Audio Note UK AN-E speakers, from cheapest to most expensive. A handy chart, UPDATED 7/21...

What is veneer is that thanks?

 

Olive wood veneer worth the 12 week wait!

 

Very nice, one of the better photos displaying the AN quality finish.

 

Hi Jon, nice to see you over here at SHTV! Great photo of your room, those are beautiful speakers. Makes me want to hear a pair. I also like how you have your CDs stored, with the Stones' Made In The Shade showing prominently in front. I love that comp!

 

Hey Matt cheers it's great to be here and thank you! And those CDs are stored but never played lol all ripped and streaming these days.

 

What is that box? It's making me crazy trying to figure out what it's for. Is that a barrister's wig box up on the shelf?

 

I assume you're talking about the curved black box above my Dac? If so that is a one off holiday display box Champagne Veuve Clicquot did some years ago for it's tete de cuvee LA Grand Dame. The box was designed by Riva a company that builds luxury yachts. As far as what's inside mostly tubes and a few other small audio related nicknacks.

 

Sorry-- didn't mean to pry about the contents (even though, you know, I asked what was in the box). It's just such a cool looking thing, I couldn't imagine what it might have been made to contain. Really nice champagne sounds about right! Riva has also produced some nifty watchboxes and model boats to match for Frederique Constant, or Hamilton, or one of those brands. Geniuses with promotional merch!

 

Ha all good and I wish I had enjoyed the Champagne alas I only got the box. I, and my girlfriend, are both in the wine biz so stuff like that comes our way on occasion. And Riva did such a good job with that box I had to display it! Without a doubt that box is the closest I will come to owning a yacht.

 

I bought a used AN-J SE Silver. Supposedly a “level 4” product. It’s obviously not a SEC so does anyone here know the exact specs?

 

when in doubt refer to owners manual!

http://www.audionote.co.uk/downloads/manuals/AN-J manual Post 1016.pdf

should be ~ 93 db efficient and go to 25 hz or so.

hope you enjoy!

 

Beyond the specs which are the same across the levels for your J-SE is

1” tweeter & 8” standard Hemp bass driver with copper voice coils, 93.5 dB efficient, AN-SPx internal Silver cable, internal crossover, Silver inductors, Birch ply cabinet, real wood veneers.

The older ones used paper woofers.

 

You can still get paper woofers I got them after my dealer recommended them over the hemp woofers.

 

It was Deja Vu Audio and Vu said he, and some of his customers, found the hemp drivers too dry in the bass. I trust his ears and his advice and went paper.

 

Yes hemp woofers the one I got. Do you know if it would be possible to upgrade to silver coil and alnico magnet??

 

Interesting, I have paper driver's and I would have thought that hemp would maybe sound more organic?

But then, I do think my LF drivers (15") do sound excellent.

I would have thought that the hemp would add a bit of natural stiffness and help avoid break-up.

But then, come to think of it. I don't think that I'm having any issues with woofer break-up at all.

Interesting?

 

Hemp is better IMO but then I have been told the break in is much longer - I bought mine as a demo so already broken in so I can't say what if any difference exists.

To be fair this is why Audio Note has so SO SOOOOOO many options because they know that some people like certain things.

Any AN J or AN E will be excellent from the basic J/D to the top of the line. It's a matter of how far in the platform you are willing to go. It's also why you can't trust other people's ears - folks who like Audio Note to me have illustrated they have good ears - but within the line then things becomes a bit more about taste.

 

A little off topic regarding paper woofers: do Audio Note speakers need extra attention paid to how much sunlight they’re getting since they don’t have grills?

 

speakers are not plants my friend ... they don't need vitamin d! best to avoid sunlight whenever possible . if my post was a little unfriendly my apologies ... coffee yet to kick in!

 

he is one of the larger AN dealers in the USA. what are the technical aspects of the hemp v paper driver? does anyone know?

 

its possible but i bet would be expensive (silver coils, SOGON wiring, Alnico drivers, etc). i would investigate the sound quality differences and make sure you will like the Alnico speakers and go from there. some people prefer different sounds in the AN range. i personally think the Alnico are the best sounding AN speakers but i happened to order the AN-E SPE HE (primarily for financial reasons) but at some point i will have a pair of the Es with the Alnico drivers and all that fun stuff. then i won't worry about speaker upgrades ... just amp upgrades. it will never end.

 

No problem and understood. I still think it’s a valid question.

 

This thread has me interested in hearing this companies speakers, especially the ones that are not too crazily priced, but as usual it looks like there are no nearby dealers here in OHIO. The store in E.Lansing Michigan, which would have been the closest, now looks to be out of business, despite Audio Note's U.S. dealers pages?

 

Choice of hemp vs. paper is a matter of personal taste. The hemp drivers sound tighter and punchier and not as warm. For my taste, less warm/bloated in the bass is better, but, that is just my preference. Vu likes the extra warmth. In either case, Audio Note speakers are among the better widely available speakers on the market, they may not be everyone's favorite, but, not that many listeners will actually hate them. That is something quite rare.