I heard the MX-R's at my dealer with the not top of the line Ayre Pre-Amp and the Dynaudio Saphires, and the Ayre C-5Xe CD Player (I was auditioning for a new CD Player, comparing the Ayre to the Esoteric X03SE-I ended up buying the Esoteric) BUT what really caught my eye (actually ear) was the awesome sound of the Ayre Monoblock amps - S W E E T. Great soundstage, inner detail and over all a gorgeous, gorgeous sound. I'm not ready to upgrade my amps (yet) but that audition made me force myself to not buy them. They just sounded soooo good. One of the best (maybe the best) solid state amps I have heard. I was superimpressed by them. I can only imagine how they would sound with their beter preamp.