My New Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier*

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Seafinch, May 31, 2018.

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  1. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Let the thing break in first, get a good handle on the sound. Each session give it a good 1/2 hour to warm up as well.

    Taking the top off is fine, getting it back on again is something else again. I just leave mine unscrewed for quick tube swaps..
     
    Steve Hoffman, May 31, 2018
    #26
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  2. J.D.80

    J.D.80 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Very excited to see you've finally gotten the new amp in home. I've been waiting to read this preliminary review for a while, as you well know :)
    Congratulations!
     
    J.D.80, May 31, 2018
    #27
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  3. Potential Energy

    Potential Energy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    If you already had an external phono stage, could you just run that through the Line level input on the AN unit? Should be straight pass-through, right?

    Could obviously compare the external to internal by switching inputs I'd assume.
     
    Potential Energy, May 31, 2018
    #28
  4. David Cope

    David Cope Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gales Ferry, CT
    Beefier and a completely different topology: double c-core, as found in the best AN gear, rather than IE as found in the standard OTO and pictures posted much further up.

    (Hey, nice pic!)
     
    David Cope, May 31, 2018
    #29
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  5. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    I remember Steve favoring the RCA 12AU7. My experience with RCAs is that they are quite organic/musical-sounding.

    And they're quite cheap, too. :)
     
    Strat-Mangler, May 31, 2018
    #30
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  6. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    For experimenting purposes or to change the flavor depending on what you're about to listen to? Just curious...
     
    Strat-Mangler, May 31, 2018
    #31
  7. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    I actually find the 12 annoying hex screws prevents me from gratuitous tube rolling. My last amp was the sort where the tubes just stick out of the top, it was hard to fight the temptation to constantly fiddle with tube combinations.
     
    Rolltide, May 31, 2018
    #32
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  8. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    My thing is, find the playback that sounds the best on most of your music and leave it. In my case with the OTO in my mastering room with the AN-E speakers in each corner, an Amperex Dutch Bugle Boy ECC82 (12AU7) gave me some extra goodness. I had it that way for about 6 months, then I switched back to the stock Yugo Ai tube and liked it better, actually. More neutral, easier to judge the difference between recordings. So the stock Ai stayed. But, I had to try something else first, that's the beauty of tube rolling.

    BTW, NEVER, NEVER EVER tube roll with great sounding music. Always use less than wonderful recordings. Much easier to tell. I use BEATLES stereo I FEEL FINE off the original Past Masters CD from 1988. That's a lackluster recording that comes in handy for me in many situations, to judge "air" or dynamic range, etc. If you constantly use something amazing sounding you will be lost trying to figure out what tube sounds better. Trust me on this.
     
    Steve Hoffman, May 31, 2018
    #33
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  9. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I haven't popped the lid on any of my AN gear (except the OTO). Impossible to get the top back on without the Hulk helping me and I trust whatever the AN boys have put in there.
     
    Steve Hoffman, May 31, 2018
    #34
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  10. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    The thing about the RCA Clear Top 12AU7 is that it's really over-the-top bright. If you need that in your system, go for it. Cheap tube that most people don't know about (only the clear top versions have this sonic signature). But with Audio Note I like a more complex sounding tube, Mullard, Tele or Amperex, etc.
     
    Steve Hoffman, May 31, 2018
    #35
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  11. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    @Seafinch, one last thing and then I'll shut the **** up.

    When you get a handle on the OTO's phono stage, that IS a situation that can be changed to your specific taste. If I remember correctly the supplied phono tubes are an Ai and a 6DJ8, correct? In my OTO the 6DJ8 (AKA 6922) is a Joint Army-Navy (JAN) Philips tube. I find this tube annoyingly bright. Others love the 'detail' it brings. Other 6DJ8s have a different sonic signature completely. This can be useful in making the phono section what you want it to be.

    You are not locked in to one sound.

    Over and out! Enjoy. It's all good!
     
    Steve Hoffman, May 31, 2018
    #36
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  12. Shiver

    Shiver Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Oh shizzle, I was keeping the Oto idea warm but now it's feeling hotter.
     
