I'd like to thank the originator and contributors to this website. I got into computer audio fairly recently but have been into hifi for years. i've been a turntable guy for 20+ years with a pretty high end system (Brinkmann LaGrange etc) and never heard a CD or SACD system that came even close to it, and I've heard dCS and other top digital systems, until I heard the Ayre QB-9.
Anyway, I bought the Ayre and a mac mini, set up "optimally" as described by some contributors here and per the Ayre website, and the sound is truly amazing. I have listend to loads of CDs which I also own on LP, and really can't tell much difference. When it comes to older LPs and the CD releases, e.g. the Beatles Mono LPs compared to the Mono CDs of 2009, the LP sound is significantly better, but then the Ayre/Mac Mini combo costs a fraction of the Brinkmann setup and still sounds great. But comparing say the Stones 176 recordings to vinyl, both sound equally fantastic. Digital for me has truly come of age and the ease/laziness factor of the ipad/remote probably swings it in favour of digital.
The other nice thing about digital is that having tried Amarra, Puremusic and Decibel...and also some very expensive USB cables that run to over a thousand US dollars, I really cannot tell any lasting difference between them and the Kimber USB cable I bought with the Ayre. I did try the stock cable supplied with the Ayre and found quite an improvement moving up to the Kimber, but nothing when trying more expensive cables. The most expensive one I tried was the Siltech Golden Anniversary but again, no real improvement. Whenever I've tried analogue cables and even coaxial cables in the past I've heard the night and day differences people talk about, but with USB it's more like 3pm versus 3.15pm...in my system.
By the way, I don't have any other Kimber cables and am not a particular fan of them. I used to have some of their top silver ones (1030?) but sold them for some cables that I thought sounded better.
I was initially a little bit impressed with Amarra and Puremusic, and I did try memory and hognsettings and all that, but when I switched back to straight itunes I couldn't tell much difference. Maybe this is because of the asynchronous dac in the Ayre? I don't know and I wouldn't argue with those who hear a difference with whatever DAC they have. I just didn't. I did however find the quirks of Amarra and Puremusic annoying. I have my mini set up to also play ripped DVDs (which I bought legally) but found I often had to quit Amarra or Puremusic to get sound from the DVD so I gave up with them since I couldn't tell the diffence in sound anyway. I now listen to DVDs in two channel throught the Ayre and have ditched 5.1.
So thank you again to the many contributors here. I've read many of your posts in the last few months and have learned much from you.
Best.
