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

Hi Chris, I am told the benefit of Pallas is the low capacitance of the cable design, which specifically helps the digital line. But I'm not sure about the analog line. And the budget questions is unfortunately a point I need to consider, hence I cannot afford too much "trial and error" - has been too much in the past, until I discovered AN for me.

 

The application of Pallas cable after the S2 is entirely consistent with what it is designed for and the shorter, the better. If you can do the connection with a half mtr pair, all the better and cheaper. The same applies for the digital but buy the best you can, better to go the next model up if you can get away with a shorter cable and the Purple and Black are worth it if you can afford them.
Vx as an interconnect works exceptionally well, Sogon just has more weight, scale and presence. This is what I would recommend for that position in the system even though your Vindicator is wired internally with Vx. I would rather wait and save in order to get the Sogon.

 

hi @Gerd
i recently trialled sogon 50, sootto and pallas to connect my SUT with the RIAA.

the pallas was the clear winner.

both sogon 50 and sootto seemed to soak up signal relative to the pallas.

the pallas is quite thrilling.

 

Which Pallas have you tested? I had early version without shielding in the same spot (SUT-->RIAA), so hum was overwhelming. Had to stick with Sogon.

 

Someone suggested I post this question here. I am looking for information about an Audio Note DAC 3 Signature. I have one that I bought used a while ago. It sounds great, but I wanted to be able to play SACDs, so went in a different direction a while ago. I am looking to sell it in the classifieds here but wanted to provide accurate information about it to potential buyers. I seem to remember that the Signature model has upgraded components on the audio side.

I would be happy to post pictures of the inside and outside if that would help.

Any information would be appreciated- I could not locate any manuals much info for it online.
Ray

 

Originally I lent SetANE a first generation Brown Pallas and Black Pallas as that was all I had at the time and we have since changed that to both being Black Pallas, both being 1 mtr. Pallas being susceptible to hum is a reality but that also applies to any cable used in a phono wiring loom and also step up transformers for that matter. It’s possible to provide a better layout of wiring away from mains cables, increase shielding and isolate noisy components such as switch mode power supply devices in order to reduce or eliminate hum or RF breakthrough.
He will get to try the second generation Pallas cables soon enough and then can give a perspective if he thinks they work well enough.

 

If you email the fellows at Audio Note UK the serial number, they may be able to fill you in on the details of the dac you have for sale, assuming it has not been modified since manufacture. Worth a try.

 

Good idea- thanks.

 

New Speaker coming.

Audio Note AX Three - Does anyone have photos, specs, prices, and release dates on these new speakers?

 

I have a client this weekend auditioning some AN-J SPe’s I have and to be honest, I haven’t listened to for quite some time and it was really interesting to play music through them and do 2 things at the same time, evaluate the differences with the E SPe HE’s I normally use and the second thing was be immersed in this pulsating rhythmic drive that poured forth in a way that the E’s don’t do.
The J’s are paper coned and not hemp and that was another reason to be intrigued over the outcome. I have another pair of J SPe with the hemp drivers so I will set those up as well later and compare the influence of the cone material.
All I listened to so far was a couple of tracks from Nils Frahm’s All Melody but it certainly was a lot of fun. They were on the end of that system I have set up at the moment,CD4.1, Oto SE Sig and Sootto/Sootto/ Sogon wiring.
I’ll complete my observations tomorrow but Chris, your observations are perfectly valid.

 

Thanks for your feedback finn!
It is very interesting for me.
With my dealer, we really put all the chances on our side to make the AN-Es work, and in the end, it wasn't bad, but the AN-Js stand out for their ease in my listening volume.
I'm curious about the next trials "Paper vs Hemp"

 

Hello Chris
Are your AN J-woofers with paper cones?
It can sometimes be very difficult to see due to lighting conditions.

Inspired by Finn's remarks:
If going all the way back to the early 1981 when getting the very first Snell E and J mk.1s to DK, Peter's swedish dealer, colleague and friend who carried Snell speakers in Sweden, were mostly in awe of the original doped paper coned Snell Type J mk.1s and actually preferred them to the bigger E mk.1s, being totally floored by the J's superlative performance.
I had the Snell Type E mk.1s at that time - and the amp to control them (the no NFB rappaport amp one heavily biased into class A - 400w/2ohms) - with an iron fist. But a good friend of mine simultanously had the smaller Snell Type J mk.1s sounding absolutely glorious. Very natural and real, driven by a renovated pair of the old mono block Quad IIs running KT66s.
It was a real joy hearing some classical or small jazz combo sounding so very true to life and timbre in his not too large room.
I therefore do not believe it is as clear cut as:
AN-Js very very good
AN-Es (always) even better
It all depends on amp - and very much the room size in which they are to unfold.
- Although the AN versions of today are so much quicker and tighter in the bass - not to pose quite as large a problem overall.

The original Snell Type E mk 1s with their (heavier) doped paper cones already then put out so much ("slower") deep bass, you either had to have a largish listening room - or an amp to really control their bass delivery - and then, it could still be too much of a good thing...
A that time I for a short period of time had to make do with a less than ideal 11m2 listening room which wasn't optimal, the Snell Es craving a lot more breathing space - iron fist amp or not.

