ARC VSi60 vs Ayon Spirit II/III

Lance0955, I sold my Mcintosh 275 and purchased the Ayon Spirit III about 4 months ago. I can tell you that it is for sure the sweetest amp I have ever owned and I have had a few. The Spirit III is airy, refined, smooth so musical and involving, totally non fatiguing. I switch between the triode or pentode modes for different music and they are are superb. I would never sell this amp.

I find the speakers taps to be excellent, easy to tighten and wow, these type of taps are used in amps costing 3 times as much.

Comparing the Spirit III to a Jolida is crazy! One man's passion is another man's poison!

In response to Lance0955 back 09/08/2010 you posted this about your Spirit II as regards the Cayin and Jolida amps that you said you also own:

"My main amp is the AYON SPIRIT II. It's more expensive but worth every penny and then some."

I'm a little puzzled, I'm assuming that you sold the Spirit II which you apparently loved, and at the time thought was better than the Jolida and Cayin amps and bought the Spirit III that you now don't love?

Everyone that's heard the III vs the II prefers the III, I have a Spirit III and it doesn't sound anything like what you describe, I suggest that you get it looked at because it much be broken. My Spirit III sounds big and fast, huge soundstage, punchy, dynamic, musical and killer base on pentode, on triode it has the classic triode lushness sweet mids, soft but detailed highs, bass a bit mushy, compared to pentode.. No grain glare nothing but great sound.. Frankly it sounds absolutely nothing like what you're describing, and it sounded pretty much that way out of the box. I really think you've either got a bad amp or bad tubes or it's hooked up wrong, maybe using the wrong taps?? I don't know, I just know my Spirit III sure isn't anything like what you've described.

Erikminer, I haven't heard the '#" but have the "2" and after Paul at USA Tube told me that,amongst other changes, that the "3" came with the Black Treasure tubes I decided to swap them in for the GL Reissues - they took a very good sounding amp up a coupleo f notches - net net- I, like you,don't hear what Lance0955 described even with the "2"

I have heard modified jolida and even the best Cayin is not in the same league as the New spirit mk3 for sure something is wrong for I have heard them, any pure class A amp with 0 negative feedback will better any ultralinear
tube I know of for it is a much cleaner signal, even in Pentode mode which is still much better than ultralinear
and still running Pure class A and 0 feedback. It is that simple .Please don't make that mistake if you have around $4500 to spend with discounts you will get this heavy duty amp and the preamp section with such a short signal path and the transformers are 1st class all the way Lundahs fron Sweeden,also the preamp section is better than most good preamps, direct is direct and even saves on the money on an extra pair of interconnects, as
well as power cords that in itself is at least $1k for anything decent .

Please, The Ayon is superior sounding! I have had the the VSi60 in my home. (not bad btw) but Key word is sound. I have never had any issues with my Ayon Triton and the the Spirit II gets you about 90% of the Triton. Yes a Toyota is very dependable and out sells Porsche. But I would still rather have the Porsche.