AVReviews

In this review, I'll share my thoughts on the CD player I chose to purchase for myself, which is actually my very first CD player: the Ayre CX-8.

The player was purchased from "Avi Yaffe," the official importer of the Ayre brand in Israel.

Bottom Line

We provided an in-depth overview of the American company Ayre Acoustics in our recent full review of the Ayre KX-8 preamplifier and the Ayre VX-8 power amplifier, so we won’t repeat ourselves this time.

Under Test: Ayre CX-8

The Ayre CX-8, like the Ayre KX-8 and Ayre VX-8, belongs to Ayre’s 8 series, which is their entry-level range and also their newest series. At this point, the Ayre CX-8 is the only CD player in Ayre’s product lineup.

As with all Ayre products, the CX-8 is based on a zero-feedback circuit, using a Fully Balanced topology with discrete components. The built-in DAC is powered by an ESS ES9038Q2M chip, and the output stage features Ayre’s signature Diamond output stage.

The CX-8 offers analog outputs in RCA and XLR formats, along with a variety of digital outputs: optical, coaxial, and AES/EBU. These options allow you to bypass the built-in DAC and use an external one, effectively using the Ayre CX-8 as a transport only.

In addition to its ability to play CDs, the Ayre CX-8 can be enhanced with two optional modules:

1. Network Module – This adds a wired network input and a pair of USB ports for connecting storage devices. Essentially, this module transforms the CX-8 into a streamer.

2. USB Audio Module – This adds a USB Audio input, allowing the CX-8 to function as a DAC for an external source with a compatible output (such as a computer or streamer).

I chose to add the network module, and the version I received is the Ayre X-8 Net 2. This is a newly launched version that introduces a crucial feature: Tidal Connect support, in addition to the Spotify Connect and DLNA support that was present in the previous version. The new version is also expected to receive Roon Ready certification, although the process is still underway.

For those who value SACD support, the Ayre CX-8 does not support this format.

The device's dimensions are 44 cm wide, 33 cm deep, and 10 cm high, and it weighs 6 kg.

Design and Build Quality

The Unboxing video:

Package contents:

The Ayre CX-8 includes: a power cable, AyreLink cable, remote control, batteries, user manual, USB-to-WiFi antenna adapter, and three wooden isolation feet.

The isolation feet, made of wood, are included as a gift for buyers of Ayre products. In an attached letter, Ayre explains that they found placing their products on these isolation feet improves the sound quality.

The design of the Ayre CX-8 aligns with Ayre's industrial, clean, and functional aesthetic. Products from Ayre's Series 8 are available in either silver or black finishes. I ordered the silver version, which blends nicely with my furniture and the rest of my system.

The casing is made of aluminum, feeling smooth and well-finished.

The front panel, from left to right, includes a power/standby/mute button, an input selection button, an OLED display, a CD drive, and a set of control buttons arranged in an inner and outer circular pattern.

The display is the same as the one on the KX-8 preamplifier. It’s a monochromatic screen with a turquoise-cyan font and excellent sharpness. Despite the small font size, I found it readable even from a distance. In the device settings, you can choose whether the display turns off after a certain period or stays on continuously. Ayre recommends in the user manual to turn off the display to minimize any digital circuits in the system that might generate noise and to extend the screen's lifespan. I followed their advice.

The display shows information such as the album name, song title (I’m not sure if this data is fetched from the internet or read from the disc), and the elapsed time of the track (you can choose between the elapsed time or the time remaining). During streaming, the song title is displayed on the screen.

Regarding the control buttons on the right side, they are very clear and easy to use, but I found their build quality to be somewhat plasticky.

The CD tray opens and closes smoothly, and it feels solid and stable, despite being made of plastic.

In summary of the design section, the Ayre CX-8 maintains a solid and functional design with good build quality, although I would have preferred it if the control buttons were made of metal.

