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

Hi all,

I have a friend with Ongaku Shinguru's. To adjust hum: does it need to be put on its side and the entire cover removed? Or is there a smaller cover (like in the Kondo Ongaku) to adjust hum? I would have him check but tilting these amps is a challenge given the weight (as you all know).

Thx.

 

Hi, thanks for the feedback.

Interesting I've never, held the disc and tried to clean it, so I'll have to see how that technique / can be made work?

As I don't use an AN TT, then I have a couple of other options in terms of 'mats' i can try, so i will also try them before I jump in to buying another expensive brush, I have a Levin, Ramar another basic carbon brush, and my current favourite goat hair brush.

I'll look at the Furutech Destat III as well.

Cheers Nige.

 

Hello folks; it has been a while. Looking for some advice if you don’t mind.

I’m in the process of building a house that will have a dedicated listening room in the basement. The floor will be polished concrete. The walls will be wood framed but the corners where my AN-E/LX are to sit will be backed by the foundation. Dimensions 9’ x 14.75’ x 23.75’, speakers on the 14.75’ wall.

The room will initially be quite lively, so I expect I’ll do a few small interventions to address slap echo. Other than that, I am now wondering about what to put under the speaker stands. Little disks for the spikes to sit in vs. Herbies Threaded Stud Gliders vs. Gaia vs. ??? I like the idea of the gliders since they would allow me to easily make small adjustments to the position.

Does anyone have experience with AN-E’s on concrete floors? Just looking for some starting points for the footers and will trial and error from there.

Regards,
Jon

 

Here is one example:


Of course, the Ramar brush can be a bit clumsy for something like this.

 

You can place pieces of cotton t-shirt material (or similar fabric) under Gaia footers which will allow the speakers to slide. There are other similar solutions (like furniture sliders), but thin material affects driver height less.

 

Soundcare Superspikes are superb under speakers, offering great isolation and moving speakers a breeze at least they are under my K/LX.

Aghh! Just broken the arm catch on my Arm 3v2.

 

Hi, I am on concrete floors as well. I prefer the SoundCare Superspikes (M8 threads) were better based on the concrete versus IsoAcoustics Gaia. I beleieve the IsoAcoustic Gaia work better when dealing with a wooden (sprung) floor. I too have cement behind my AN/E LX HE and the bass is excellent.

Additionally, you should seriously consider detaching your ceiling (drywall) from the joists. Inexpensive an and available from Home Depot. That makes an incredible change.

I use Herbies "thin fat dots" between my E's and stands. I prefer them over blue tac. I use 'many' IsoAcoustics Orea under components so I am not suggesting the Gaia are not worth the weight in gold as per se'. But a sprung floor versus cement floor are very different in terms of choosing what sounds right.

 

Hi, I think you have to just try the Gaia's in various situations - I have solid concrete floor with membrane and then wood on top - the Gaia's were an excellent investment in this situation.

nige

 

I have my AN-J/LX speakers on their dedicated stands, sitting atop carpeting over a concrete basement floor. Up until a few months ago, I was using the spikes that came with the stands. They pierced through the carpeting to the concrete below. After reading initial reports about the Gaia feet, I installed them and found them to be a very worthwhile improvement in sound over the spikes, even though they sit atop the carpeting. I have not tried any other feet that people have mentioned.

 

Thanks @nige
I'll be ordering 4 Orea Indogos for my two arm DAS plinthed grease bearing Garrard 301 running Schick 12" and a Jelco SA-750D 9" w. Jelco VTA on the fly - for a start, to get an idea of how they perform. If equally effective as the Gaia IIs I might be in for a treat...and maybe supply the rest

