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

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Richard Austen, Mar 19, 2015.

  1. finn

    finn Forum Resident

    You will enjoy. Have you heard the Alnico speakers before? What veneer did you go with? And they agreed to do the UHiB transformers?
     
  2. Gjo

    Gjo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    In the case of the models you mentioned, the decision was primarily driven by cost.

    SPx SE Sig and Ankoru/II balanced 211 amplifiers are beyond my pay grade.

    I wanted balanced amplifiers, and P4 Balanced are the least expensive balanced amps made by Audio Note. @finn suggested upgrading to UHiB transformers for better drive, and that made sense to me.

    I have not heard the Alnico. I'm going on the recommendation of my dealer, who has spent time listening to my system, and who is aware of my system goals. Another AN dealer also recommended moving to E SPx Alnico rather than a smaller upgrade to SPe HE Sig.

    Makassar ebony (despite learning the veneer is artificial...LOL).

    The factory agreed to the UHiB upgrade.
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2021
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  3. finn

    finn Forum Resident

    The Makassar is a genuine timber veneer, it’s just the colour and pattern is printed on it. Just think of the orangutan homes you have saved and the Italian workers you have helped keep their job.
    The Alnico’s will sound so different you really will be surprised. They are going to be fun.
    You can never have enough AN dealers whispering into those ears...or so I’ve been told.
    Cheers.
     
    Salectric, jonwoody and Gjo like this.
  4. Gjo

    Gjo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Yes, so I'm told...

    I hope they're not too far afield from my SPe HE, which I love.
     
  5. Acapella48

    Acapella48 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Elk Grove, CA.
    Congrats! Might be a long wait due to global shipping and labor issues, especially in the Port of Los Angeles. The shortage of gasoline in the UK isn't gonna help matters either.
    Last time I communicated with Martin Grennall back in July regarding shipping estimates, speakers were taking 12 to 18 weeks; electronics somewhat longer and that doesn't take into account the number of orders AN is receiving and attempting to fill. Martin added that the other issue is international shipping costs, which has become hellishly more expensive (Martin's words) and somewhat more difficult since the pandemic hit.

    I would imagine that international shipping costs have increased since July due to the ongoing issues and container shortages. It's been 5 weeks since I ordered a pair of AN-E/SPe HE's. I might see them in late November early December but I'm guessing it could be after the first of the year.
     
    jonwoody likes this.
  6. Gjo

    Gjo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Right.

    I have been told 4-6 months.
     
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  7. Acapella48

    Acapella48 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Elk Grove, CA.
    [​IMG]
     
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  8. finn

    finn Forum Resident

    The Jinro Shochu is actually the least expensive transformer coupled power amp in the range and with regards to the SPe Signatures, it’s not a small upgrade over the internal x- over model. However the Alnico is rather special.
     
    Gjo likes this.
  9. Gjo

    Gjo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Thank you for the correction.

    If I’m not mistaken, the P4 Balanced are the least expensive transformer coupled mono block amplifiers in the range.

    I mentioned amps (plural) in my post, so I thought mono block specification was self-evident; in retrospect I could have been more precise with my writing.
     
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  10. jonwoody

    jonwoody Tragically Unhip

    Location:
    Washington DC
    Congratulations glad you took your time and I hope they sound beyond your wildest dreams! May I ask what preamp you'll be using or did you remove your M3 from sale?
     
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  11. finn

    finn Forum Resident

    The devil is in the detail. And you are correct about the P4’s. When I bought a pair, I thought they would be the last AN amp I would own, I was wrong there. I still have them, they are pretty nice.
     
    NapaBob likes this.
  12. Gjo

    Gjo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Thanks and good question.

    The M3 is available.

    If I still own it when the new gear is delivered, then I will compare the M3 with the SMc Audio VRE-1C.
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2021
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  13. Chris.p.l

    Chris.p.l Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    Hello,

    I come to share with you an experience which I am amazed!

    I mounted a small raspberry PI4, which I connected to the Cobra with a Lexus USB.

    I end up with a source for streaming that I never imagined, unbelievable!!