Functionality and user experience

The operation of the device using the buttons on the front panel is intuitive and straightforward. The left button serves to switch to Standby mode or active mode with a long press, while a short press mutes or unmutes the device. The adjacent button cycles through the various inputs (CD, network, or USB, if the relevant modules are installed). Finally, the buttons on the right side control playback and open/close the CD tray.

Additionally, the Ayre CX-8 comes with a remote control that works for all devices in the 8 Series lineup, including the preamplifier, DAC, and CD player. Therefore, we also mentioned the remote in the review of the Ayre KX-8. The remote is plastic and cluttered with small buttons. Plus, some of the most important buttons, such as the menu button and the return button, are even smaller than the others.

When entering the menu, it is presented in a user-friendly and logical manner on the screen, divided into five submenus. In the Input submenu, you can enable or disable inputs and change their names. The Output menu allows you to determine which outputs are active: analog only, digital only, or both, which is the default option. We will address the impact of this setting in the listening test section. The Display menu lets you set after how many seconds the screen will switch off, and you can also choose to keep it on constantly. In the Network menu, you can configure the WiFi connection and perform software updates; I opted for a wired network connection. Finally, in the System menu, you can find information about the installed firmware version and see which modules are installed in your device.

There are two additional points I'd like to mention regarding the user experience. First, concerning streaming: sometimes when a streaming function is integrated through a module within a device, it can lead to the limitation of streaming to the device only when it is in active mode. I’m pleased to report that you can start streaming to the Ayre CX-8 via Spotify Connect or Tidal Connect, even when it is in standby mode, which will automatically power it on and switch to the network input.

The second issue I want to address is a slight instability with the screen-off setting. A couple of times, despite setting the screen to turn off after 5 seconds, it entered a sort of loop, flashing every 5 seconds but remaining on. Restarting the device resolved the issue.

The Listening Test

For the listening test of the Ayre CX-8, I used my personal system, which consists of YG Acoustics Carmel 2 speakers, a Nagra Classic Int integrated amplifier, an MSB Discrete DAC with two external power supplies, and a Nagra Streamer. The details of the entire system are, as usual, noted at the bottom of the article.

This listening test is entirely based on comparisons, so let's get started:

Comparison 1: The DAC of the Ayre CX-8 vs. MSB Discrete DAC

The first comparison involved examining the performance of the DAC in the Ayre CX-8 against the MSB Discrete DAC. For this test, I connected the Ayre CX-8 to the MSB Discrete DAC using a Nordost Blue Heaven coaxial cable, while simultaneously connecting the CX-8 with a QED RCA analog cable directly to the integrated amplifier.

The album I used for this section was Two Piece Puzzle by Rosalie Cunningham, and the track I chose was "Donovan Ellington."

I started by playing through the RCA cables, meaning the DAC of the Ayre CX-8 was handling the conversion. There was good bass separation with an impressive texture in the low frequencies. The vocals were centered, and the presentation was energetic, with a large, three-dimensional soundstage and notable quietness between the instruments. The distortion effects sounded precise, and the positioning of objects on the soundstage was easy to distinguish.

When I switched to playback through the MSB Discrete DAC, the bass sounded richer and more substantial, tighter, and punchier. The midrange offered a bit more detail. Perhaps the most significant difference was in the relaxed, smooth, and more pleasant presentation. The soundstage was slightly wider and deeper.

I definitely preferred the results through the MSB Discrete DAC. As I mentioned in the revealing video for the Ayre CX-8 (available in Hebrew in our Youtube channel), my initial intention was to use it as a transport. Of course, the MSB Discrete DAC falls into a higher price category, and there was also a cost difference regarding the quality of the digital cables compared to the analog RCA. Nevertheless, the result was energetic and enjoyable even through the internal DAC of the CX-8. So, if you're looking for a CD player that includes a DAC, I think the Ayre CX-8 is an excellent choice. If you want to achieve better performance from its internal DAC, you'll need to step up and invest a significant amount.

