Ayon "Best of Show 6 years etc" When is enough ENOUGH?

@thecablepro 
That's what they see today, but there are real signs of life in the high end market also. As an early adopter of the Pono player, I am also active on those forums. Since that community first got started, I can't tell you how often members who have "tasted" high-resolution music via the Pono engage in discussion over how to take their initial headphone high resolution experience and turn it into a righteous room-filling musical experience.

Those little high res players (how many brands are there now? Plenty!) are the proverbial "gateway drug" into good sounding two and multi-channel systems. That trickle will turn into a stream when the current crop of iPhones, iPods and similar Android phones shift into high resolution mode — don't kid yourself, it's coming and the manufactures will cater to it because it means more sales.

What our community sees today is really interesting in multiple dimensions. First, the Internet undermined break-and-mortar sales. But it also unleashed a number of Internet-only audio companies that sell higher quality product for the same price as the marked-up brick-and-mortar stores ...because they can! ...And that's good for the consumer. Secondly, music reproduction took a major detour with the advent of portable music players ...remember the Walkman? The iPod/iPhone/Android phones are Walkman-on-steroids. Instant gratification. Then the streaming services, which went from low resolution to now having some high resolution choices as well.

There are a lot of changes afoot, and with this many people listening to music on the go, I think we can expect to see a real revival in high end audio as well. What am I saying? There IS a revival well underway: Vinyl. Vinyl! For god sake we are buying more vinyl these days and it is absolutely growing. Reel-to-reel is back too. 

While the ads are amusing I'm glad that USA Tube Audio continues to support this site.  My experience with them has been fine too and I have found them to be very friendly and helpful.  Regarding the Ayon equipment, I have two Ayon based systems:  (1) Triton 1 with S-5 media player, and (2) a Spirit 3 anchored system.  I have had no issues with any of their products.  My best friend has had a Spirit 1 based system for several years and has not problems either.

@reynolds853 After listening to the Ayon Triton (with Avalon Acoustics speakers) since Jan of this year, I can say it is simply outstanding. In fact, it completely changed my view of high end gear. I have the same opinion of the Ayon CD07. Both are exceptionally well conceived and built. By example, the Triton weighs over 120 lbs and cranks around 100 watts in pentode mode, and around 80 watts in pure triode mode.

Yes, I look at other gear all the time ...but why?

must be working.  if no one ever buys them then im guessing that the ads would disappear.

"There IS a revival well underway: Vinyl. Vinyl!"

From what I can tell the "revival" is comprised of two main demographics: Baby boomers who have a sentimental attachment to records, and Millennials who have an attachment to records because they are "cool" and "retro". Eventually the Millennial set will lose interest and move on, (as they do with most of their fads) and the Boomers will be left carrying the torch, for however long. Have you seen Stereophile lately? Every month it's five feature articles about how big records are again, written by guys who have been collecting records for 40 or 50 years. Aside from the fact that I don't understand why anyone in 2016 would sign on to cleaning records, I don't begrudge them their analog enjoyment; my point is that the explosion of Vinyl has been greatly exaggerated, for marketing reasons.