Inexpensive Audio Note UK OTO phono SE integrated amplifier, sounds great right out of box

A lot of gear cycling through your listening room, to be expected. Keep us posted as the Oto and the AN-E speakers break in!

 

Steve, congratulations.
I have the standard OTO SE phono for some time now. And the AN-E (standard) models. The best components i ever had.
I had "Audio Systems" and Cabasse Brick before, together with a AVM Amp. Not bad, but cannot compare to the AN.
The AN-Es are the only speakers that do perform well in my room. I placed them close to the wall. It just sounds wonderful.
btw:
I have the "stock" tubes still. Would JJ's be a reasonable upgrade ?
Recommendations ?

 

Steve, please do open the top, take a look at the tubes, and get your USA/NOS upgrades ready. I would like to participate in your comparison.

Peter Qvortrup (owner of Audio Note UK) encourages tube rolling.

And, while you are at it, would you take a picture of the interior? Through the top plate ventilation holes, it looked like it might be impressively beautiful inside.

--Warren

 

+1
I'd love to see a detailed shot of the interior of a new Oto SE... I'm living vicariously through your Oto until mine arrives Steve

 

The Audio Note branded volume and balance controls appear to be made by TKD.

 

I think now that hifi has grown to the point where $6300 is considered "inexpensive" for an integrated amplifier, it is a hobby that has become unobtainable to the general public. This viewpoint undoubtedly is a barrier to new entrants.

 

Looks like you are correct sir, not only Audio Note UK, but Lamm and Kondo as well. I wonder which model is used in the Oto... One looks to go for about $70, the other about $150.

http://www.acoustic-dimension.com/tkd/Tokyo-Ko-on-Denpa-TKD-main-page.htm

 

Regarding the panels, I use GIK Acoustics 244 Bass Traps ($140/pair) with two options, "Scatter-plates" (a diffusor surface, $49/pr) and "Range Limiter" ($30/pr). I found that inside these small hotel rooms, where I conduct the show displays, there was a consistent problem with boomy bass. The 244 traps with "Range Limiter" very mildly attenuate that mid-bass boom in the range of 80 to 200 Hz. The real benefit comes from the diffusor surface, right next to and behind the speakers.

http://www.gikacoustics.com/product/gik-acoustics-244-bass-trap-flexrange-technology/

What I found was that the Audio Note E speakers truly benefit from being located fully in corners, as recommended by the manufacture. With four of these panels, I can create my own corners, anywhere in a room, and retrieve the below-80Hz bass (all the way down to 20-something Hz) that these speakers are capable of reproducing, without the increased mid-bass that also occurs when located in corners. Art Dudley, in his Stereophile review, also noticed this bass sensitivity to corner location, but approached it in a different way. He creeped the speakers away from the corners until the mid-bass sounded just right to him, even though the low bass was also reduced. I think I achieve the best of both low- and mid-bass by keeping the speakers tightly located in my mid-bass trapping corners. Plus I can micro-adjust the panels' positions easily to tune the bass to my preference.

There is more: Peter Qvotrup taught me that the AN/E speakers are not just corner placed to acheive their intended bass response. The close-proximity side walls are also required to acheive the imaging and soundstage that these speakers can reproduce so incredibly well. Proper placement must be wide apart (more so than other speaker brands), against side walls (unlike other brands), and towed-in to facing the listener (or even more inward than that, unlike any other brand). Once the speakers are placed so much wider than usual, the tow-in must be carefully adjusted to bring back a firm central image (for example, a singer or a central musical instrument).

In the case of Steve's listening room, which is larger and more acoustically neutral than my hideous hotel rooms, he will have to tell the story about what these panels accomplish for him. My impression is that in his room, their effect is more subtle. But he still has to place the speakers very wide apart, and tow them in to taste.

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to share this process/implementation Warren. Cheers!

I'm looking at these as a way to help with first reflections with my Harbeth M30.1s, so I'm glad to hear of your positive experience with GiK:

http://www.gikacoustics.com/product/freestand-acoustic-panel-gobo/

 

$4644 for the Oto S.E. with phono stage. $4087 without phono stage.