    Shiver, May 31, 2018
    #37
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  13. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    congrsts seafinch! hope you love your new system. shalom.
     
    avanti1960, May 31, 2018
    #38
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  14. Encore

    Encore Forum Resident

    Location:
    Copenhagen, Denmark
    Fully agree. But I roll tubes the same way I evaluate all other changes to my gear: I listen to it for at least several days, using all kinds of music that I feel like hearing. I find this the most reliable way--for me at least--to get a grip on the effect of new gear.
     
    Encore, May 31, 2018
    #39
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  15. Encore

    Encore Forum Resident

    Location:
    Copenhagen, Denmark
    Hehe, actually I have somehow lost the screws for my AN DAC. So now I just put the lid back on without the screws. At some point, I'll need to get replacements ...
     
    Encore, May 31, 2018
    #40
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  16. Minty_fresh

    Minty_fresh Forum Resident

    Location:
    B.
    Nice amp. I’m in week 13 of my wait for my power amp (not Audio Note) and I’m Past being pissed about it. At this point I’ll be happy if it shows up at all.
     
    Minty_fresh, May 31, 2018
    #41
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  17. Seafinch

    Seafinch Preferred Patron Thread Starter

    Location:
    United States
    Thanks so much for all the info. It’s great to have someone so knowledgeable own the same amp :)

    Unfortunately it seems the newest Oto SE Sigs are coming with Sovteks and Psvanes. Once I do get to the point of rolling I’ll start with the solo 12au7 up front and the 68DJ in the phono pre.
     
    Seafinch, May 31, 2018
    #42
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  18. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    But remember, it could be perfectly fine with the supplied tubes. Don’t assume NOS is always best.
     
    Steve Hoffman, May 31, 2018
    #43
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  19. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    It's very intuitive that changing the 12AU7 which from the looks of it is basically the lone preamp tube would make the biggest difference, but for some reason the biggest changes I've found were changing the 12AX7. Of course, that's probably because I was rolling in various 5751's which of course is a pretty dramatic difference.
     
    Rolltide, May 31, 2018
    #44
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  20. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    FWIW, I've never heard a single Sovtek that wasn't easily bested by an NOS tube from one of the great manufacturers. Same with JJ and so many others.
     
    Strat-Mangler, May 31, 2018
    #45
  21. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    Every Oto owner is well aware that Sovteks shouldn't sound as good as they do in this amp, and we've all heard good tubes.
     
    Rolltide, May 31, 2018
    #46
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  22. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Merely mentioned my opinion. I'm sure some share it and are already aware while others might not.
     
    Strat-Mangler, May 31, 2018
    #47
  23. John Mee

    John Mee Forum Resident

    Location:
    West of Carthage
    actually, you will probably discover a few plateaus with them:
    -25-35 hours some of the thinness will disappear
    -100-125 hours, the richness in the midrange will start to appear
    -400 or so the bass will be much more defined and midrange will fill in more and some of the high-end harshness will diminish
    -1000-1100 they will really come in to their own and stabilize.

    This comes from doing this with two pair of them....

    The E-SPe/HE is one of the real sweet spots in the AN line. You now own one of the others. Some of the remaining ones are the CDT-1/II, DAC 2.1x Signature and the IQ3.

    If you are going to come to the Ca. Audio show in July that is pretty much the system that will be there, although we may be swapping it out with the M6/Conqueror. We’ll also have tape there...
     
    John Mee, May 31, 2018
    #48
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  24. johnnypaddock

    johnnypaddock Senior Member

    Location:
    Merrimack Valley

    Great post, I enjoyed reading it... I know what you mean about reading reviews while you wait. I ordered an AN P1-SE Signature a little while back, along with AN-E-Lexus HE speakers. I also couldn't agree more that @Warren Jarrett is extremely helpful and very nice to deal with. I'll be following your thread for at least the next month or so. Have fun with the new setup!
     
    johnnypaddock, May 31, 2018
    #49
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  25. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hong Kong

    Do you have a ballpark price on the new TT3 turntable or has that been decided yet? And as it has an external power supply do you know if it uses a universal transformer that can be changed for US/EU frequency and voltage. If I buy an amp in Hong Kong and move to Canada it is a 5 minute solder - but with the TT2 I have to sell it. Can't be used in Canada/US. But I wonder about the TT3 - I may have to ask Peter but if anyone knows...
     
    Richard Austen, Jun 1, 2018
    #50
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