Ayre QB-9 USB DAC

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.

Here is a link where this guy who used to own the Ayre QB-9 preferred a less expensive USB DAC. See wdmoore451 post in the link.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.pup?topic=74816.msg901515#msg901515

Dracule1,

Yes, interesting post. I tend to second guess these rave reviews about the Tranquility DAC. It has been noted repeatedly here some shills around the Tranquility: always the same few raving about the Tranquility with no further posts about anything. The link points to wdmoore51, who provides a rave review, but has had only 2 posts in audiocircle...suspiciuos to me.

Now, I'm not saying the Tranquility is not good, because I just don't know that. But what I mentioned above, coupled with dB Labs disclosing nothing about the technology behind it simply makes me second guess.

Horacio