I don't think it is any secret or unexpected that better sound costs more money. Audio Note UK has worked very hard to offer many choices of audio components that achieve the AN sound, at reduced prices compared to the very best. If a dedicated listener wants the subtle benefits of silver internal wire, very exclusive capacitors, and extremely exotic transformers and tubes, then he can pay for them. But, Audio Note UK offers all of their models of equipment, with or without these tweeks, for corresponding prices. The Oto integrated amp and the Empress mono amplifiers (I've been using at shows this year) are perfect examples of value within the scope of audiophile excellence. Audio Note Japan (AKA Kondo) never offered their best integrated amplifier (the Ongaku) in a more affordable version to people who don't want to spend upwards of $100k. But Audio Note UK, with the Jinro, has tried to make this very premium product as affordable as possible, while still keeping the listening standard extremely high. The Oto is considerably more affordable than the Jinro, and offers much of the same sonic excellence. Its EL-84 power tube is a perfect choice for providing less (but still reasonable) power, affordable tube and transformer parts cost, and well-respected sonic performance.

For new entrants into audiophile equipment, there are many brands cheaper than the best Audio Note. But as we gain listening experience, there are few brands (maybe none) that achieve the musical satisfaction offered by any Audio Note product, even in the under $4000 price level. I can improve a listener's enjoyment of music for as little as $473 with Audio Note.

 

Many thanks. To clarify, do you use the range limiter and scatter plate in both locations, behind and beside each speaker? All this is of great interest.

 

Yes, I have been using four of the same panel, GIK 244 with range limiter and scatter plate. I have also used their Tri-Traps with scatter plate (not offered with range limiter). These provide a more extreme effect, removing even more mid-bass (too much in most rooms) and having a greater effect at higher frequencies, which I do not think is best for the AN/E speakers.

 

Ahhh, looks like the price I mentioned was way off. Hey now... $4000. Now that IS inexpensive, especially considering the heritage of the product line. Years ago my dealer showed me the AN "Zero" line, which seemed pretty awesome. I wish I'd purchased it. Is that line still being made?

 

What's the $473 Audio Note answer Warren? Lexus interconnects?

 

Nice, but still not "drool worthy" as someone suggested. If fancy attenuators is your bag, then DACT CT2 is the starting point, and definitely worth bragging about. I'm sure most listeners would be happy with the stock pot.

jeff

 

No, I wouldn't claim with great confindence that "I can improve a listener's enjoyment of music" with merely a change of interconnects. I was referring to the Audio Note IQ-1 cartridge. For $473, this MM cartridge sounds as detailed and dynamic as a moving coil, with no need for any step-up or high-gain phono preamp. Steve has an IQ-3, $980, which differs only in its exotic stylus, and sounds very similar.

My point again is that it definitely costs money for Audio Note to provide small improvements. The basic attention to quality, both in construction and sound, is there is every AN product. Slight improvements come with significant costs in specific parts upgrades. For those who choose to spend that extra dough, "a bit of better butter makes the audiophile batter better". This is my new slogan, you can quote me.

 

How about, "beer batter makes it better".

jeff

 

Yes, the IQ series is definitely a step up from many MM cartridges. I've only heard the IQ-2 on a TT-2 and found it a lovely combination.

 

For those interested, there's one for sale on Audiogon as of today.

 

Still better than an alps blue

 

Lots of EL84/6BQ5 choices out there - just about all the big names made their own, Off the top of my head, GE, RCA, Sylvania, Westinghouse, and Tung-Sol all made their own 6BQ5s in the U.S. Just about every one of the Philips factories made their own EL84s (and a lot of those were rebranded for other companies, including most of the U.S. companies that made their own as well), and Upscale ranks the Tungsram Hungarian 6BQ5 at the top of the sonic heap.

I probably have more varieties of 6BQ5s than any other tube in my stash - black and greyplate Sylvanias, RCAs in various forms, GEs, Westinghouse, Philips from a number of different factories, Mullards, Matsushita/Nationals, Tungsrams - I know I'm forgetting some others. I've never run into NOS Tung-Sols, just a single weak used example. Send that amp out to me and I'll roll in those EL84s and write up about what I hear...

 

I checked it out... what a beauty. Someone will be getting a great amplifier.