Strictly for fans of Audio Note UK (all things Audio Note UK)

Jon,
I had a Kondo KASSAI (pictured in my avatar) and liked it very much. The midrange was as sweet as can be. When it died (the caps, of course), I replaced it with the new Audio Note UK Tonmeister. The Tonmeister has much better bass, especially with the AN 300Bs, but I did miss the magical KASSAI midrange for a while. The Tonmeister has now moved to my office. I think the combination of a smaller space and J speakers make it an excellent match. The main system now has a Kondo Ongaku from the 90s. Brought back to like new by the famous Nick Gowan. The magic Kondo midrange plus room filling bass. I have not had a chance to compare it to the AN UK version in my home, but it is hard to believe that anything can be better. Yes, I have probably said that before, but...

 

It would be an interesting combination but it's not as easy to get certain products especially in Hong Kong. Dealers often don't see the value in reviews in English. So I have to go through the manufacturers directly and that sometimes there are various issues from the size of the company, the lack of English, the lack of response etc. Kondo has sounded good to me but I have not heard it with my speakers or speakers I know fairly well.

The designs are quite different and Kondo has passed so really there is little in common between the two today I should think. I have seen Kondo a fair bit here though. They are carried in a few shops new and used.

 

7-8 years ago at a dealer I listened to Kondo gear driving Avalon speakers when i purchased my TT.
Frankly the Kondo/Avalon combination produced a totally boring and undynamic sound.
A bad speaker/amp match I presume.

 

This is one of my all-time favorite records and my wife's No. 1 (I haven't heard the One Step version), but I always find Bill's piano a little brittle. Am I crazy? I have the Riverside 1 LP and 4LP complete set. And before anyone says it's my system, I actually played the record at the late @Warren Jarrett's Audio Home on his living room system and it still sounded a little brittle. Is this a me problem or something that sounds different on @stevehoffman's Analogue Productions set or the One-Step?

 

Thanks Bob that's very helpful I was thinking that the original Kondo gear was on the warmer more romantic side. It also makes me wonder to what extent and in what ways folks think the Audio Note UK sound has evolved.

And Bob that Kondo Ongaku is such a legendary amplifier I can imagine both the great sound and the joy at owning such a storied device.

 

Is that what you paid for the One Step limited box set or was there also a standard version released? The sealed copies I’m seeing on Discogs are $700-$1kUS!

Bill Evans Trio* Featuring Scott La Faro* - Sunday At The Village Vanguard

 

Well, that's cheap compared to this recent release (if you can find one for sale...).

 

Now this is something you don't see everyday. A guy who bought the components/drivers/wiring for a pair of AN-E/Spe HE's from AN UK then built his own cabinets! At least he says he did, they're kind of fugly looking to me though I like the crossovers in the integrated stands.

Audio Note AN-E/SPe HE | Full-Range | Sacramento, California 95818 | Audiogon

 

Audio Note Cobra review from Germany in English

https://d1b89e86-9572-4311-9f80-600...p0LwJg47vOOtLYM0DygI8Gw5c50q4H50LuzLzHvaGAWX0

 

This review just made waiting on delivery seem longer

 

Hi, new member, I really love the Cobra. I used to have a Line Magnetic 518ia and I feel the Cobra just keeps growing on me. The 518 is a great amp but I prefer the Cobra. Some day a Tonemeister will take its place but I can live with the Cobra for a long time if nescessary.

 

Welcome and glad you are loving your Cobra! Can you fill out your profile so we can see the rest of your equipment? My interest is purely prurient

 

If you are going to buy one of the MFSL One Step records, order it as soon as they advertise it available for pre-order. At that point it’s ‘only’ $99.00 plus shipping. The ones that I have bought have been the best sounding version that I have hears of each record. The other brand that is as good is the Acoustic Sounds version of One Step. I have Jimi Hendrix’s first album from Acoustic Sounds that was also $99.00 plus shipping. Easily the best sounding album by Jimi that I have heard.

I suspect that some brands are even better but those are the ones that are $600 to $900 new. I can’t remember the label at the moment, but they did Sonny Rollins ‘Way Out West’. There just has to be a limit to what we can spend. Right?! Right?! Sigh...

 

An interesting thought about the Cobra....someone I know that knows Audio Note very well, has bought a new Cobra. He had some issues with low level listening in his apartment with the Cobra. It would cut in and out at low levels. He spoke to some people at AN and decided to upgrade the volume pots on the Cobra. He felt that the new volume pots were an enormous upgrade and no longer has the issue with volume cutout at low level. Oh and a marked improvement in sound quality. So, perhaps food for thought for those thinking of buying the Cobra? If I remember correctly, he spent an extra $700 to get the better volume pot? I could be wrong on the exact amount, but it is a lot less than upgrading to a Tonmeister or other higher model....

 

Done☺️

 

ERC, Electric Recording Company.
Cath bought my first one on PQ's recommendation, Tommy Flanagan's "Over cccccc's" and then came the mono Way out west and then the Shostokovich. They are beautiful to open and hold. I can understand why people collect them. I will selectively buy the titles that I love and leave the others for other motivated buyers.
They are all still sealed but that is only waiting for a new room to play them in and a time when life is not so demanding.

 

They might have removed the motorised volume unit and put in a stepped attenuator for that cost. There would be a significant improvement in sound quality if that was the case. I just replaced the old style versions with the new 36 step tantalum/ silver loading resistor versions in an M3 Line pre and the improvement was not subtle. Those are much more than $700 though.

 

Nice sytem!

 

I missed out on Way Out West from ERC. Now they seem to be going for crazy money. If you ever want to sell yours to a fellow AN guy, let me know ; )

 

I was under the impression that it was still a motorized volume pot, as he really wanted remote control of the volume. Again, I could be wrong about the price. It was a passing comment when we were talking about something else, so I should have paid more attention. Bottom line is that he is very happy now.

 

I'll put it in the will.
We have no children so it's not a matter of inheritance. Do you want the Ongaku Kensei as well?

 

Another interview with Peter - Classic Album Sundays

 

The ERC records are crazy expensive and highly collectable. I do wonder how many just sit unopened, sort of like an investment or a trophy. When the Johanna Martzy record came out (the first ERC record), its extremely high price could sort of be justified by the fact that original recordings were extremely rare and costly (many thousands of dollars). But, is it worth that kind of money to get "Way Out West" when there are plenty of nice sounding originals and reissues around? I have a MoFi One-Step (Marvin Gaye) and I've heard a few others. They do sound good and can be had at a price that is not that far off from originals in really good condition, and like the ERC records, they have been appreciating in value.

I appreciate really nice reissues, and I have paid some fairly stiff prices to get some original recordings (mostly jazz). But, out of my entire collection, one of the recordings I most prize I picked up in the one dollar bin at a used record store--an Argentinian Philips issue of Ariel Ramirez' "Missa Criolla" done by the Argentine folk group Los Fronterizos. I like their version more than I do the "classical" versions done by such stars as Jose Carreras.

 

they are worth every penny. i have several releases i keep in the ERC cardboard box and then of course i have a copy i use. simply incredible what they can do. less of a trophy more of a long term solution .

 

*cough* yeah sure.... : )