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Ayre Acoustics CD Players

Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, Ayre Acoustics have been designing and manufacturing cutting edge HiFi since 1993. Since this time, Ayre have built an enviable reputation for both sound and build quality. Over the years, they have developed several in-house technologies that are exclusive within Ayre equipment. This includes the Ayre Diamond output stage, Ayre’s Minimum Phase digital filter, Ayre’s Equilock circuit (which enhances the zero-feedback, fully balanced circuitry for maximum clarity and resolution). They have also developed their own high-end crystal oscillator (for the clocking/timing of digital signals). This is very rare even in the high-end audio industry and illustrates the focus they have as a manufacturer on component quality.

For these reasons, and after our own careful listening tests, Ayre Acoustics is now added to our portfolio, taking products from their NEW and improved 8 Series v 2.0.

NEW

Ayre CX-8 CD player v 2.0

We still believe that CD offers the best format for the most natural and detailed sound for digital music replay. Ayre Acoustics is still very much focused on CD too. The design and build of this revised CX-8 CD player is first rate, with a beautiful milled, solid aluminium fascia.

In our listening tests we found the sound to be very holographic in its presentation with a deep and wide image, that projects beyond the boundaries of the speakers. The CX-8 has a satisfyingly rich tone which is not common in other brands at this price point. Vocals are particularly well rendered with a real sense of the emotion of the performance. Piano, a difficult instrument to get right, has the correct weight to the timbres and the intricate harmonics portrayed naturally. Complex passages are easy to follow, even in the largest of classical pieces. Transients have real impact and scale. This is an exceptionally musical CD player and offers real value.

There are optional digital inputs available separately for network streaming with the addition of two separate cards, either the Asynchronous USB module or the Ethernet Module.

Ayre CX-8 CD player v 2.0 Features
- Zero-feedback, fully balanced discrete circuitry
- ESS ES9038Q2M DAC – this is one of our favourite Delta-sigma chips for its ability to offer a very natural tone and timbre with minimal digital glare.
- Ayre’s custom digital clock – a rarity in the audio industry as almost all manufacturers purchase off-the-shelf crystal oscillators
- Ayre’s Single-pass 16x oversampling with Minimal Phase Filter – allowing for the most natural and realistic reproduction
- Ayre’s Diamond output stage – maximising resolution and drive
- Ayre’s Equilock gain stage – This design stabilises the voltage across the gain transistor, which in turn stabilises all the parameters of the gain transistor. With traditional circuits, all these parameters (transconductance, capacitance, etc.) vary when the voltage across the transistor varies
- Linear analogue power supply
- High-speed circuit board material
- Optional digital inputs are available separately through the addition of two separate cards:
1. Asynchronous USB Module – allowing for connection to your favourite streamer or your PC. Resolution is up to 24 bit/384 kHz PCM or DSD 128 (as DoP) or DSD 256 (as DSD-RAW)
2. Ethernet Module - with a max resolution of 24 bit/192 kHz PCM or DSD 128. This Ethernet option allows for Network Streaming as the CX-8:
- Is a Roon End Point
- Allows for Spotify Connect
- Recommends the downloadable mControl App which allows streaming from various subscription services including Tidal and Qobuz
- Allows for use with various UPnP applications

Ayre CX-8 v2.0 CD player £5,500.

Optional digital interface boards for CX-8 v2.0 £t.b.c.

Ayre Acoustics website

Paul Sechi of Stereonet reviewed the Ayre CX-8 CD player v 2.0 in February 2023.

“I came away from my time spent with this machine with a large grin on my face from the great musical feast it served up. There’s no better testament than when your music collection feels new and revitalised. So if you are after a reference CD player, this is an essential audition.”

Read his his full review .