AYRE CX-7e CD Player

This is a wonderful sounding, lightly used CD player in perfect condition functionally and cosmetically - but I want to explore computer-based audio so I'm leaving the CD player behind. The average selling price on Audiogon's Blue Book is $1,910.

An A'gon member raised the question of whether this player may just be a CX-7 since it says that on the player's rear panel. I checked with both the dealer who sold it to me and with Ayre Acoustics in Colorado. It IS a CX-7e. I was told that the way to tell for sure is to look under the Ayre symbol on the front panel. If it's a 7e, the word EVOLUTION (what the e stands for) is there in faint print. It's there. Apparently the different versions of the CX-7 series (the7, 7e and 7emp) all simply say CX-7 on the rear.

Tone Audio Review: "A fully balanced design from start to finish, the CX-7e is an elegant CD player that hints at greatness, even at its relatively affordable price. When used in balanced mode, the Ayre produces a 'magic' quality that's usually found in much more expensive machines."

John Atkinson in Stereophile: "The Ayre sounds as clear as it looks. Its balance is vibrant, its bass well-defined and deep, its highs clean, detailed and well resolved."

SoundStage!.com Review: "The sound of the Ayre CX-7e is lively, open, detailed, and engaging -- not shy or laid-back. Music took on a kind of momentum that drew me in and invited me to listen." "All the CD rigs I have tried had good bass, but the CX-7e was the first one that really lent some appreciable heft and physical weight to things." "On the other hand, the CX-7e may not be for those who favor a more laid-back sound. It asks the listener to keep up with its momentum-generating performance."