Audio Note AZ-Three speakers

Demoed some of these at the weekend and was really impressed. Far more music than hifi if you will (something I'm coming to appreciate), and very capable given their relative value. Demoed the hemp coned version only.

Has anyone lived with these longer term, or had any other experiences with them?

Also tried the AZ-Two (hemp). Still nice but a bit more boom/colouration and less refined treble (the Three use a superior tweeter from the J and E range).

Going to compare to the Js at some point.

 

No one?

If nothing else I'd just say although you don't really hear much about them, they're well worth checking out if after something in that price band (c.£1,400 for paper and £1,600 for hemp coned versions). Particularly if you favour a full, non-sterile type delivery and if the fact they were designed to work from room boundaries/corners appeals.

 

Audio Note dealer here, from the Los Angeles area.

I have not heard the AZ-3, although everyone in the AN community is VERY impressed with them. They are a big upgrade from the AZ-2.

I have compared a few models of AN speakers hemp vs. standard. I can tell you that the difference is consistently stunning and important. Hemp provides an upgrade in the speakers efficiency (so you can use a less powerful amp but get same loudness), and (no matter what power you use) provides a SIGNIFICANTLY greater sense of dynamics and liveliness.

Once you have owned hemp, you definitely cannot go back. To my ears, hemp is the single most important upgrade; of much greater importance than silver internal wire or upgrades in the crossover.

I do know the J speakers (all the versions of them), and love them. I would like to hear anyone's comparison impressions, the J vs the AZ-3.

 

Thanks Warren.

Good to hear re the views on the AZ-Three (or '3'?). There really doesn't seem to be much out there on them.

Really interesting re the hemp. And good in that I'd not been able to compare them but felt hemp was the way to go. The dealer did say the differences were more pronounced between hemp/standard as you further up the range, which one might expect.

The only time I've heard J's before was at a show (think it was the LX). I did get an impression of a touch too much cabinet colouration, but want to demo them properly. From what I recall it was a large room and they might have just been pushed a bit. Will see.

In fact - on the back of that and knowing AN's approach to speaker design - colouration/boom was my one main concern with the AZs. Again the Twos did exhibit some, but the Threes, although clearly cabinet-influenced (and wall-influenced), seemed far more within themselves. A definite weight and thickness of sound, but naturally so and in a way I'd take on balance as opposed to something more anaemic.

 

I got to this situation when I auditioned by new Russell K Red 150s. I suddenly realised what I'd lost over many years during my quest for a better sound.

Funnily enough, I now realise that I also heard it early last year when I auditioned some Proac Studio 148s but didn't recognise it for what it was.

 

What’s the frequency response on the AZ-Threes? Not seeing much documentation.

 

If you go to the manuals page on AN's website, you can download all of the owners manuals for most of the products which will have the specifications you are looking for.

 

Yep. 40Hz to 20kHz +/- 6dB in room

 

Amen to that.

Previously had ProAc 140 mkII speakers - really liked them but they didn't work in this house.

 

Isn't it common knowledge that a toke or two never hurts the music, so I can only imagine what those Mary Jane drivers can do!

 

As quoted it's listed as 40, but the design means its bass strongly affected by in-room response (ideally augment by corners etc).... (Warren please correct me if this is wrong). Either way it is effective. I took some tracks to test this - eg Hold On by Tom Waits where big deep notes that fail to register on some speakers rolled-out wonderfully.

 

Wondered why I was getting hungry

 

Well, actually, I think it is the combination of the lungs AND the ears getting simultaneous doses of hemp that REALLY makes music sound incredible.

 

If two years counts as long term I'll chip in;

I bought the AZ Three Hemp after hearing an All Audio Note demo, accepting that whilst they weren't going to recreate the experience from the level 4 system I had just heard, it would be a step toward it at relatively low cost (in AN terms).

It was immediately clear they sounded "more natural" to me than the Epos Epic 5 they replaced and more so as they bedded in. This was more a relief than surprise given the cost difference. However they have only really recreated the essence of what I was hoping for since I traded my beloved Naim Amps and DAC for AN kit.

I will say they were difficult to get used to initially as the bass appeared muddy and overpowering but this was resolved by experimenting with small changes in placement; they are in the corners of the room but I sit off-centre and "toeing them in" appropriately and bringing them a couple of inches into the room made a massive difference. This has created a significant sweetspot but that's ok with me as it's where I sit. The other element detrimental to the bass in particular turned out to be the Naim Amps.

I did listen to the AZ two and whilst impressive at the price I believe the additional cost for the three was well worth it for me. The Three shares both units with basic AN-E models and delivers bass which leaves friends asking if I'm running a subwoofer and I think the significant cabinet size difference over the Twos has to influence this. That said, I know some of the wonderful bass extension and quality comes from the AN Kit feeding them.

For the first time in a while I'm listening to the music and not the hifi (sorry, really want to avoid cliches but not sure how else to put it). Overall a more expensive journey than I anticipated but there's a chasm in the increased musical discovery and appreciation it has led to and the AZ Threes were the catalyst for this.

I think I will end up with AN-Es eventually but I'm really enjoying what these do in the meantime.

Hope this helps.

 

Nicely put and very useful, thanks.

What AN amp did you end up with?

I used my Croft integrated for the above. Towards the end we we switched it to an AN Oto PP. Interestingly on more complex, rock/pop music there didn't appear to be much between them (there were certain differences, but you'd have to spend more time than we had with them to fully grasp it), but on simpler music - not least a cello piece - there was definitely more natural texture and presence in the Oto. (And I did use a sound meter to make sure they were at the same level!). Certainly a future consideration, and at least the sensitivity of the speakers would open up lower power and SE amp options.

 

if you want more music, get the paper cone.

 

Inneresting. What makes you say that? How define the difference?

 

I initially ordered the Oto SE after hearing a laddered demo from a £700 valve through Audion and culminating with the Oto SE Signature. My dealer loaned an Oto PP whilst the SE was on order and expected to take around 12 weeks. I thought the PP was good but lacked the "magic" I heard in the demo. Once the buyers' remorse set in I spoke with my dealer and a helpful chap at AN and was convinced the Oto SE Signature was right for me and that's what I have now.

Although very happy with the upgrade, especially after around a month of use, some of the magic of the demo was still eluding me until I bought the AN DAC. The realism the system now brings to instruments and voices on music I've had for years or grown up with, now regularly puts a smile on my face when I least expect it.

 

I prefer paper. But, you should audition both before you make a decision. Can you get them on a loan?

 

I concur.

 

The hemp woofers are definitely better. They are lighter in mass and they are stiffer. The sonic results are better defined low bass, more tuneful mid-bass, more detailed mid-range, greater efficiency, and generally more dynamic character. A lot of sonic benefits, all attributed to the hemp.

 

Between the jokes that come every time the ribbed vs smooth plate tube topic comes up and the jokes from the hemp cones....