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

They quoted the Ongaku at $220,000 CAD.

 

$300k included the speakers. If they are in Ontario they may be including HST (which is government sales tax combined with Provincial sales tax = 13%

Which is kind of why I want to buy it in Hong Kong and have it shipped to myself when I move back to Canada. Even though I am leery of shipping all this stuff.

 

Thanks, do you mind me asking how long you've been using them now?

And the 'improvement' or differences to the Potato Masher, if possible to verbablise?

I might start looking for a pair?

Thanks,

 

Is an Ongaku like a Jaguar? Buy two so you have one in the system while the other is in the shop?

If so, $440,000 CAD.

 

No.

 

Using current currency rates and not providing for local taxes, it would be $198200 for the Ongaku in Canada. I haven’t bothered looking at the speaker pricing. For them, they are about to go on a very steep learning curve and get really scared, really quick.

 

I have a receipt here for 9/23/16, and I am pretty sure it is for the first pair, since this is for a cyrogenically treated pair and my recollection is that the second pair were not cryogenically treated.

I find them to have a lot more detail instrument/voice "separation" so the image looks more like an individual item in the sonic space.

Good luck finding them. I know that Upscale's price went up substantially between the first and second pair.

 

I have a quest from one of your older post regarding hum noise you finally got corrected due to your amp after a considerable amount of time. Was the hum coming through the speakers or from the amp itself? I may not be posting this correctly but if you can see it I’d appreciate hearing a little more about that experience. I’m having a issue I think thats similar.

 

It was primarily hum from the speakers, but also some minimal hum from the transformers.

The solution was two new capacitors and new output transformers in each mono amplifier. To be fair, the problem was primarily in one amp, but you know, identical parts must also be replaced in the other amp to keep them matched. Or so it was recommended.

I hope your solution is simpler.

 

With some time off yesterday, I popped into the AN dealer and spent the afternoon auditioning the Meishu Phono Tonmeister (basic version) and they noted that the Meishu is their best-selling amplifier which doesn't surprise me.

I auditioned the 4.1x CD player top left. The 5.1 was sold out. Cables were all bi-wire Lexus. AN E/SPE HE speakers.

The Meishu Tonmeister impresses me every time I hear it. I enjoy talking to the dealers. Eddy noted that when you're younger you want all the separates but there is something appealing to the one-box integrated and the one-box CD player - the sound and not just the price/space saving. He noted that it's not a slam dunk you will like the Silver or Silver Sig over the basic model either. It's a trade - more air and sparkle with the upgrades but less of the midrange warmth. Later down the line I want to compare the M6 with P3 Tonmeister power amp (Meishu Power amp section) and the Meishu Tonmeister.

The Meishu just does vocals and acoustics so very well.

 

I just ordered some from https://www.amazon.de/-/en/gp/product/B0001OZI70

 

The link you show just takes you to the normal pack of blau tak so maybe there is another one with the yellow as part of the spectrum.

 

Could have sworn it was 'colour' this morning, but you're right.

 

It appears I must have just been lucky. I got mine on Amazon. When I went back to the page where I ordered them it now says "currently unavailable".

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008COY9OE?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

Brian,

I really think you're going to have to set up an underground supply line of this stuff, it seems to be like the proverbial 'hens teeth' out side of Aus...

Nige

 

i am patiently waiting for upgrades but last night, oh boy. The depth of presentation and the dynamics that I am getting out of the system right now. WOW! Slow Train Coming by Bob Dylan was on and it was a fabulous pressing or something. Christian Rock never sounded so good! Also ISIS is one hell of a speaker cable.

 

Well I finally got to install my Gaia I's, only Blue Blu Tak though, and I must say I'm very impressed... Really very, very pleased with them. Spent the day with the system just sounding very effortless on all types of music.

I went with the speakers in same position as they were before and no issues - but I may try a tweak here or there to see if anymore can be got out of them.

I can't say I like the look of them too much, but i can totally live with that aspect considering the improvement.

Cheers nige.

Now back to the hunt for 'Yellow' Blu Tac!

 

@finn your work is done. everyone loves the Gaia's

once you've heard your speaker distort less i think it is hard to go back and also hard not to be impressed how much distortion adds to the sizzle we get from our stereos (up to a point).

 

Like everyone who has tried them, it is a leap of what’s known and the end result does not diminish the integrity of the design, they merely allow a sense of effortlessness to be found in the system.

 

I would hope IsoAcoustics are paying you commission or something worth while rather than….. marmalade !

 

Fresh croissant, good butter, Seville Orange marmalade and a strong coffee…
Priceless .

 

Not meaning to derail current topic, I just wanted to share my recent audio experience. I’ve been pushing my AN-e/lx’s with a Synthesis amp and was happy. I recently picked up a 300b SET/PSET and am really psyched how good it sounds through the speakers. I was concerned that the 9 watt SET option wouldn’t drive the speakers effectively. Super happy to be pleasantly surprised. More than enough. The sound is so good compared to what I had and I enjoyed that. Makes you wonder how good things could get!

 

Let me add my 2 cents after I tried the Gaia 2 feet with my AN-E speakers on concrete floor: I was hoping for all the good stuff mentioned about Gaia feet compared to spikes. In reality the result was that I got a more bloated and soft bass response on the same position of the speakers in the room and didn't notice any increase in resolution in the mid or treble range. So I went back to spikes and am now trying Bfly Talis Pro disks underneath the spikes. First impression: bass response is tight and punchy - I can even feel it in the stomach at higher sound levels . Will come back with more findings once I did more testing.

So anyone in Germany/Europe who wants to buy a set of Gaia II (bought only 6 weeks ago) please ping me.

 

That’s a shame. I only do the install, audition and if you’re happy, pay scenario.
I’ve not had the change you describe so I don’t know the reason for that occurrence but if you are pleased by another technology and end up with a similar result, all good.

 

Thanks for the heads-up Gerd. I've been pondering Gaias as well, but for the first time (with AN-E's) have moved to a flat without a wooden floor (concrete I guess) and was wondering how Gaias would work.

Also a question to those in the know; I've changed from using blu-tac to having Herbies Lab's dots ( Herbie's Fat Dot ) between the speakers and the stands, so speaker cabinets are, I think, de-coupled from the stands rather than coupled to the stands like they would be with blue-tac. So if I'd try Gaias, I should go back to blu-tac and coupling between the cabinets and the stands to reap benefits from the Gaias?