Ayon Spirit 3 what speaker combo will u recommend?


Just pulled the crazy trigger again on the Ayon Spirit 3, was wondering the best combos for the amp. It looks like ill be playing mostly computer music through a DAC with secondary dvd/cd source form the venerable oppo 95. I was thinking about the VR 33 but is wondering whether anybody out there has better suggestions. I have other speakers lying around but i doubt if they would do this amp justice, ML source and triton 2. my room is small though as this is my never ending office setup. 15x15 room with carpets.
sionlim
Sionlim,

My two cents worth: From what I have read, it sounds like your preference is toward warmth in your system. Mullard tubes are warm; Cardas Cross family of cables are warm. The Cardas Clear family is supposed to be more neutral - I have only heard the Cross family.

RCA tubes are not as warm as Mullard. I run RCA in my preamp. I used to run them in my amp but have since switched to all Telefunken. The Telefunkens are very clear. I have both smooth and rib plate versions of 12AX7 and 12AU7 that I got from Andy Bowman. I second too the recommendation made earlier in this thread about Andy. Compared to the tubes I have tried in my system (RCA, Mullard, Amperex, Tung Sol, Telefunken) I obviously preferred the Telefunken because that is all I now use. Between the smooth and rib plate Telefunkens, I prefer the rib plate as I find the leading and trailing edge of transients to be slightly crisper. The smooth plate ones are just a bit warmer, but I'm comparing Telefunkens - either one is clearer and more dynamic than anything else I've tried. And me hearing these differences came from swapping tubes back and forth and listening quite intently. In my headphone amp I use smooth plate EL84 and 12AX7 and love them. Anyway, I like Telefunken.

You also mentioned that you liked the Kimber 8TC. I am very familiar with Kimber. While the 8TC is very good, the 12TC gives better bass. I think it's a great value. My speaker cables are Kimber Select 3035, but if I wasn't using those cables, I would probably use the 12TC.

My best friend has the following system that I helped him assemble: Ayon Spirit-1, Rega Saturn CD, Silverline SR17.5 speakers in which I replaced the stock caps with Duelund VSF copper, Kimber 12TC speaker cable, Audio Magic old stock Sorcerer interconnects. He really likes his system.
Yup Mullards are warmer.. Tele's are brighter.. I think the RCA splits the difference and is a good match in the Ayon.. as with many things audio there isn't a best but a best for you and your ears.. I went the RCA route in my Spirit III because I didn't want to loose to much speed and detail with a tube that's too soft.. But it all really comes down to personal preference
I decided that an all mallard front and back end was too warm, taking away the crispness and details of the sound. So i now have a mallard front end and rca blackplates for the rear. - shall swap around with clear tops as well for the rear of the spirit 3.
Has anyone tried these wires, the virtue audio nirvana-4m pair with bananas is 234. supposed to be very neutral sounding.
THe problem with me is that i suffer from nostalgia. I bought the limber 4tc and 8tc because 20 years ago, i always thought of them as great. I know the 12tc would be better , but i limit myself to wire prices. I cannot justify the cost for them.
12tc is always sold in a flash when on audiogon!!
So it has always been now and forever 300 MAX for 10ft pair.
Also thank heavens that Ayon has only 8 tubes to roll. So i can actually get the best ones catered to my liking. My other set the PL pre and pwr has an insane amount. 8 each for the per and 8 for the pre.
thank goodness some of them were actually very good tubes or ill be broke ass.
Hey anyone changed the FUSE yet for the spirit 3 ? there is some kind of uber fuse for 50 bucks that makes it sound even better, anyone tried it yet? audioman58 pointed me that way.
As for speakers i still can't help myself but look at Sonus Faber Cremona M ! i just love everything about them.
If Thiels could be run by tubes ill surely get em. 3.7 !! i know , i know poor sound for sure - its nostalgia
we should just make a new thread for AYON SPIRIT OWNERS
that would be better place to exchange ideas and info about them. anyone?