Ayre QB-9 USB DAC

You guys need to get off of that rapid switching thing. It's not the way to evaluate audio gear. IMO, IME of course.

Drubin - To clarify, CD playback went through the Monarchy tube DAC, Computer went through the QB-9. My preference was the QB-9 with computer playback.

I don't do rapid switching, rather, I listen to short passages of music (45 to 60 seconds) and focus on certain qualities or instruments, and then switch to the other source and listen to the same passage. That way, I limit what I need to remember. The first pass, I might compare bass, second vocals, third drums. It is helpful to me to switch without to much transpiring in between.

Maybe you can clarify what you perceive to be the issues with this and let me know what method you consider to be better.

I auditioned the Ayre QB-9, the Bel Canto 1 with bat supply, and Wavelength all on top reference Ayre gear and the Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage loudspeaker.
The Wavelength was best in every regard. The Bel Canto was highly musical and came out of a pitch black noise floor. The Ayre was flat without any width or depth to the soundstage. This was noticed by everyone present, and completely took the QB-9 out of consideration in the shootout.

B_lee,

Thanks for posting your experience. To help put it into perspective, would you tell us a bit more: which Wavelength DAC did you audition, how were you feeding the Bel Canto?

While I have yet to jump on the asynch USB DAC bandwagon, I have been doing quite a bit of reading and your experience seems to be unusual. Nevertheless to be taken into consideration, though.

Yes, this is the first review of this kind I have read for the Ayre. I have one and have had a very different experience with it, finding it very fluid and musical, with excellent timing and and staging. All around wonderful DAC for the money.