buying a preamp to match my amp seems bass ackwards here.

John

24phun: I´ve learned from Charles Hansen that he likes the SL-1 VERY much, but values the Aesthetix and BAT gear as well. Next weekend I´ll be able to compare Hovland HP-100 with BAT VK-31 SE and Ayre K-1x. The Hovland matches as well very good with the V-5xe (I´ve already experienced that in an all Ayre system driving Avalon Ascendant speakers). Can´t tell you about HP-100 vs. SL-1.

Frankpiet,

Please let use know your impressions of those 3 preamps after you do your comparison.

Karl

So, here we are. After comparing HP-100 to VK-31 SE and Pass X-1, X 2.5 and Rowland Synergy II i I ended up buying Ayre K-5xe and added several modifications. The result is amazing !! US $ 900,00 for mods turns the already impressive K-5xe into a giant killer. Leaves X-1 and X 2.5 as Synergy II i (last two previous units in my chain) far behind. Musically more involving + added speed, transparency and detail compared to VK 31 SE. HP-100 nice, very appealing but not as a partner for V-5xe.
Next higher level was Nagra PL-L (GREAT), CAT SL-1 Ultimate MK II and Ayre K-1xe (all great units) but a) to expensive for me and b) the difference is not that huge to pay twice the money.

I am taking delivery of the Ayre C5XE, V5SE and K5SE next week and I'm curious what mods you were able to make to the preamp to provide this improvement. Would you please share this info? Thanks.