I still carry very much a torch for the softer, more "romantic", delivery from the black pulp paper cones, employed by my later AN-Es and Ks. But feel clearly outnumbered today - with most people going for the hemp coned versions.
Cheers Henrik

 

Hello Henrik, everyone,

The current J's are SPE SE Hemp.
For 3 years I had the chance to see pass at home:
-OTO SE Sig / AN-J LX Hemp / Lexus B-W
-Then AN-E SPE Paper
-Then AN-E SPE HE Hemp
-Then M2 / Vindicator SS
-Then back to OTO SE Sig.
-Then AN-J SPE SE Hemp and switch to SPE B-W cable
-Then OTO Silver Sig.
-Then AN-E SPE HE Sig
-Then Meishu Tonemeister for a few days with E Sig. and back with the AN-J SPE SE Hemp.
(yes, my dealer has patience )

I also tried three out of four walls for positioning...








Everything was a superb musical experience and it is thanks to that that today I can make this choice.
For me each step at AN is an improvement, but each time it requires reflection on the link upstream or downstream, I think that in my 27m2 I have reached a balance that suits me... until the next change

 

@finn Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on all your demos that you may do in the future.

 

Brilliant @Chris, thanks for your reply and describing the tour de force taken by you - and your patient dealer!
You've been able (and lucky) to make super informed and qualified decisions, by hearing all of that in situ to choose what works best for you, your room and your up stream components - when talking speakers.
In a voiced to a T system that really sings, every tiny bit counts.
For every new introduction your're practically forced to reconsider the whole.
Ever more so as you descent in Levels.
Where the balancing act comes more into play due to having to counter balance weak and strong points against each other.
Having the luxury in the top-tiers of having far fewer weak points - or none at all.

The old nineteeneighties adage of all "excellent products" ought to fit right in and do its magic in every single system - very rarely holds true because of the above.
I've met a few single products that had this ability to take ANY system and send it into orbit. But that's so very rare you normally have to choose wisely to get there.
Henrik

 

I need to find out what my local dealers likes, desires and vices are to play upon those for long term equipment “auditions.”

 

You guys all have your own dealers and opportunities to audition and I certainly don’t need those dealers going back to Peter complaining about this overreaching Aussie. I like my sandpit and I’m happy to play in it.
Talking about the J’s was more of an exercise in me getting too complacent with the E’s and not remembering how the J’s can get down and dirty.

 

I think the point is to decide for yourself. With AN I have found virtually all of it sounds excellent it's more about which excellent you want.

One dealer in the US likes the AN K the most. Jack Roberts formerly on our staff likes the AN J the most. He likes AN power amps but doesn't like AN preamps.

So it goes.

 

I have not heard an AN speaker that was a disappointment. Of course, I prefer certain models and features. I generally preferred the non-hemp cone models, or do I thought, but, I’ve heard great sound from some hemp-coned models too. My dealer has in the AN-J SEC, which is a hemp-coned speaker and it is very good. I have no way to hear it with a different cone, but it sounds so good it is hard to imagine it sounding better with a different cone.

 

Of course @Richard.
Different strokes for different folks.
If it weren't so Peter would probably jump from joy having the ability to reduce his catalogue and inventory dramatically.
Now, catering for practically all needs.
Of course each and every one of us has our own special priorities.
But, as the sound gets ever better and better - ever more realistic and true to life we tend to disagree less and less. So we might probably after all have much the same goal in the end.
But as long we're faced with having to accept a series of compromises, we begin to disagree more and more having to choose what we value the most, and what can let be.

I wasn't trying to dictate anyone anything.
At least I hope it didn't sound that way.
Just trying to give a different perspective to the AN-Es - being the top of the food chain - therefore must be the best choice in every instance - where perhaps the Js - or even the small Ks come much closer to what that individual desires.

It sometimes all comes down to how many times you've been 'round the (audio) block.
You priorities can change over time.

I personally was 4-ever "sold" the very first time I heard the original Snell Type K mk.1s with their long discontinued Vifa untreated pulp paper cone 8" bass drivers. These drivers still possess unique qualities in that cabinet paired with best crossovers - not found elsewhere - in a not too large room.
If willing to go without the chunk off bass they can't deliver.
But here - more that ever perhaps - YMMV
Cheers Henrik

 

Well well...
this weekend, I put the AN-E SPE HE Sig back in place for a comparison in the presence of the AN-J SPE SE Hemp...

I find that the Meishu with 300 hours is a different animal and masters the E's in a way I didn't expect.
When I plugged in the Js a week ago, I was immediately impressed by the drive and the rhythm without spending several hours positioning the speakers...
Yesterday I hooked up the Es and today I spent the morning finding the perfect location, because as finn has often pointed out, the J location doesn't necessarily work for the Es.
Well, I think I'm very happy with the E Sigs as well, they're a bit slower than the J's, but they offer something more to the ambience of the recordings (a feeling of hearing further).
In short, these two speakers are really incredible ... which does not answer my question on which to choose, but which makes you want to mount a system in every room of the house

 

indeed. now you need to audition a pair of AN-K/SPx SE speakers in a smaller room...

 

By the way, does anybody know what’s the minimum or recommended listening distance for the different models of AN speakers? (Hi everybody, my first post here )

 

Also if you open the Dac up you should see the build date written somewhere on the circuit boards.