The DAS plinth as an experiment supplied with a 30mm slate plate underneath (Shindo 301 style), to see what that is all about.
Gave a nice improvement with further tighten up proceedings and enhance focus.
Further making the total sound more natural, unflappable and just plain real.
The 301 having its original grease bearing replaced by, what I believe to be, the best most quite over dimensioned after market bearing; A Sien Malaysia long tip, long grease bearing.
A laughably superior bearing even to the original GB in combination with a Hiraga TTM-01 clone hide mat, to form a result rivalling cd playback for quitness. Making it possible to follow even the faintest of sounds right down to the threshold of hearing. Making for a dramatically increased dynamic range.
The Sien bearing besides costing a pittance of the other perhaps more wellknown contenders.
The 301(401) original platters perhaps being one of the weak(est) links of the package, have been voiced with a constrained layer sandwich of a 3 kg Cu platter (Micro Seiki clone) placed directly on the platter, topped with a 5 mm Achromat and lastly my own clone of the obsolete Hiraga hide mat. To form to my ears the best, most quite and natural sounding foundation for my vinyl and various cartridges, of which one is the first ever proto type AN IO GOLD. From before it was even dubbed Au - having the normal black IO II gunmetal profiles, running into my AN Japan S7 Cz SUT.
The IO GOLD being what it is, I only tend to play it scarcely. For MCs using primarly SPUs and the DL103 - besides the AN IQ 1 and 3.
Currently listening to the 103 through the S7 Cz with it's very versatile loading possibilities and captive AN ANz IC.
(You'd be downright schocked to hear how this " ...downright ol' stiker" as reviewer Noel Keywood so poetically put it, can be made to perform given the right circumstances!)
(Having to hand the dedicated A23/ 103 A23/ SPU SUTs as well - that even given all their praise and special dedication to these 2 MCs are left far behind this silver stalwart - which they surely should given the steep price difference)

Given this has already been a far too long ramble, I might as well..... one last thing:

Now I started off on the Oreas and Gaia IIs
With the latter already implemented, I dug out my 2 lp Decca-set SKL 4081/ 82 of the operetta "H.M.S. Pinafore" with The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and had a listen.
Some - perhaps many - of you already know of these spectacular recordings dating all the way back to 1959. But for those of you who doesn't; it's still hard to beat if you really want to hear how your AN chain is able to put you in the theather experiencing this performance. As one quoted Sam Tellig saying: (you are) there THERE!.
With killer sonics and a musical landscape good enough to take a stroll in(to). With performers easily heard and followed walking eagerly around on stage.
With my K-stands recently supplied Gaia IIs I have NEVER heard these 2 lps sounding more real and true to life.
You should have seen me; BIG wall to wall smile - to give me a sour jaw..
It really boggles me these records haven't made it on to some Super Disc List like HP's or Arthur Salvatore's. - Must surely have flown under their raidars. (So much the better given prices have been kept ridiculously low, for not having been hyped by these two gents - or any others AFAIK)
Could it be the quaint music and performance with lots of dialogue. Dunno.
Suffice to say, I've attended shows where these records have been played by AN UK in big crowded rooms during long parts with primarily dialogue, and you could hear a pin drop! The visitors totally numb from what they were hearing...
If any of this sounds the least interesting - seek them out!
Cheers Henrik

 

Today's Fresh Catch: The Audio Note (UK) CD 5.1x Red Book CD player! - Jeff's Place

 

Hi @nige harris
Thanks for your kind advice - and link.
I'll be ordering a few sets when my credit card has reached room temprature again
Cheers Henrik

 

I had this problem before. I believe that the 4.1 and the 2.1/II use the same drive mechanism. I have a 2.1. When the drive begins to fail the CD will just stop and say "no disc" I think the drive mech in yours may be the Phillips CD Pro2. I would ask Peter which drive unit it has. Inevitably the drive unit will need to be replaced. Phillips stopped making them awhile back. I purchased a replacement drive and installed it myself. Got it from a place called Enco.

Refurbished Philips CD Player Modules – OUT OF STOCK | Enco Systems

Sounds like you have someone looking at it which is good. If the drive unit is bad and needs replacement, and yours is a Cd Pro2, it looks like they are out of refurbished units and you might have to send in your drive unit for repair.

Hope you get it figured out soon.

 

There has been some recent interest with Audio Note speakers/stands and Isoacoustics products. We have a good contact at Isoacoustics and asked for his experience with GAIAs between the speaker stand and floor (and blu-tack between speaker and stand) vs. OREAs between the speaker and stand (and AN spikes between the stand and floor). Note - the referred “your setup” is for a concrete floor with carpet/padding.

From Isoacoustics…
For best results with your setup, we recommend isolating between the speaker and the stand. Your setup right now using the OREA’s sounds like the right approach.

The combination of blue tack with the GAIA’s also works well, but I think the OREA’s would provide the best results.

You could use the OREA’s together with the GAIA’s, but we wouldn’t say it is necessary. There is diminishing returns, meaning that adding the GAIA’s could have a positive impact but it likely wouldn’t provide too much benefit.

Hope it helps!
Mike

 

Interesting option…using Oreas between speaker and stand versus Gaia on the stands.

Thanks for the post.