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2021
  14. ovs-audio

    ovs-audio Active Member

    Location:
    Netherlands
    Nice ! I also use the pi4 with usb dacs very nice.
     
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  15. Musicophile

    Musicophile Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norway
    finn: I am very curious about your opinion of AN4300 vs Takatsuki 300B, could you please elaborate a little bit? Myself use the AN4300 on my Meishu Tonmeister Silver Signature.
     
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  16. enginedr

    enginedr Its all good

    Location:
    New York City
  17. ovs-audio

    ovs-audio Active Member

    Location:
    Netherlands
    haha, yes I read that, very funny, but he also thinks the belden 9497 is the best speaker cable, and gotham the best interlinks sorry but it can't be compared with audio note.
    I've had so much stuff in the 40 years that I do audio, but audio note is really at the top of my list.
     
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  18. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong
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  19. finn

    finn Forum Resident

    Depends on what the rest of your system comprises as. What type of music you play. The tubes in front of it. The Takatsuki have a midrange to kill for, not the typical frequency curve that most 300b tubes exhibit but linear and pure. The breaking time is 250 hours and if you don’t have the patience to get there then you will never actually hear what they can do. The Western Electric Have outstanding bass and air but don’t quite match them in the mids. The AN 4300’s have top to bottom linearity and drive combined with articulation but are a cerebral affair rather than the heart if that makes sense. If you have a system already loaded with midrange character then the AN’s could sound perfect, if you had a system with copious detail and weight in the bottom end then the Takatsuki’s would work extremely well, if you needed bottom end extension and drive then WE tubes might be the answer. See how it all depends on what is already there. I have clients with both types in AN systems and the recommendations were based on what the rest of the system comprised of and the tubes that were driving the 300b’s. Hope this goes some way to answering your question as you have an amplifier that could easily show the difference between the tubes.
     
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  20. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    If you are going to mount an expensive pair of Audio Note speakers on a wall you might as well sell them and buy a used pair of Wharfedale Diamonds. High end gear really only has any advantage if forensic attention is applied to correct set up. I don't even go along with corner mounting these fairy large boxes. Can't see how they defy the rules for decent sound from any speaker.
     
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  21. Musicophile

    Musicophile Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norway
    Thanks finn, this is very informative and helpful!
     
    finn likes this.
  22. Jaytor

    Jaytor DIY Enthusiast

    Location:
    Oregon
    Thanks for posting your impressions. I'm in the process of building a pair of 300B P-SET monoblocks based on the ANK Interstage C-Core kit (with a number of embellishments) and have been contemplating what 300Bs to use. I've been leaning towards the Takatsukis, and your comments have made me more comfortable with that choice.
     
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  23. SetANE

    SetANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney NSW
    i have been using takatsuki's for the past 2 months or so. maybe month. in lockdown so it is all foggy.

    used in Meishu Silver Line.

    previously it came installed with KR300b

    i then bought and installed Psvane WE plus

    then i got takatsuki

    Never heard a 300b amp before meishu.

    Takatsuki is one of those sublime sounds - as they run in pretty big change happens - suddenly you have like golden hour any time of day you want. to me they make the amplifier. we psvane sounded more linear and shrillish. not terrible. not amazing. kr300b was like deliberately trippy or something? nice but eh.

    takatsuki is like a million miles ahead. it has depth of tone (whatever that means) that doesn't exist in others.
     
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  24. SetANE

    SetANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney NSW
    i should reiterate however that this is my first 300b and i have only listened to 3 sets of tubes.
     
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  25. Acapella48

    Acapella48 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Elk Grove, CA.
    Considered getting a pair of Tak's for my Meishu Silver Sig but it seems they're not that easy to find. I've seen them on eBay but I tend to shy away from eBay. Parts Connexion in Canada has them but don't know what it costs to ship to the U.S. and Woo Audio in Long Island, N.Y. has them --but expensive. I finally just ordered a pair of new production WE 300B's (haven't installed them yet). I figure the new production WE 300B's have to be a step-up from the stock Psvane's.
    I may decide to get a pair of AN 43oo-E's but ...
     

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