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. Encore

    Encore Forum Resident

    Why use more than four words for a review? :laugh:
     
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  2. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    You know, this machine came to me unlooked for, unexpected, I was just minding my own business when an email from Peter Q at Audio Note UK informed me that they were building an Ongaku for me. I mean I hadn't begged, I hadn't even asked them. Just did it on their own. A wonderful present. Grateful.
     
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  3. Don Parkhurst

    Don Parkhurst Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    Steve;

    Have they ever offered you the use of the Io Limited MC cartridge? When you are in the M9 Phono/Ongaku Kensei territory with Soottoo and Sogon cables, you are at the pointy end of the pyramid. I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on their top MC cartridge, the Limited. Some folks over in England (different forum) have described The Limited as being better than any other cartridge that they have ever heard, by a substantial margin.
     
    jsr likes this.
  4. Encore

    Encore Forum Resident

    I know. I just found it cool that you could summarize your impressions in such a short message (as opposed to a lengthier description of the amp's character).
     
  5. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    I know. I just wanted to mention to the Forum how this came about.
     
    jetrexpro likes this.
  6. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Haven’t asked yet. I need the new AN turntable to try the Limited so I’ve been told. I’m getting a volume control upgrade to the M9 soon. Maybe after that I’ll get lucky.
     
  7. Don Parkhurst

    Don Parkhurst Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    I just received my M6 Phono with Balanced CD input last June. As I understand it, I have the latest volume controls. I am told that the difference is quite an improvement. A new M6 is reputed to be the equal, of an old M8. That is quite a jump up in sound quality! Your M9 Phono should be simply astounding. Honestly, my M6 is one of the finest preamps that I have ever heard. In the 40 years that I have been an audiophile.

    Your preamp is two steps above that : )

    Once that upgrade is completed, you only have the turntable upgrade remaining. Then you will have a system that is even more staggeringly good! It makes me want to show up with pizza and good Italian red wine..,and a few records ; )

    I look forward to hearing your impressions.
     
    Steve Hoffman likes this.
  8. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    I was asked via PM what tubes I'm currently running in my Audio Note Ongaku Kensei.

    Well, I am running the tubes that were tested with the unit when it was built for me by AN UK and shipped to me in the tube carton:

    211 output tubes are 1944 General Electric (Schenectady factory) US Army Signal Corp. transmitting power tube VT-4-C, AN UK factory matched pair.

    The signal valves are RCA 6V6GTY marked United Electron made at RCA, Harrison, NJ. Grey coated glass, 6V6GTY – a GT with a low loss micanol brown base, THE best 6V6 out there, IMO. AN factory matched pair.

    That help? After bedding, I felt that these exact tubes made the unit shine, even though I tried a bunch of different combinations.
     
  9. John Mee

    John Mee Forum Resident

    Location:
    West of Carthage
    in the Kensai I am running here, I have the Elrog 211s, the philips Rectifiers and the Sylvania 6V6s.

    BTW, the difference between the Kensai and my regular Ongaku is amazing. It is running with the same M8phono that I use in on the Ongaku Integrated, however the patch cords are Stealth instead of the Sootto I use in the Ongaku. When things settle down, they will be replaced with XLR SOOTTO. Check my profile for the rest of the system.
     
  10. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    John, you think The Kensei is an improvement over the Ongaku integrated? In what way? Can you describe? I’ve never heard a AN UK Ongaku integrated.

    Thanks.
     
  11. John Mee

    John Mee Forum Resident

    Location:
    West of Carthage
    The difference is astounding, to say the least. Pretty unbelievable since the fundamental differences are:
    - 6v6 triode tubes instead of the two stereo tubes in the integrated
    - transformer coupling instead of capacitor coupling
    -fully balanced output
    -removal of the channel selector and volume attenuator
    (I have not opened it up to see what wire is in it,but the integrated has SPE to the speaker terminals due to sharpness of the bends)

