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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
chesebert
38 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
1,606 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?
chesebert
38 posts
 
Papajoe

I have no idea. I did not hear the 2 side by side.
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