I had an Ayre V-3 running in fully balanced mode prior to getting my Signature 30 (the V-3 originally sold for $3,500).
Interesting, I know that Ayre amp and it was definitely a competitor when I bought my Audio Aero but a bit too much for my budget. Did you do an a/b comparison between the two with the same speakers when you got the Sig30?
My situation is a bit unique in that I am using the Signature 30 for both 2ch speakers and AKG K1000 headphones. If you are not familiar with K1000s, they are actually small dynamic speakers that sit away from your ears by an inch or two. In some ways you might think of them as small open baffle speakers that rest just beyond your ears (they use open mesh on both the front and back, so they are completely open to the world). K1000s are designed to be driven by a 5 - 10+ watt 2ch power amp, so again they differ from standard headphones.
As far as 2ch speakers, I was using Acoustic Energy AE-1s and a Vandersteen 2W powered sub woofer. Both early 90s vintage. In their day, the AE-1 was probably one of the most open and detailed (small) monitors you could buy. The AE-1s were also bi wired. On top of that, I was using an old but pricey Transparent Audio balanced cable, driven directly (fully balanced) from my Wadia 830 CDP. My 830 has a brand new factory upgrade which adds a second power supply board, helping detail and dynamics.
My V-3 was at the K-Level mod, which translates to much better sound compared to the first releases, but not as good as the latest factory upgrade which includes the Ayre-conditioner.
I also had Vandersteen's top of the line balanced crossover (about $800).
Now, back to your question...
I had grown pretty bored with my 2ch system. Yes it offered a lot of detail; Good imaging; The sub did fine job with acoustic bass, and had a solid low-end for deep bass; And the speakers were very transparent -- to the point you almost never "heard" them in the room. On the other had, the sound just wasn't warm or captivating (especially for vocals).
Then last year I bought the K1000s and connected them to my V-3, sub woofer and all. Right off the bat I liked the intimacy of vocals, and found the soundstage to be huge, but with the exception of really well recorded audiofile-type CDs, the system could be a bit bright and edgy. So my next step was to order the F1 and Signature 30 to see if I could find a better match for the K1000s (with the idea I would have 2 amps).
Well, in terms of these three amps with K1000s, it was no contest for me. The Signature 30's warm and intimate sound signature really captured my heart. I now consistently listen to my K1000s for an hour or two almost every night, and have a tough time taking them off my head because the sound is just fantastic.
Ok, so the Signature 30 kicked ass with K1000s, what about my AE-1s and Vandy 2W? I played with this a bit, and could hear benefits in the midrange, but all-in-all the Signature 30 didn't have the guts to really make the AE-1s come to life (they're pretty inefficient). Also at the time I did not have the proper Vandersteen crossover, so I really couldn't properly use the woofer to get the total effect.
About this point in time I discovered Audiocircle, and began reading about single driver speakers. Efficient, with great macro dynamics and lots of subtle detail. And they were reputed to do well with vocals and light instrumental (my favorate genres).
Oh, I should also mention that with the addition of the Signature 30, I had reached a point where overall I preferred my K1000s to my old 2ch setup. So on a bit of a lark, I decided to sell off all my old gear and invest in Omega Hemps.
Bottom line: I did tons of comparison of the three amps on K1000s, but minimal comparison on the AE-1s. So the real test for me will be how the Signature 30 does on the new Hemps when they arrive in the next couple of days.
