RE: John Atkinson's review of the Ayre QX-5 Twenty

Critic's Corner

Discuss a review. Provide constructive feedback. Talk to the industry.

Posted by John Atkinson (R) on September 3, 2017 at 12:43:08

In Reply to: RE: John Atkinson's review of the Ayre QX-5 Twenty posted by Charles Hansen on September 2, 2017 at 22:27:53:

>In the system at the Ayre factory the USB input using a Melco server sounds
>better than the Ethernet input - but in that case the modem is at least
>200' away and the network has about 20 computers and servers with a lot of
>traffic and old CAT 5 wiring.

My network router is just 8' from both the Mac mini and the QX-5 Twenty
and the only other things on are my MacBook Pro, a NAS, and an HP printer.
Ethernet cable is AudioQuest Vodka, which I think is equivalent to CAT-6.
(I could be wrong.)

>The best way to get a handle on how good your computer set is working is to
>compare it to a CD/SACD transport (preferably with a linear power supply).

I use my 2005 sample of the Ayre C5xeMP as a transport, and yes, the sound
of that playing CDs over S/PDIF to the QX-5 Twenty has a little more of
what Art Dudley calls "force" compared with the computer on either USB or
Ethernet. But . . . I love using Roon as my playback app.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - John Atkinson's review of the Ayre QX-5 Twenty - dbphd 16:54:10 09/01/17 (10)

RE: John Atkinson's review of the Ayre QX-5 Twenty - bjh 07:49:57 09/03/17 (2)

RE: John Atkinson's review of the Ayre QX-5 Twenty - dbphd 11:24:28 09/03/17 (1)

I love my Z1. What Audio Settings do you use? The Balanced-outs on Sonys - oldmkvi 07:56:31 09/09/17 (0)

The issue is memory retention - jeromelang 21:47:08 09/02/17 (0)

RE: John Atkinson's review of the Ayre QX-5 Twenty - John Atkinson 04:13:53 09/02/17 (5)

RE: John Atkinson's review of the Ayre QX-5 Twenty - Charles Hansen 22:27:53 09/02/17 (4)

RE: John Atkinson's review of the Ayre QX-5 Twenty - John Atkinson 12:43:08 09/03/17 (3)

I love using Roon as my playback app. - Rod M 18:31:37 09/03/17 (2)

RE: I love using Roon as my playback app. - Charles Hansen 22:54:49 09/03/17 (0)

RE: I love using Roon as my playback app. - bigshow 18:41:53 09/03/17 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: John Atkinson's review of the Ayre QX-5 Twenty - John Atkinson 12:43:08 09/03/17 (3)

I love using Roon as my playback app. - Rod M 18:31:37 09/03/17 (2)

RE: I love using Roon as my playback app. - Charles Hansen 22:54:49 09/03/17 (0)

RE: I love using Roon as my playback app. - bigshow 18:41:53 09/03/17 (0)

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