Comparison 2: The Transport Section of Ayre CX-8 vs. Oppo 103

As I mentioned, the Ayre CX-8 is my first dedicated CD player. Until now, my CD playback device has been the Oppo 103 Blu-ray player, which I've had for about a decade. I’m not comparing a player plus DAC here; I think that’s not even a competition, and the advantage of the CX-8 is clear. The question is whether there will be a significant difference in the transport section of both devices. To examine this, I connected each device in turn to the MSB Discrete DAC using the Nordost Blue Heaven coaxial cable, ensuring a "fair game" with the same cable.

The album I used for this comparison is 1970 by Avishai Cohen, and the piece I chose is the opening track, "Song of Hope."

I started by playing through the Oppo, and I found it quite easy to identify the areas where the Ayre CX-8 could show improvement. The separation of the midrange wasn’t good enough, which was evident in the vocals not being clear enough, and in the piano solo, it wasn’t distinct enough from the bass; it felt like they were blending together. Additionally, the overall transfer didn’t feel clean enough. On the positive side, the bass was warm, the rhythm was energetic, and the soundstage was fairly large.

With the Ayre CX-8, the presentation is more refined, with the vocals being significantly better separated; this is true for the separation of all the layers. The bass has more texture, and the transfer is smoother and more pleasant. The sound is cleaner, and the separation of the piano from the bass in the solo section is more pronounced.

The Oppo 103 is a great device that will still serve me well for watching Blu-ray performances, but for CD playback, the Ayre CX-8 is in a different league in terms of cleanliness, detail, and smooth, enjoyable transfer.

Comparison 3: The Streaming Section of the Ayre CX-8 vs. the Nagra Streamer

Since I purchased the network module for the Ayre CX-8, I wanted to evaluate its performance as a streamer compared to the Nagra Streamer. Once again, the cable I used to test both sources was the Nordost Blue Heaven coaxial cable.

The piece I chose is the title track from the album Can't Stop Running by Israeli bassist, composer, and musician Adam Ben Ezra. I streamed the piece using Tidal Connect to both sources.

I started with the Ayre CX-8, and the atmospheric opening created a large three-dimensional soundstage. The bass playback featured good separation from the drums, with excellent detail and clarity.

When I switched to the Nagra Streamer, I noticed more details in the opening section; the Nagra Streamer excels at reproducing details in quiet passages. There was an improvement in the size of the soundstage, the naturalness of the presentation, micro-dynamics, and overall, the result was richer and more natural.

That said, the streaming result through the Ayre CX-8 was very good, and the differences between the two streamers are in the realm of "audiophile nuances." Therefore, there is no doubt that the Ayre CX-8 can function wonderfully as a complete digital source, including CD playback and streaming.

Comparison 4: The Transport Performance of the Ayre CX-8 via Coaxial vs. AES/EBU Connection

The fourth comparison involved evaluating the performance of the Ayre CX-8 using two different digital connections: the coaxial connection, again using the Nordost Blue Heaven cable, and the AES/EBU connection, for which I used the Shunyata Research Alpha V2 cable. I originally purchased the Shunyata Research cable for my previous streamer, the Lumin U2 Mini, but I barely used it before deciding to replace the streamer and buy the Nagra Streamer, which does not include this output. This cable is more expensive compared to the Nordost Blue Heaven, so this comparison isn't entirely fair.

For this comparison, I chose the album This Dream Of You by Diana Karll, with the selected piece being "Autumn In New York."

I started with the coaxial connection, and from the first note, it was clear that this is a superb recording with impressive depth and layers. The guitar sounds natural and full of detail. Diana's voice is centered and well-separated from the guitar and bass, which strikes a great balance between punchiness and softness.

