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

Send me a matched pair and I'll check them out. I've never even seen one.

 

Well, if you're serious, I've always wanted to review them. Go to the top and where it says 'INBOX" start a "private conversation" with me, we'll exchange numbers.. Thanks.

 

Getting a pair of Bendix 5992's to try in place of the RCA 6V6GTY.

Usually, for me, overbuilt octal tubes don't always SOUND the best, like Red Base RCA octal 5691/92 that everyone raved about in Sound Practices magazine back in the 1990s. I found them lacking and less tuneful than a run of the mill RCA 6SN7/L7.

But, this seems to be a special case. The Bendix tubes are about 2oo bucks for a matched pair out they so not totally overpriced. Will be interesting to compare! Never, ever had a Bendix tube in any of my gear before!

 

It will be interesting. A few hundred bucks is not much when the amp is at this price point. And Bendix tubes are out there, not exactly rare, because of the JAN thing. So my review might (key word "might") be useful to some...

 

W,

Many thanks for the Bendix Aviation Co. Red Bank tubes! No idea what I'm going to try the 5Y3 in, probably a guitar amp that needs some extra sag or something.

The 5992s will go in the Ongaku and I'll do a nice break-in. 1955 must have been a good year for the Signal Corp.!

 

@John Mee suggested a replacement rectifier set for the Ongaku when we broke bread last year but I've forgotten what tube he suggested. John, can you remind me?

Right now I'm using the Raytheon Potato Masher as supplied..

 

Yeah, the Bendix tubes were built to withstand space flight, nuclear war, gravitational singularity, guided missile launchings and Fender guitar amps!

 

Ah, yes, John, that was it, thank you. I’ll get a pair from Kevin Deal and compare.

 

1955 Bendix "Red Bank" 5992 tubes installed in AN UK Ongaku. Interesting sound. Different from the RCA 6V6 greys. I'll have to listen for a while to get a handle on it. Very smooth sounding...

The furnished GE 211's (VT-4-C) US Army Signal Corp. output tubes are from 1942.

Lots of old stuff happening with this amp!

By the way, the balanced Sootto interconnect sent to me with this amp has 120 strands of pure silver in each conductor, split between 3 different wire gauges. It sounds fantastic with a price tag to match...

 

And I appreciate your sending me the Bendix tubes. A treat for me, first Red Bank tubes I've ever played with.

 

I haven’t but would love to.

 

Still breaking in but they sound great so far. I'm enjoying the break-in process!

 

My Ongaku Kensei amplifier has broken in fully and is remarkable sounding. It's also $140,000.

I played my Audio Note UK Jinro yesterday for a few of Warren's clients and was again impressed how wonderful this copper version of the Ongaku is. The price is actually lower than it was 5 years ago, down to $21,000. If you have the bread, the AN UK JINRO is the way to go. It's beautiful looking and beautiful sounding. The clients were quite impressed..

 

@John Mee just informed me that the AN UK Ongaku Kensei is now considerably less than 140k. It's gone down like the Jinro. Great news for us Americans.

Thanks for the info, John.