Audio Note UK Ongaku Kensei 211 valve Single Ended Triode balanced amplifier now up & running!

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Steve Hoffman, Jul 22, 2017.

  1. jupiterboy

    jupiterboy Forum Residue

    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    Seemed slightly out of character, not that I know you well enough to comment. I assumed one symbolized the records that were maybe not so well recorded and the other symbolized perfection.
     
  2. DanG

    DanG On Green Dolphin Street

    Location:
    Florida
    What pic did you intend to post?
     
  3. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    A7206F63-76E9-4338-858D-9EF92E5C6AA2.jpeg
     
    NOS300B and DanG like this.
  4. Whoopycat

    Whoopycat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines
    Oh, to contract Lycanthropy!
     
  5. DanG

    DanG On Green Dolphin Street

    Location:
    Florida
  6. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Bettie’s Butt is better.
     
    jupiterboy likes this.
  7. Subagent

    Subagent down the rabbit hole, they argue over esoterica

    Location:
    Arlington, VA
  8. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Both the Bees' Knees.
     
    Subagent likes this.
  9. Litejazz53

    Litejazz53 Perfect Sound Through Crystal Clear Digital

    Hi Steve:

    I would like to ask a few questions. As this is a terribly expensive amplifier on loan, and it's valued at approximately $140,000.00, which I suppose does not include the connecting cables:

    1. If Customs did damage the amplifier in their ignorance of it's value, fooling around with it, are they responsible for damages they cause?
    2. Do you have to sign off on any shipping or Customs damage the "second" you receive the amplifier? What happens if the amplifier has been dropped and that damage is unseen during the delivery, and discovered days after it's installed?
    3. How long to you get to keep such a rare piece?
    4. Who insures the amplifier while it's in your possession? I can imagine what would happen if you called any insurance company and told them you wanted to insure a $140,000.00 amplifier.
    5. What happens in the unlikely event of theft, fire, water damage, dropping, accidental damage while in your possession, scratches, dents, etc.?
    6. Do you have to pay to send it back and pay to insure it?

    I can only imagine how worried I would be if I was given or loaned a $140,000.00 component, it would be my luck some stupid home quest might spill a Coke on it, not to mention anyone that knows you are receiving such a piece, there are some crazy people in this world. I called State Farm to make sure my meager Parasound/PS Audio/HP/Aerial/Polk/Definitive Technology equipment was covered, and they acted like I was the only one in the world with audio equipment that expensive, and that was after being turned down by two other insurers that said, I owned equipment that was past their ability to insure! The manufacturer might have Loyd's of London doing a blanket coverage on the amplifier? :agree:
     
    Richard Austen likes this.
  10. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    The company handles all that stuff. Don't worry.
     
  11. tubesandvinyl

    tubesandvinyl Forum Resident

    Tube amps burn in better being turned on and off in cycles. Run 5 hours, off, next day 5 hours on, off etc
     
  12. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Hello, Ongaku Kensei update. Still working perfectly, beautiful sound..
     
  13. Rob Hume

    Rob Hume Forum Resident

    Location:
    England.
    I’ve got an Ongaku Kensei kindly loaned to me whilst my Tomei Kensei is being repaired after going on melt down. Such a lovely amp! Less grain, more space with blacker blacks and better timber and texture. PQ says “you’ll be crying when it has to go back” He’s not wrong!
     
  14. Salectric

    Salectric Senior Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    Rob, what happened to your amp that caused it to melt down?
     
  15. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    I remember I had a my basement flooded many years ago, and company covered destruction of my Conrad-Johnson amp and pre (B&W speakers on stands amazingly survived). I did not explicitly ensured them, they fell into my $30,000 "stuff" coverage. I had a receipt from nearby dealer.
    My vinyl collection was totally ruined as well, but at this time (97 I think) no one cared.
     
  16. Rob Hume

    Rob Hume Forum Resident

    Location:
    England.
    Bad 5U4GB valve damaged the voltage doublising circuit. Nasty cracklings and pop then bad smell when it went :-(
     
  17. Larry I

    Larry I Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington, D.C.
    Nice looking amp. I am sure it sounds fantastic as well. My local dealer has a Gaku-On (parallel single-ended 211 amp) that I recently heard playing a pair of Harbeth 40.2s. The combination was very nice sounding (the Harbeths are very difficult to match to amplification). This week he had them coupled to SHL5+ Harbeths (another demanding speaker). I've heard this amp running AN-Es of course, as well as custom built horn systems and it is a terrific amp.

    The question about damage in customs is terrifyingly real. This dealer once received a Gaku-On amplifier which had multiple very large dents in the top plate and edges bent as though someone tried to pry the amp open without bothering to remove screws. I could not believe what I saw. The amp still worked. It obviously was not packed by Audio Note in this condition, and there would be no reason for the shipping company to open and damage the contents of the package, so it must have been customs. That dealer has expensive stuff shipped through a different port to avoid that particular customs station.
     
  18. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Ouch!!
     
  19. Larry I

    Larry I Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington, D.C.
    I suppose that a really crafty salesperson could up the price on a one-of-a-kind "distressed finish" model.
     
  20. Salectric

    Salectric Senior Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    That's too bad. Hopefully the power transformer wasn't damaged.
     
  21. slcaudiophile

    slcaudiophile Forum Resident

    Location:
    Salt Lake City
    Most of my deliveries arrive flawlessly and quickly. Recently, I had a Oto get stuck in customs and they actually removed it from the box but did not remove the top. That is really surprising they would take off the top ...
     
  22. Rob Hume

    Rob Hume Forum Resident

    Location:
    England.
    No it’s ok now on soak at the factory waiting for Daniel Q to deliver in a week or so.
     
    Don Parkhurst likes this.
  23. Paul Gresswell-Wilkins

    Paul Gresswell-Wilkins Well-Known Member

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    I am also awaiting delivery of my ONGAKU KENSEI also on Soak at AN :)

    Peter was kind enough to allow me to choose a custom burgundy colour for the top plate.
     
    Don Parkhurst likes this.
  24. Paul Gresswell-Wilkins

    Paul Gresswell-Wilkins Well-Known Member

    Location:
    United Kingdom
  25. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Please, when you get it post some pics!! Congrats.
     

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