When I switched to the AES/EBU connection, although the presentation was already good, I noticed an additional improvement characterized by a more airy and light sound, with an even more natural and engaging presentation. The difference isn’t huge, but it is noticeable, making the presentation even smoother. Diana's voice sounds caressing and is separated wonderfully from the music, and the bass feels slightly smoother with a subtle improvement in detail level.

Comparison 5: Performance of the Ayre CX-8 with the Analog Output Turned On vs. Off

For the fifth and final comparison, I continued using the AES/EBU connection and wanted to examine the effect of the output setting on the Ayre CX-8. Until now, it had been configured to output sound through both the digital and analog outputs simultaneously. Here, I aimed to see if I could achieve an improvement by disabling the analog outputs, which theoretically should turn off the DAC circuit and reduce noise.

The album chosen for this test is The Scope by French drummer Manu Katché, and the piece I selected is Glow.

When all outputs are enabled, the bass separation is excellent, and the drum recording here is simply wonderful. The soundstage is large and three-dimensional, with deep, punchy bass that is well-defined, and the electronic keyboards sound light and detailed.

When I turned off the analog outputs by selecting "Digital Only" in the menu:

I was quite amazed by the difference; this was probably the biggest surprise in this comparison test. At the same playback volume, I suddenly received more volume, along with improvements in clarity and dynamics. The presentation was larger and more powerful, with improved silence between the instruments, lower noise floor, and overall, this was the best sound I got from the Ayre CX-8. I think it's simply fantastic that Ayre chose to incorporate the ability to turn off the analog output circuits because for those who don't need them, it provides a noticeable improvement in sound quality.

The sound was so enjoyable that at this point, I put down my notebook and pen, relaxed on the couch, and listened to the entire album with great pleasure until the end. After all, this is the reason why one buys audio equipment in the first place.

Summary

The Ayre CX-8 features the company’s solid and clean design, along with good build quality made in the USA. My only comment here is about the plastic buttons; I would have preferred to see metal buttons instead.

The user experience and control of the device are excellent and user-friendly. In addition to the simplicity, there’s also diversity and customization options, such as enable\disable of inputs and outputs, display functionality, and more.

The audio performance of the Ayre CX-8 is at a high level as a complete source, both as a transport and a DAC. If you wish to exceed the performance of its internal DAC, you will need to invest significantly in a high-quality external DAC. If you do so, it is highly recommended to turn off the analog output circuit of the Ayre CX-8, which further improves its performance.

For me personally, the Ayre CX-8 concludes my journey of upgrading sources, which now includes the SME Model 12 MK2 turntable for vinyl playback, the Nagra Streamer for streaming, and now also the Ayre CX-8 for CD playback.

The Ayre CX-8, currently the only CD player in the American company’s product lineup, features modular design, allowing it to function as a streamer and DAC with USB Audio input, in addition to its role as a CD player. The extensive and comprehensive selection of analog and digital outputs ensures that no matter how you want to connect it, it has the type of connection you need.

Price: 29,000 ILS for the base model, 36,350 ILS for the model that includes the network module.
Warranty: 5 years (2 years on the disc mechanism).

The system I used for the review: 
Speakers: YG Acoustics Carmel 2
Streamer: Nagra Streamer
Bluray Player: Oppo 103
DAC: MSB Technology Discrete DAC with dual power supplies
Integrated Amplifier: Nagra Classic Int

Cables: 
Coaxial cable between the sources and the DAC: Nordost Blue Heaven
XLR cable between the MSB DAC and the amplifier: Nordost Blue Heaven
RCA cable to connect the CD player to the amplifier: QED cable
AES/EBU cable to connect the CD player to the DAC: Shunyata Research Alpha V2
Speaker cables: Nordost Blue Heaven

Power:
Power cables for the Nagra Streamer the Nagra amplifier and the MSB DAC: Nordost Blue Heaven 
Power Distribution Block : QBASE QB8 Mark II (to it the Streamer, amplifier, DAC and CD player were connected)
Power cable for the distribution block: Nordost Red Dawn