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

I would tell you that you are posting porn again here, but then would have to admit that I was watching and listening to it in person!

 

Yes, but Steve lives in the San Fernando Valley, the home of the American porn industry, so what else would you expect <ducking>

 

Why is Audio Note so secretive about its pricing? It won't let its dealers, even in the UK, put prices on their websites. How can prospective buyers put together options and budgets before demos?

 

As Peter explains to anyone that asks, it's about allowing a dealer or distributor to have a conversation about the products and explain the differences and price/ performance levels with anyone enquiring. With so many products available, listing prices without explanation would achieve little customer awareness. Talking to someone who knows what would constitute a well balance answer to a question about an AN product is going to give so much more and of course you can always ask for prices for any product.

 

This is a comparison of two well regarded amplifiers- one pricey, the other far more so!

Are the improvements in sound quality minor within the context of a component system? Skeptics might suggest that well designed amplification doesn't get much better after a certain point.

 

I guess they'd have no other recourse then to pick up the phone and spend a couple of minutes talking to an Audio Note dealer. It's a shame any brand would treat a customer so poorly, no?

 

Okay, I'll ask: What are the prices for every product that Audio Note currently offers? Please share the price list in this thread. Thanks.

I share the frustration of reading about Audio Note products in many SHF threads, but never knowing how much they cost. I think I read that one product costs $140,000(?). But then I read that the price of that item has declined significantly, but I don't know what the current price might be.

Is Audio Note intended only for people who don't care what products cost, and have the means to pay any amount of money for anything?

 

I googled Audio Note (uk) price list pdf and came up with a 2016 list from somewhere called DA Stereo. When I try to copy and paste the link, I come up with something that looks like Greek. Still, it was not hard to find a 26 pg price list (in Euros).

 

You very well know, it takes more than a couple of minutes to call and ask about prices. The dealer would end up giving options and ask what you are currently using....blah blah blah. As a consumer I would like some literature and prices first before investing my time and the dealers time.

 

It is Audio Note's prerogative to narrowly focus on certain customers. I imagine that they very carefully select their dealers as well. I'd caution against criticizing a hi-end audio manufacturer for projecting their brand the way they see fit. For the record, I'm not the customer they will go after and I can get over that.

 

God forbid one encounter such friction in life, right? A conversation about a topic we're all fond enough to discuss with strangers on the internet that might last as long as ten entire minutes?

 

I can PERFECTLY understand wanting a price list in advance...or at least a ballpark. My experience with some dealers on the East Coast is...If you call and ask questions about their products (Or trade in values they pay etc) don't be surprised to be inundated with MANY follow-up Phone Calls, Emails etc by that dealer...Oh Yea and even POSTCARDS in the mail. That kind of badgering I don't need. Maybe in other parts of the USA where life is more "laid back" the dealers don't act like a pack of hungry vultures for your business. I want as much info as possible BEFORE I make any calls or in person visits.

 

From the tone of some of the posts I can't help think that some of you have got Peter and Audio Note all wrong. He's a genuine guy and just prefers to treat customers as individuals and try to do his best for them, both in helping them to understand the product range, find the right components for the customer and make it financially work for them (hence no price list, hint hint).

I've got a general appreciation for his prices and lets say that they go all the way from entry level very reasonable all the way to yacht owning millionaire level.

The main thing to get your head around is the product philosophy - low power amps/ highly sensitive wide bodied speakers, which is quite a contrast and a completely different presentation to the mainstream speaker design that needs oodles of muscle amp power to get the best from them.

 

Crimsondonkey,

That is a great thumbnail description of Audio Note. Their bottom level/priced items are actually quite a bargain, given their performance. Audio Note tends to have a few basic designs, and the better models are refinements of the same design; usually meaning much better Audio Note-made parts for the better models. The last bit of incremental improvement does become quite dear when it comes to their product line, but, there are plenty of intermediate options in their lineup.

I have not had much reason to interact with Peter, but, the few times I've made inquiries about the Kageki amp I own were answered by Peter himself, and he was extremely helpful. I once asked about alternative output tubes; not only did he answer the question, he even did an internet search and found several examples being offered, including his opinion on whether the particular purveyors were reliable.

 

Can you provide a little more information about these entry-level products' prices?

Are we talking US$500 for a solid entry-level integrated amp? Or US$5,000 is the lowest-priced amp they sell? I guess I don't want to waste my time or the time of the salesperson, and knowing price ranges for their lines and products gives me the starting information I need to know.

I know Lamborghini, Porsche, and Ferrari are all out of my price range. I will never own one of those cars unless I get a used one some day. But I also know the lower-half of the Audi and BMW and Mercedes cars are within my range to get if I choose to. So I will go and test drive and talk to those dealers, but not to Lambo/Porsche/Ferrari dealers.

In audio, I know Parasound and Peachtree are just within my current range. I know McIntosh is out of my range for new, but I may get used McIntosh equipment some day.

Does AN have comparably-priced options to Parasound and Peachtree? Should I be looking at AN as well? I have no idea. Knowing all the prices could help me answer that starter question.

Craig.

 

I was puzzled rather than critical. However, your comment suggests that AN prices can reflect the financial means of the individual customer. Is that correct? If so, how does it work when buying from a dealer? Or should customers buy direct to get discounts?

 

I believe the OTO integrated is around $5,500 and that is their entry level integrated. I believe their integrated amps start at a pretty high level. Their DACs and speakers are not as high priced as their amps (at least at the starting point). I suppose you could, some day, look at used Audio Note gear, but, the prices of their used stuff tends to stay somewhat high because they don't change designs and models often so gear remains "current" for a very long time.

 

I would always go straight to Peter, and I’ll leave it at that...

 

Audio Note UK entry level integrated is iZero according to their homepage and I've heard that it is less then half the price of OTO SE. Also note that OTO PP is at a much lower cost then SE. Though the boxes look the same they do continuous R&D. Great products IMHO

 

It does seem like a cult, Steve, but AN UK has plenty of company in our hobby. In fact, our hobby isn't unique in this regard. The well heeled members here can probably attest to that (auto makes, yachts, cigars?, French wine?, exclusive memberships of all kinds, etc).

If AN UK is clubby, then what's Mac?! And honestly, that's merely a heritage brand. PS Audio? They have their own web forum! Kudos for their marketing department.

Mainstream cults include Apple and, in home theater, Sony. Trust me, don't even dare go after Sony front projection! Buy your better JVC and enjoy the screen time in peace.

 

A company whose products you can have delivered next-day by Amazon, making them the polar opposite of Audio Note?

I'm curious what this means. No wrong answers, just can't parse your meaning.

 

Ha. Ok, you got my drift though. Just don't post anything negative about Mac or else!

There's nothing exceptional about the product offering today as far as tying in to the products of decades ago. They could be cranking out the best valued electronics in all of high end right now and if they bailed on the name, then sales would do what? ​

 

Okay. It sounds like you're doing the "McIntosh isn't actually good, just for doctors and lawyers who don't know better" thing. I'm not going to comment, I was just curious what you meant.

Back to our regularly scheduled AN UK thread!