This Ayon Spirit III Integrated tube valve amp is considered "high end". It's made in Austria. At 38kg or 84lbs, it's built like a tank. I picked this up used about a month ago. I have done many amp rolling sessions between this Ayon, a Carver TFM35X 250-wpc solid state amp and the AkitikA solid state amp and preamp i built from kits. I have to use the AkitikA preamp with the Carver as it has no volume control.
I can also use the Ayon as a dedicated amp which bypasses the preamp circuitry and it becomes a stand-alone amplifier with no volume control. I have also paired the AkitikA preamp with the Ayon in direct amp mode.
The differences between the Ayon and the two solid state amplifiers is instantly registered from the very first sound you hear. The level of detail and separation of voices and instruments is one of the first things you notice as well as a more open "3D" sound stage. High frequencies are detailed but smooth and never harsh when using the Ayon. The same cannot be said of either solid state amp and surprisingly, the AkitikA is actually smoother on the high frequencies than the Carver. Both solid state amps clip anywhere from 66%-85% volume. I have yet to hear the Ayon clip even at 100% volume.
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