    The differences in sound are:
    -more detailed bass
    -much better sound stage
    -cleaner instruments (more detail).
    Things like vibes just seem to leap out of the speakers.
    Allegorically it is like they are cut out with a very sharp Xacto knife and viewed through fine optics instead of rough clay behind cheese cloth. Bear in mind that this is just comparatively speaking as the Ongaku Integrated is really phenomonal. In my case my frame of reference is anM9/Gaku On into the same SEC Sigs that I have. My wife and I are thinking that this rig may even sound better than that, and with only an M8 (albeit re-tubed) pre-amp. Also the other system is using a DAC5 signature, but the same CD transport and both use an IO Gold cartridge, but my turntable is considerably less than the other table.
     
    moremusic likes this.
  12. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Thank you, John.

    I would sure like to see a schematic of both units sometime.
     
  13. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    I have two audio ambitions for my retirement years.

    One is to hear a complete Audio Note system; the other, to hear a complete Shindo system. Both will require a trip to Los Angeles*. :)

    From what I've read, these are the very top in music playback.



    *Or yes, Victoria B.C.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2018
  14. John Mee

    John Mee Forum Resident

    Location:
    West of Carthage
    Or Sacramento California as one of my buddies has a Shindo system (albeit with AN-E speakers).... :)
    Oh and Warren and I have been having some good times also at the Audio Home
     
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  15. Larry I

    Larry I Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington, D.C.
    I have a two-meter pair of Sogon speaker cables running between my amp and my speaker. My speaker is a pretty large horn-based system that I plan to rewire with Sogon wiring. It will probably take more than two more meters to do this. Time to start saving money.
     
    Don Parkhurst likes this.
  16. saturdayboy

    saturdayboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    i got my first transformer coupled amp a while back, and it has a "rightness" that cap coupled amps seem to be missing
     
  17. Larry I

    Larry I Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington, D.C.
    Hi John Mee and saterdayboy,

    When you say "transformer coupled" are you talking about input transformers for the amp? Alternatively, are you talking about an interstage transformer? I too like amps with input transformers, aside from the fact that they are less likely to be compatible with some linestages and preamps. My linestage has input transformers and output transformers and it is a good match to my amp which has input transformers. I seem to like "iron" a lot. My other amp, an Audio Note Kageki does not have an input transformer, but, it seems to be reasonably compatible with my linestage.
     
  18. saturdayboy

    saturdayboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    I’m referring to interstage transformers between the signal tubes and the power tubes
     
  19. Minty_fresh

    Minty_fresh Forum Resident

    Location:
    B.
    I don’t have anything relevant to add other then my GP was head of security at this plant after retiring from the Navy. His wife took off to join an artist colony and he worked 2 full time jobs to support his *7* kids and didn’t end up retiring until his late 70’s.

    I’d also add he helped my mom and her sisters get tix to the first first US Beatles concert by offering his services to transport the band out the secret military route from the airport to the venue. My mom was 16 at that point.

    He was salt of the earth and my inspiration as a single dad trying to raise a kid.

    Sorry, back to the thread at hand.
     
  20. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Seems like a great guy.
     
  21. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Audio Home would be destination #1. :)
     
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  22. Warren Jarrett

    Warren Jarrett Audio Note (UK) dealer in SoCal/LA-OC In Memoriam

    Location:
    Fullerton, CA
    Of course, anyone from Steve's forum is welcome, anytime, just to listen and enjoy.
     
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  23. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Thank you Warren, I appreciate that.

    Does AN still offer a System Zero, "entry-level" CD deck (or DAC)>integrated>speakers setup? That's one thing Shindo doesn't; with them, basic source/amp/speakers approaches the cost of a nice BMW.
     
  24. anonymous

    anonymous Active Member

    Location:
    NM
    Have you been able to try a Bendix "Red Bank" 5992 in place of the 6V6? Great extension, very linear response (the opposite of what is desired in a guitar amp) and long lasting.
     
  25. John Mee

    John Mee Forum Resident

    Location:
    West of Carthage
    they offer a CDT Zero/II (cat 450) and a DAC 0.1x (cat zz301) as well as a CD Zero (cat zz517) player
     
    bhazen likes this.

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