 

In the past, we have used lossy coupling devices between the AN-E speakers and filled/ spiked stands and the reasoning has been firmly aimed at reducing the amount of bass weight energy into a relatively lightweight constructed room/ confined space/ apartment living situation. We achieved excellent results using Aurios pro max ball bearing devices and are still applicable given certain situations. The Gaia feet do a similar job in reducing mid bass weight leading to exciting some unpleasant room nodes but also extend bass weight lower and tighter whilst allowing much greater midrange and top end transparency and air. The Aurios also performed this clean up trick but to a lesser degree.
I, at this stage, prefer coupling the relative light mass of the speakers via yellow tack to the heavier mass stands and using the Gaia feet to the floor. I do however have some Oreo’s on order primarily to audition them under components so it’s no drama to listen what they bring to the use under the speaker cabinets but doubling up what the Gaia’s do on their own would be possibly too much of a good thing. No harm trying.

 

Hi all,
Just have a quick question... there is an AN dac zero (2004) on sale locally and wondering if there are any thoughts on it?
I use a Cord Mojo going into a Willsenton R8 tube amp with my AN J/LX Hemp ... I suppose just wondering if it's a good option?

Thanks
Padraig

 

I recently heard the Jinro amp (not the integrated amp version) powering an AN-J speaker (the top model, the SEC?) and the combination sounded really good.

Someone above mentioned preferring the OTO to the current Tonmeister. I too prefer the OTO to the Tonmeister on a pair of AN-Es. This sort of thing is a matter of taste and system matching. The nice thing about Audio Note is that, within their basic sound, they do offer a pretty wide variety of subtle variations, and even more customization to one's taste is possible by trying different tubes and wires, etc. I find that tuning devices, such as fancy equipment racks and platforms, specialty footers, etc., are also tuning devices that can improve the sound or move the sound in the wrong direction; again it is a matter of taste and system matching.

 

Working well, it’s a neat little unit, very good for a second system. If it’s cheap,£100_150 then it’s worthwhile.

 

AN -J SEC’s, Alnico drivers, Sogon internal wiring, Silver inductors, 93.5 dB efficiency.
As to preferences in amplifiers, 99% of the time it comes down to budget and if I loan an Oto SE Sig to a client and then they want to hear the Tonmeister Silver, they have always bought the Tonmeister Silver. If they don’t hear the 300b amp then the Oto SE Sig is absolutely perfect for them if they are going to buy an Audio Note amp.
Aside from the Takatsuki amplifier, every component in a system I would put together is Audio Note so it’s a rather unusual position to start from, one brand rather than the usual mix and match. The gear can work with other component brands no doubt but it can be a hit or a miss.

 

My own personal experience with Audio Note gear has been use of Audio Note components in primarily non-Audio Note systems. I own a Kageki that I used with a horn-based system. That is a terrific sounding amplifier for my particular non-Audio Note system. My other Audio Note gear is just cables-- a 4-meter Sogon interconnect and a 2-meter pair of Sogon speaker wire. Of course my local dealer primarily displays Audio Note gear as an Audio Note system, but, he does sometimes use some other tube amplifiers with the Audio Note speakers. The speaker play well with other brands of tube electronics. The constant, in all these dealer systems is Audio Note cabling which is used throughout the store. The store makes its own mostly horn-based custom speakers and the internal wiring of the better systems is Audio Note, and some also employ Audio Note capacitors.

 

I have a very good friend who lives in Washington who runs a full AN system and I have asked him about Vu and his retail side and he presents an interesting story. AN needs dealers with different outlooks than typically presented as the brand is not an easy sell, not only cost but the entire philosophy is one that needs presenting and demonstrated successfully if the customer is to understand why they would go down that particular route.
AN has tremendous customer loyalty and satisfies the long term engagement aspect associated with playing musical recordings. One of my first AN customers from 28 years ago was over here on Monday watching Kansas City down the Eagles and was enquiring about belt drive transports and 211’s so the passion still remains engaged.

 

I’ve had the opportunity to speak with a great many people running all Audio Note systems. The thing that opened the door for them to consider other brands is Streaming. Say what you will about comparative sound quality, but there is a large and growing demand. I may be behind the times, but I haven’t seen AN change their public position on streaming, so people have to look elsewhere. And once they do, it is reasonable to re-examine the whole digital chain. Personally, I am a big fan of AN DACs, but I do understand the potential appeal of a streaming-DAC.

 

Perhaps one day soon, you may find an AN streaming dac built at a Dac2.1 Sig level sitting quietly on a table at a show and think, I inspired that.
I’m sure it has potential and I know they can do it if they think it will be substantially better than what’s out there.

 

I’m just not sure it’s needed, since there are many high quality third party streaming devices these days - just plug them into your Audio Note DAC for great results.

That said, if AN released a digital-only streamer, I’d be all over it.