Billet Time

In the realm of Hi Fi pricing, $27,500.00 USD isn't a lot for a full-function pre-amplifier. If you wish to be Tactful, you could get a Tact RCS 2.0 today for a mere $500.00 even, making the $9000 upgrade price of the Ayre KXR-20 seem a bit steep. That's 450 $20's, after all - over one full year of cheap all-you-can-eat sushi. 1375 $20's, if you wish to buy new, and bring a stack in. As such, we're this one, "billet time."

If that were Hong Kong dollars, you could get your girl a nice John Hardy necklace for that, 30" of 18K gold, 2.65mm, which is more that is used internally on the hook-up wire, we imagine. Actually, since it isn't HKD, but USD, that's eight (8) JH's.

Now Krell was known for it's bus-bars in gold (KSA 250/300), but they were plated, much like any gold components on the Ayre KXR.

We find it interesting that Ayre adopted a 5-shooter (vs 6) arrangement to it's volume control, and other than the price ($1000 would be nice), they KXR (and 20) is just fine, so long as you do not adjust it's volume control, or input, for that matter.



We listened to the Ayre pre-amp with the excellent MXR mono-block amplifiers (superb!!!), driving  Vienna Acoustics' Klimt "The Kiss" Loudspeakers (great weight, style).

At every change of volume, it sounded as if a six shooter had gone off - those that don't like the sonic equivalent of Gatling gun changing barrels, will find it's included full-function volume remote control utterly useless, due to it's use of relays.

Those that wish a full-function pre-amplifier, then, should go for the modern equivalent of a Tact RCS, say a Devialet, or else choose a Burmester 808 Mk V (£22,242 GBP / $34,944 USD).

At this level, you should wish a component without issues, fully worth it's weight.