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Part of the Klipsch Heritage Wireless series, The Sixes
is an incredibly versatile audio system. Able to connect
directly to a turntable, TV, computer or Bluetooth®
wireless enabled device – these speakers deliver
amazing acoustics no matter what source.
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AYON AUDIO
AYON S-10 II
NETWORK MUSIC
PLAYER
Ayon Audio has released a Mk II version of the S-10 network music
player it introduced in 2016 which uses a Class-A output stage based
around a 6H30 dual triode.
The new player features a new dual mono digital-to-analog con-
verter, an updated PCM–DSD converter that can now convert any type
of PCM signal to DSD, plus of course it maintains features introduced
in the original S-10 including the ability to playback from a computer
or a USB drive, plus you can connect a separate server with your choice
of hard disc capacity. It also, like the original S-10, has an analogue
preamplifier section with its own analogue volume control. The Class-A
triode valve output stage of the Ayon Audio S-10 MkII can be config-
ured for single-ended or fully-balanced operation. ‘The S-10 Mk II con-
tinues Ayon’s modular design concept, so that customers can configure it to
suit their specific requirements,’ said Boris Granovsky, of Absolute Hi
End, which distributes Ayon in Australia. ‘But with the S-10 Mk II Ayon
has implemented a completely new streamer platform and it has designed it
so that existing S-10 owners can upgrade their units to Mk II performance.’
Also upgraded is the S-10 MkII’s power supply, which uses a low-
noise R-core power transformer with separate power transformer wind-
ings and filters for the digital and analog sections, along with eight
separate voltage regulators. In order to increase the response speed,
Ayon Audio says it has ‘greatly increased’ the capacitance in the power
supply. ‘Ayon believes that the simplest circuits work best together with the
shortest signal path. The shorter the signal path is, the less possibility of
sonic degradation from various sources, including the wire itself,’ Granovs-
ky told Australian Hi-Fi Magazine. ‘That is why all Ayon’s pre-amplifiers
to date have used single-ended pure class-A circuitry.’
All the Ayon S-10 MkII’s controls are monitored via the QVGA
127mm TFT display and controlled via a free app available for iOs and
Android. Streaming functionality is provided by a brand-new super
stream-module built by StreamUnlimited while the internal server
option uses a custom made JRiver media server FW directly developed
by JRiver that means Tidal, Qubuz, and HiRes Audio are directly inte-
grated into the server, plus there’s dual-band wi-fi and two Ethernet
ports. The DAC (also new, from AKM) can accommodate PCM or DSD
(DIFF, DSF) and most formats including WAV, FLAC and AIFF, either
wirelessly or via ethernet, or via the digital inputs (S/PDIF, Toslink,
USB-B and USB-A). You can option in analogue inputs, plus you can
option in a PCM to DSD converter (up to 256× switchable) for all PCM
signals. Also available optionally is a server with your choice of HDD
or SSD drive in your choice of size.
Available now, the Ayon Audio S10 MkII is available in standard
form for $11,500 (RRP) or in a ‘Signature’ version for $14,690 (RRP).
Theoptionalpreamplifiersectionadds$1,390tothebaseprice.
For more information, contact Absolute HiEnd on (04) 8877 7999
or http://www.absolutehiend.com