Ayon Audio CD-5 versus CD-5s

Hi Denon.

You will find a lot of your questions if you email Ayon and ask for an updated instruction book. They have added a section warning about some high powered amps and xlr cables. The updated instruction book only became available last month.

$360 for a quad pair of tubes seems about right. But you mentioned $89-90 for a matched pair in your post.

Also did you upgrade the 6z4 tubes? On the old cd5 I think they were 6x4 tubes. Can someone confirm?

Below is sn email i recieved from AYON

Dear Sir,

You have a gryphon preamp, just connect the CD-5s to your preamp and your
preamp to the KW150.

If you wish to drive the KW150 directly, use RCA, you will get out the best
result thru RCA.  

Below is a note from the CD-5s owner's manual when you connect the CD-5s
directly via XLR to a solid state amp.

Exceptions for the „direct“ connection of the CD-Player with solid-state
power amplifiers or active loudspeakers:
   
There are some solid-state power amplifiers or active loudspeakers, with
which you rather should not use the symmetrical connection, or where, as the
case may be, a loud hum modulation, high-frequency interference signals or a
so-called “oscillation” can occur.

The Ayon 6H30-tube output stage is designed extremely puristical and
“short”; i.e. absolutely no negative feedback, no correcting or compensating
devices and no filter in the circuit. (See also the note about the special
properties of the 6H30 tube).
But “pure tube” design also means a big and difficult challenge in
realization for our engineers; and also e.g. we would respect some
non-important measuring data to a much lesser extent. All these puristical
sound-techniques require that the electrical interface parameters of the
subsequent power amplifiers should match the ones of the CD-Player in
accordance with the standards.

Typically the input impedance of power amplifiers is 47k or above. However,
there are solid-state power amplifiers with a lower value (down to only
1.8k). I.e., there is a significant matching problem between the CD-Player
and the solid-state power amplifier (impedance, capacity, phase rotation
etc.; in special cases there may also be a problem of a difference in the
grounding-potential of the connection). Furthermore some solid-state power
amplifiers possess not too big an input override rigidity (but paradoxically
in addition a high input sensitivity); therefore additionally they quickly
are overcharged by the “strong puristic” symmetrical output stage of the
CD-Player.

Therefore, in case of symmetrical input values below 47k we strongly
recommend to use the asymmetric RCA/cinch connection or a classic separate
preamplifier.

Note: in case you really wish to use the symmetric “direct” connection, we
can adapt the CD-Player to the special electric properties (power amplifier
or active speaker) to a large extent at your costs. Please note that then
the CD-Player can only be operated at optimal conditions with this
particular solid-state power amplifier or another with very similar
electrical input parameters.

Best regards,
Michael

I too notice a high, metallic 'ping' sound from my Ayon CD5s when changing sources; and it locks on to new source; its just a blip then wonderful and warm sound. I use balanced IC's from Ayon, but run it into a tubed VAC preamp; then out balanced to my solid state amps...so its not just when using the preamp function of Ayon that it 'pings', must a blip in its design; but I just get used to it; and don't worry about it anymore. No harm, no foul, but I do enjoy its wonderful sound stage; and detail and warmth...

Mribob

Did u ever try xlr direct into your poweramps?

Denon, i'd agree the preamp section in the CD-5s is good enough to knock off the Ref 3. In regard to your Krell 302, the imput impedance is set very high on xlr & should be benign to even the weakest tube preamps.

In regard to the metallic "ping" which you hear when you press play on your Ayon, this comes from the 6H30 tube filament and is very normal. Ayon do not use any negative feedback or compensators to erase tube noise or hum as most manufactures are doing. Boulder are the only company which properly understand negative feedback, but they are an exception. Most other applications of GNF have a negative impact on the sound.

Regarding the noise issue you're experiencing on "loudly" recorded cd's. Firstly, xlr cables help lower the noise floor through common mode noise rejection & better grounding, but also roughly double line level gain. The CD-5s already has high gain, and due to your Krell's high input impedance no doubt your over-juicing your amp which is causing the distortion. As a starting point, i'd recommend leaving the gain toggle set to 'low'. Remember the clipping point doesn't change with balanced cables, only the position on the volume control where that occurs. If the above doesn't solve your issue, i'd switch back to single ended cables which are apparently lowering the line level gain to an acceptable level.

Concerning the 6h30DR tubes, yes they are much superior to the factory EB's and provide a substantial improvement. But given the diminishing stocks of these tubes, I wouldn't have (personally) posted my source for the tubes, unless of course I didn't mind stock levels running down to ever looser matches & prices correspondingly increasing. My 2 cents.