Cayin H80A or Ayre AX-7e

We do not have the Ayre, but if anyone in the Metro-Washington, DC area is interested, we (Command Perforamnce AV), will be putting that Cayin on display this week.

Check out Simaudio's Moon i5.3. It's around $3k, built like a tank, extremely smooth and musical and a 10 year warranty to boot.

I bought my wife an AX-7e / CX-7e combo for a secondary system and I think she prefers it in many respects to our big system. It really sounds great, its from a great company that has been around for a long time, has tremendous customer service, has products that last (aluminum and stainless steel construction), and is made in America. I would look no further, especially as the Ayre dealer network is very strong and your dealer should be able to provide for an in-home audition -- something Ayre founder Charles Hansen believes strongly in. - Pete -

In all fairness, the Moon i5.3 cannot be compared to the liquidity of the Cayin. The simaudio product sounds harsh and dry by comparison.

If you need a solid state amp to compete with the Cayin, I would recommend Electrocompaniet products, as they have a tube-like presentation. I have owned the above (Cayin, Electro and SIM) and virtually everyone who has listened to the Cayin gave it a best buy consideration against twice-the-price products.

Have to agree with Sonicbeauty's "liquidity" comment regarding the Cayin. I have this in a system with the Cayin CDT-17A driving Rogers Studio 1A and it is a beuatifully liquid and and smooth sound. My only negative comment on the Cayin is that mine generates some hum which, although not audible when playing even at lower levels, is audible from a couple of feet when the volume is at zero. Thinking there was a problem with my unit, I sent it back to check/repair and it came back with exactly the same hum issue, so I assume it just doesn't rate so well on S/N ratio. Still, a great sounding amp!