2. amps-preamps
  3. 1230583009

Is there life after a KXR? Help

I finally found the ultimate preamp. My own version of audio nirvana. The Ayre KXR. The trouble is I can't afford to keep it. So now I have to find a worthy successor. I'm especially interested in a tubed pre. If it has a great phono stage that's a huge advantage but not required. The rest of my system are Ayre MXRs, and Aerial 20t speakers. I've owned (and liked) an Ayre K-1xe, Levinson 380s, and I've tried using a Wadia system and forgoing the preamp altogether. I intend to buy something used. $10,000 is the top of my budget but I could eek out a tad more if I had to.
mmike84
pinkus
144 posts
 
Mike,

not all Lamm's are tubed. In fact if I remember correctly, the Lamm Ref 1.2 are hybrid amps, where the tubes are present only in the input stage (small signal tubes), and the output stage is SS.

Should be interesting to compare the Lamm's against the MX-R. I personally would rather own the MX-R's simply because of aesthetics and convenience. The Lamm's are very big and run very hot.

However, I have to say that I have never, ever, ever heard anyone say that the Lamm's don't sound good, or are dry, etc. That has to be some kind of a record for any amp. Search through the archives, and forget about hearing bad things about Lamm's...you will not even hear anyone say that the Lamm's were outclassed by some other amp.
rufipennis
118 posts
 
I don't get it. You say the KX-R is your "ultimate preamp" but you can't afford to keep it. You have it for sale, asking about $13K. Your budget for a replacement is $10K. Looking at the rest of your system, it strikes me as odd that the $3K difference is beyond your means . . . just saying.
mmike84 OP
309 posts
 
Rufipennis- There's more to it than that but suffice it to say $10k is my top and that would probably have to include a phono stage. I appreciate the comments but the idea of this post is to get equipment suggestions not financial advice.
curriemt11
220 posts
 
> In the end I decided the MXRs mate perfectly with my speakers and should therefore be kept together.

And yet you have your MX-Rs listed for sale here on Audiogon? Weird.
mmike84 OP
309 posts
 
Happy New Year everyone!

I sure wish people could stay on subject and offer suggestions for potential replacements. I guess I offerred too much information.

Curriemt- You seem to be questioning something without actually expressing your point. Not sure what that's all about. I hate to offer such a mundane explanation to your conspiracy theory but.... yes it is a fact I did have my MXR's listed for sale too. Believe it or not the KXR did not sell right away. As I managed to get a bit overextended (hence the sale(s)) I decided to list the MXRs too and see what sold first. If they had I would have kept the KXR instead. Thanks for the reminder.
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