Vancouver Audio Show + Audio Note UK discussion*

New speakers, do tell.

 

Wine is good for the belly and sleep.

 

Here they are in the former setup:


Here is the new setup as of this afternoon:


I get two days at home to finish setting them up before having to go out of town for a few days, so that should be fun getting them to perform!

 

That doesn't suck.

 

Don.

Fantastic set-up - are those HE versions in Makassar?

I too rearranged my room to get my AN's on the short wall so I can sit further away. Big improvement although they are surprisingly good in the near field even though AN insists they are more suited to the farfield.

 

They are indeed HE versions of AN E in High Gloss Makassar. Part of my desire for that finish came from the fact that it wasn't the same as every other brand or choice that others had made. It was kind of fun to have something a little different. Of course, I see now that Warren Jarret has the same finish on his system that is used for shows....so there are a few others out there!

 

Don,
I'm glad that you finally got your speakers. I am anxious to hear your impressions when you get some time with them.

 

That was an awesome night
Those AN-Es sound SICK with your Meishu and the Dyna/VPi!!!

 

I can't see any images...?

 

Of course you can't cuz my main computer is offline while I move my stereo into the living room and I can't seem to post online on the Hoffman forums with my iPad. Loser! I've been posting to professional photo groups for 10-12 years, but apparently I need Rafe's helping hand to post to this group

 

You are right! My listening buddy is sitting by my feet and we are playing music a little too loud in the new location

 

Hey Steve - thank you! I wondered if I was losing my mind?! I like them farther out than Peter recommends, but not as far as traditional setups!

I love hearing other people's experiences, especially if they have setup one or two systems over the years. I think that this is exactly what is so great about Hoffman forums and Art Of Sound forums in the UK. No problem having a different point of view, just don't be a troll!

Honestly, your discovery is quite similar to Peters discovery regarding corner loading years ago when his supplier made a manufacturing error. Now we have corner loading. Keep an open mind and then judge.

I hesitate to say too much as they only have 12-15 hours on the so far, but, wow! I am getting so much out of them in my new cluttered but dedicated room. A little mid bass bloom and they would be bang on!

 

Ray;
I love them so far! I have this sneaking suspicion that your combo of amps/pre-amps/speakers are going to sound fantastic once you have finished your build and have a few (1000) hours on them! I'm kidding of course!

Some aspects of these speakers are really impressing me already. I have listened to a few albums where the sound of stick on drum is eerily real. Other moments are typical 80's glare and haze.

I will say more with more hours and I will post a new topic, rather than continuing to hijack this one : )

 

Ok, will do. I meant to say a 'little less mid bass bloom' and I would be happy. Some electric bass notes and some individual drum hits are crazy good!

I only have two or three or four more songs in me before hitting the hay... Little Wing and Tin Pan Alley And Voodoo Chile (Slight Return). And maybe...

 

By the way, I believe you. I just pulled mine out one third to one half that distance and much, much better! Early days yet though : )

 

right click over the image and then click view image - it will open up.

 

Hi Don

My favorite finish is the Makassar and that's what I wanted BUT I didn't want to wait for them so I just took what the dealer had. Although I am pleased with the finish I received. My intention is to get the AN E/Spx Alnico Hemp. I get a 15% bonus for 2 years salary at the end of July and I am hoping to put most of it to the speaker (or the M6).

As for positioning - I was told years ago that the AN speakers go through two break in phases. They boom a tad for awhile which is exacerbated by the corner but that goes away and you may find that after a few months if you go back to trying the corner again you will like it much more.

That's what happened to me - I put my J in the corner and got way to much mid bass boom and so I brought them well into the room. 6 months later I put them VERY HARD into the corners such that just a glimmer of light can be seen from the back and side walls and angled such that the tweeters fire a few feet in front of my listening position. Great. But for the first months that was utterly awful.

YMMV of course and no doubt rooms are different depending what they're made out of. Audio Note is based in Europe which tends to have more brick and concrete walls versus wood floors and wood walls. This is rather significantly different. The best sound i have heard from Audio Note was at the FLaminngo in Vegas - concrete walls and at Soundhounds (brick walls). The worst sound has been from wooden hotels with plaster.

This is why I like Warren's solution with his own corners. And not too expensive either.

 

Ah-ha! Thanks!

 

In terms of size, it was quite small, but that's to be expected in the first outing. I was taken aback at how well attended it was. Friday and Sunday were very busy indeed. Saturday seemed about par for the course.

Since I rarely escape the room I'm running, I can't really speak to the variety. I would think it would be unavoidably limited by the small number of rooms.

 

Richard;
Thanks so much for that information regarding burn in. That is exactly what I'm initially getting. I just ran them straight 24/7 for five or six days (at lower volume), to get some time on them. Being back home from my trip, I can hear an improvement.

I wish you well in your attempt to get the SP/x Alnicos. Wow, those would be amazing! As for the M6, I have heard it a couple of times and always been really impressed!! I fear that it is above my pay grade, but even if I saved up for it, then you have to buy the matching amps

 

We need an Audio Note dealer nearby...

 

Come up for a visit! We'll do an AirBnB and a pub crawl in Victoria after a day at Soundhounds.