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Ayre V-Kxe and Thiel 2.4s

Anyone heard this combo?

I've been waiting for an appropriately priced Pass Labs 250.5 to pop up, but the wait has made me consider some other alternatives. In my conversations with Pass, they've steered me away from lower power options (e.g., the 150.5), so I'm concerned that the V-Kxe won't have enough power to really push the Thiels. However in reading over the positive Stereophile review of the 2.4s, I think much of the listening was done on the this amp. It does save me quite a bit of cash over the Pass 250.5 though.

Any opinions are welcome (along with other amp suggestions). Thanks folks.
128x128cal3713
cal3713's avatar
cal3713 OP
1,421 posts
 
It's a funny world out there... wish we could all just take disks/equipment over to each other's house to examine the true state of affairs. Even since I made this thread, my INT-30A has kept improving (I'm about a month into ownership but leave it on constantly), and it is simply jaw-dropping spectacular a lot of the time. I'm growing increasingly concerned that the only thing I'll like better on the next amp will be the bass control and I'll only notice that when I listen to the very specific types of music that the deficiencies noticeable.
cal3713's avatar
cal3713 OP
1,421 posts
 
Unsound, sorry, but can you elaborate on how knowing that the Pass is a 15 amp draw will help me?
unsound
7,336 posts
 
Russellrcncom, the placement of the volume knob might not be meaningful with re: to the respective differences between power output of the different amplifiers. The amplifiers just might have different input sensitivities for full power output, and your preamps might be providing that much or more or less than that much output at a given setting to drive your amplifier to full or near full output at less than the preamps full output. For example: one amp might need 2 volts to achieve full power output, the other amp might need 2.2 volts to achieve full power output to achieve full power output, while your pre amplifier might be able to put out up to 7 volts at it's maximum setting, and up to 2 volts at it's 8 o'clock setting.
unsound
7,336 posts
 
Charles1dad, we don't know of Steve's great sonic results, only of his opinion of such. Thiel recommends more power, Pass recommends more power, and there hasn't been anything but an anecdotal reason to suggest otherwise. The measurements provided by Steve don't seem to suggest that the c-j or something very similar, would be as good, never mind better than what the OP has already tried. I would think that the point OP started this thread was to expedite the process of selecting the appropriate amp for his needs. With that in mind, I think it fair to point out that the c-j or something very similar, for the reasons I've already posted, is not as likely to satisfy the OP to that end as much as some other alternatives.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Unsound I certainly accept your apology, no problems.

Cal I`m glad you`re getting more out of your current Pass amp.Sometimes more power is the answer, but often I find it`s not the core problem. It`s usally higher 'quality' that`s needed.
Regards,
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