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

Thanks! I appreciate the input.

“…designed for Brian May.” Hmmm… I hope that is a good thing!

 

And if you can 'stomach' not having an input selector, I'd go for dual mono's but I get the connivence side of having an input selector.


N.

 

I will never go back to two mono’s if I can avoid it, and I need at least two inputs. One of many things I love about the Jinro, is the ability to change volum with one hand

 

@nige harris i have to say how impressed i am that you have committed yourself exclusively and entirely to one input like this. dedication!

 

An input selector is convenient, no question about that, but for the best sound quality you should only have one input. There are two reasons for this, one fairly obvious and the other not so obvious.

1. Any time you can simplify the signal path especially by eliminating switch contacts, there is a potential improvement. Most people are aware of this at least in the abstract whether or not they have confirmed it empirically.

2. Not so well known is that the interconnects from a component that is not in use also affect sound quality. For example, if you are listening to an LP and you have other components such as a CD player or FM tuner or tape deck also plugged into your preamp, those unused components affect the sound of the record you’re listening to. Or if you’re listening to CDs or streaming, the cables from your other components not in use affect the sound. This is true whether the unused components are powered up or are off. This interaction occurs because the input selector switch in every preamp (or integrated) I am familiar with only disconnects the “hot” side of the unused inputs. The ground side of all input jacks remain connected at all times. Essentially all of the ground wires in your interconnects and the ground circuitry in these unused components themselves are connected in parallel with the ground connections in your preamp or
amp. I suspect this big network of ground wires is acting like an antenna to pick up stray RFI that is everywhere in our world today. Whatever the cause, it is easy to hear the effect. Just try unplugging the input cables for all equipment other than what you are listening to. Listen to your favorite source both ways—-with other cables connected and with them unplugged. Can you tell a difference? Once you do this a few times, you may well find that it is significant and from then on you will always unplug unused cables. That is how I have listened for the past 25 years: to change inputs I unplug one set of cables and plug in another set. Inconvenient for sure but I can’t imagine listening any other way. These days my preamp and my AVC don’t even have an input selector switch. They just have a single pair of input jacks hard wired directly to the volume control.

P.S. I also unplug unused components from the wall outlets. This also affects sound quality. Turning off an unused component helps but unplugging it from the wall outlet helps even more.

 

Which Oppo model? Also, what was the streaming service used in the test?

I tested Oppo 105D as a transport against AN-CD 2.1x/i and the former sounded better in my system (feeding Lampizator dac). Considering it can read basically any digital files, it stayed in the system.

 

There is a significant difference between a CDT 2 and a CD 2.1. The transport only model uses the Philips Pro 2 mechanism and the integrated uses a Sony mechanism from memory. Seriously apples and oranges. Not even close to comparable.

 

I know, CD player vs. transport, and the player is obviously very old. (It's still a good sounding machine, by the way). I was mostly writing to note I was surprised at how well Oppo 105D performed as a transport, so I'd be interested to find out what model was tested (103 and 203 perform noticeably worse).

 

We streamed through Tidal.

My friend has the UDP 203. He has been, up until this point, very comfortable with it. As I mentioned, he only listens to about 5-10% digital. The step-up to CDT-Two/II was really significant though. We listened to about 10 seconds of same song on the CDT-Two and he stood up and said, "Well I'm out!". He obviously knew there would be a difference, but he was hoping for something closer

Listening to the same song on the Lumin U2 mini, we were hugely impressed. Very different presentation to the AN transport. His headline message: If he ever felt the need to upgrade his digital front end, he would be comfortable to go the streaming direction. The Oppo would probably stay.

 

I find it helps, but it is variable, sometimes I get no issues at all and other it reduces the pop, especially on initial volume 'up' just after turning the amp on. Also I notice that the slower / more delicately I turn the control the less impactful the 'pop' is.

I also say 'the' control deliberately, as I only ever get noise on the left hand channel attenuator!!! It is for some strange habit the one i always turn first and I have tried to use the right first, but i still get the 'pop' on the left?

N

 

The Tomei is really quite an amazing amp. I have to say I have never heard one previous to mine, (plenty of Jinro's and a few Ongaku's), and mine is not standard - the front end (apart from the Interstage Tx's which are still Ag /Cu), is now quite close to Ongaku, with even the 2nd driver tube having being changed to the 6364 as in the Ongaku, so my impressions of it a somewhat skewed, but it quite simply amazing...

