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Cool. Very cool. I believe I could hang out here for a while . . . . . :-)
Good to see you here, Dave! Definitely, this is gonna be fun. Refresh my memory - What configurations of SET amps does Audio Note make? I've really only had experience with Paramours and Decware Zen's. When I say experience, I mean "sit down" time where I could sit and listen undisturbed. I've listened to several SET amps, and "been in the same room" with many more of 'em that were playing. But as for real listening in a relaxed sitting, the only SET's I've really listened to were the Zen and the Paramour. So what does Audio Note make?
Hi Wayne, Lordy! Where to begin? For openers, I'd welcome Bill Martinelli's feedback on his AN Conqueror amp. I loaned him one at Lima, and the guys listening in his room about fell off their chairs when we changed over from his previous amp. While he let me take it back to CT briefly, he relieved me of it permanently when he attended the September Bottlehead Do at Steve Culton's. Speaking of Bottlehead, I'd also like to say that I think Doc's products represent extraordinary value, tempt people to try SET who might otherwise never get around to trying it, and make a lot of people very, very happy. I still own my pair of Paramours, now WannaGlows. Audio Note makes everything one needs to assemble a complete two channel audio system from source to speaks, but I'll stick to the nickel tour of amps here. There are two single-ended, but not triode, amps at the entry level which use parallel EL-84's and 6L6's respectively at $1.8k and $2.5k, and amps at the top of the heap using 211's and VT4-C's, but the majority of the line uses 300Bs. These range from a single 300B/channel stereo amp - the Conqueror, at $3k through several monoblock amps with one or two parallel 300B's per channel ranging from $4.5k to $49k. All have choke-loaded, tube-rectified power supplies. The parts quality ranges from very, very fine to staggering as transformer core and winding materials, caps, resistors and wire all improve. By the time the smoke clears, tantalum resistors, Black Gate caps, silver foil caps and silver wired transformers have all gotten into the act. While the killer parts provide a wonderful sense of ease, articulation and refinement, the jump to monoblocks and the improved iron also imparts a sense of authority that belies the 8 to 22 watts per channel the 300B amps produce. I could go on, of course, but I'll spare you and the other new forum members. ;-) "Keep your mind and your ears open."
Hi David! Thanks for your input. Does Audio Note sell kits, completed systems or both? I always assumed that they sold complete systems but I gather with all the options you've described that they may provide some as user-installed options or maybe Audio Note even sells some of their products as kits. I'd really like to hear some of the various Audio Note amps. I saw them in your room at MAF, and I heard them too but only briefly. It's too far to travel, and I wouldn't ask for a demo unit just from curiosity, but one of these times, we'll have to find a way to get together and pair some of our systems. Here are some of the specific systems I'd like to investigate: Entry-level 2-10 watt Audio Note system and tower two π Speakers Entry level 10-20 watt Audio Note system on Theater Series three π Speakers Medium-level 10-20 watt Audio Note system on Theater, Stage and Professional Series four and seven π Speakers Top-of-the-line Audio Note system on Audiophile Series seven π Speakers I think each of those represent well-paired combinations, and it would be interesting to me to hear them. It sounds to me like the price ranges we're talking about start at about $2000.00 for a complete entry level system. That's very reasonable; I'd like to hear what we can do in the $2000 - $5000 range, in the $5000 - $15,000 range, and in the $15,000 + range as well. Maybe we'll get a change to explore the entry level and medium level combinations at the next show. Wayne
Hi Wayne! Audio Note has offered kit DACs and amplifiers in the past, but stopped doing so as of last winter. The finished goods require all the available time, attention and parts! Yes, given the variety of levels available for many products, it is possible to have an item built nearly custom. Of course, I do have my pair of audiophile Pi Fours (Sevens?) here being fed by some lovely and rarefied Audio Note gear. If you ever find yourself in the East . . . . . Maybe there'll be another alternative show in the middle of the country where we can mix, match and explore!
While it's true that most of the Audio Note SET's are 300B based, having heard a couple of them and the "cheapest" 2A3 amp, as good as the 300B amps are, I like the 2A3 amp best. I hope to get a discontinued P4 (parallel 300B's) in soon to do another comparison, but the 2A3 Neiros are wonderful. And yes, I'm new here and will keep my head down awhile. I don't know a lot about SET's and am hoping to learn by listening to those who do. I've come to SET's via solid state, then hybrids, and then push-pulls. I'm staying.
Ahhhh, I need to update the response above. Audio Note kits live again at audionotekits.com on the forum-whose-name-must-not-be-spoken. But its initials bear an odd resemblence to a group having to do with alcoholics . . . . The DAC Kit is back, as are the famous Kit 1, the very, very simple Kit 4 (of which I have two!) and the Kit 2 (I think) which is 6550-based. Also, there are two versions of the E speaker kit, one std and one hi efficiency w/silver voice coils and 98dB/w/m efficiency. Precut flat packed cabinets are available as an option. A LOT of great toys waiting to be built. And I have nothing to do with selling the kits, thank you very much, I just think they're a great option for the budget laden music lover or the hard core DIY-er. (Well, not quite hard core - they design their own from scratch - god bless 'em!)
Hey, Bob! What took ya so long! ;-) Yes, the Neiros are gorgeous sounding. I left them out because I was trying to be brief and they and the Kagekis are the only 2A3 amps in the line. The 2A3 is a lovely tube, but it doesn't hurt that the Neiros are the first model (from the bottom up) that have silver secondaries on their OPTs. ;-) Even sillier good are the Kegeki, Kegon and Ongaku, which are among the amps using siliver-wired primaries AND secondaries with parallel 2A3's, parallel 300Bs and VT4-C respectively. Really looking forward to hearing the production Onagku and proto Gaku-On in Milan in ten days. ;-)
Welcome Bob. And don't keep your head down, it's a nice bunch here so jump in there and visit with folks. They'll definitely make you feel welcome and maybe give some useful advice along the way.