 

what year is your Tomei Nigel? i have never heard a Tomei but i have to say based on my Jinro's performance, the idea of stepping up to a Tomei is quite exciting. the Jinro is extremely good but having now heard the M6 one is left in no doubt as to the potential of silver wound transformers.

 

plus of course we have Kondo describing how his 211 amps weren't really doing it for him until the fateful day that he wound them up with Silver

" I made a number of 211-S amplifiers, but was not thoroughly satisfied with their tone quality although they showed excellent characteristic. They lacked ‘tenderness’ of 2A3 and ‘depth’ of 300B. After a succession of trial and error I reached a conclusion that the problem had something to do with the tone quality of the circuit elements used for “211” that leaves little ambiguity. Therefore, Mr. Yasuhiro Oishi helped me wind silver wires around the silicon steel. The result was just incredible. What a marvelous sound!"

Writings of H. Kondo - SW1X Audio Design

 

my Kondo Ongaku is late 1990s (99, I think). And, yes, it is a home run (goal?)

 

The attenuators are a handmade object and with the silver contact slugs being the resistor connection points, and slight variance in height or angle will have the opportunity to allow the rotating arm to break before make and that would cause a noise to come through. The idea behind the constant rotating is twofold, wiping clean the contact points and as silver is a relative soft metal, the contact imperfections diminish over time as the slight wear down factor comes into play. AN could remachine perfectly flat the contact slugs once they are made up with the resistors in place and then there would never be an issue of break before make but so far they haven’t seen it require that process. They still sound better than any other attenuator out there. Go figure.

 

I've owned an Oto Phono SE Sig and a pair of AN-E Spe HE's for a few years now, currently paired with a Rega Planar 8 and Exact cartridge. Thinking about jumping to the Apheta MC and wondering what the best step up transformer option is? Doesn't have to be Audio Note, per se, as long as the step up plays well with the Oto. Suggestions and guidance? I have no experience with using a SUT, by the way!

 

I'm looking for a used pair of 1m AN Vx RCA interconnects. If anyone has a lead on a pair, please send me a PM.

 

Hi,
has anyone compared the AN E SPx AlNiCo and the E SPx HE SE Signature to each other? Alnico elements have their undeniable strengths - but so do external crossovers and slightly higher sensitivity. I myself own an E SPx AlNiCo, but all opinions on the differences between those models are interesting.

 

Hello everyone. This is my first post here and i would like to share my modest AN setup.

Speakers: AN-E/D + Kondo SPc + Kondo SPc jumpers
Amp: AN Oto Signature + AC Kondo ACz
Preamp: AN M2 Phono (upgraded inside with AN Vx20) + AC AN ISIS
TT: AN TT1 Deluxe + AN Arm 2 (Helius, AN-V) + IQ3 + AC Wireworld Stratus
DAC: AN DAC 3 Signature + AN Vx31 interconnect + AN Vx20 RCA-BNC digital + AC VDH Mainsserver
Digital Transport: Based on Rpi3+ Fifopi by Ian Canada

And just wondering if anyone tried latest M2 Phono/Line Signature? Maybe someone know its diffence to standart model?

 

Hi, No I haven't had that pleasure but i have the E SPe HE Sig and although a little down the chain, they are stunning and I know some who would say a sweet spot in the line up... there high sensitivity makes them so revealing - IMHO of course...

 

Yeah, I know its a pain but I'll live with it, as its only occasionally that i get a 'pop' that makes me jump.

 

Also, possibly because AN go against the establishment, as in SET amps and relatively high efficiency loudspeakers, which goes against what the magazines and their advertisers like to promote...

 

My speakers are without the logos attached to them. Is there an official AN guideline where to stick them? To the bottom and center of course. But how many cm from the bottom?

Gold logos going to look great on satin black E’s I’m sure.

 

My opinion current production tubes should be avoided in Oto. Considering good NOS tubes price is relatively OK nowadays.



NOS US branded tubes works well as input 83. I rolled about 10 different pairs and decided to keep Sylvania ECC83.

As of EL84 I bought my amplifier with almost NOS Telefunkens, previous owner paid quite a lot for them. But I preferred cheap NOS soviet tubes 6П14П. I use 6П14П-В from early 80. But best possible results 64-65 years. Everything up to 1985 should be good

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

I would imagine you have better access in your neighborhood to decent Eastern European tubes. Your preference for "Western" tubes is noted.



For others that might care, I recently replaced the ECC82 Psvane tube with a NOS Mazda. It created better separation between the instruments and greater depth of sound.