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

Congratulations! You'll be pleased with the Oto. It'll make the waiting time tolerable

 

if you are going for the MEISHU Tonemeister Silver Signature you are in the the same price range as the JINRO ... which elevates to a completely new level.

 

Yes, I thought about that. I'll turn 72 this year. The Meishu's physical dimensions and weight will already be a challenge. The Jinro even more so.

 

I am sure the dealer will be happy to help you with that.

 

It's a real concern. I'm not 72 but one of the reasons I'm looking to part with my P3 Silver is I don't like owning stereo equipment that hurts my back to move.

Say, anybody in NorCal interested in a P3 Silver? It's not a Tonemeister but does weigh a ton, mister.

 

It’s the weight of these beasts that is a real challenge. That’s the key advantage of the Oto as it’s a manageable size and weight for one person to move. As such that’s where the pre and mono amps would be advantageous as they are still manageable as individual pieces.

 

I'll build you a knee height stand to rest the Tonmeister on if you buy one, call it gift with purchase otherwise it's the top of the desk for you.
I'll also consider a 6 week intensive gym membership into the deal.

 

I guess we're in the territory of first world problems, ha ha

 

I got rid of my P3 Silver Sig. That thing was a beast. I had it permently fixed atop of a 4 wheel moving dolly so I could roll it around. I’m sure that I lost some SQ with that configuration. I have mono blocks now and they are about as heavy as I want to deal with. Size was important to me when I bought my first pair of AN speakers. I felt that they were the best sounding speakers available that I could actually move around.

 

Interesting that people are bringing up concerns about the weight of equipment. At 68, I have some back issues I need to be careful of. A few weeks ago, out of laziness I suppose, I went to move my AN/J speakers while still on their stands, just a couple inches. Could have at least taken the speakers off the stands, but didn't. Next day, the pain began. Pinched nerve in my neck, and have been going to physical therapy for weeks now. I was told it was likely "the last straw that broken the camels' back" sort of incident, rather than attributing it to just that one maneuver, but still......

 

Classic Records did several of her records 20 years ago. I have Surfacing and Fumbling Towards Ecstacy + Freedom Sessions on Classic 200 gram. An artist who's profile has rather withered over the years. These were earlier BG cuts.

 

The Meishu Tonmeister and Jinro are both level 3 so you can't go wrong. I owned the 55kg Line Magnetic 219IA and I don't really want to lug these hulks around - which is part of why I went with the M3 Phono and Empress Silver (also level three) but in three manageable cases 20kg for each monoblock and I can't remember what the M3 weighs but in the ballpark I think.

I think AN has it right with the levels and then it's a matter of which taste you like the best. The Tonmeister is the best 300B amp I've heard.

Dealers are the lucky ones because they get to play with all of them and can make "deeper" evaluations but at level three I would argue that you are getting world class level performance against the rest of the competition - so it is taste - do you like the 2a3, 211, 45, 300B. I can say I have heard level 3 of all of these tubes from Audio Note. I'd be happy with any of them - I think the ear will make the adjustment.

2a3 is best though -

 

Yes I have that double LP and the Surfacing album. The Analog Productions ones I feel are big step up. It depends how much a fan you are because $75 is getting up there. It is Mirrorball and I only had that on CD. I remember Touch being the best for sonics back in the day - I have the LP and I'll try it out and see if I still feel that way.

I discovered Sarah from the TV series Due South in two part episode and they played Possession and Fumbling Towards Ecstasy and so I was hooked. She currently runs a Music School in Vancouver. She did play in Las Vegas last year for a few nights at the Wynn.

She seems to put out albums every 4-5 years. Always liked here - even when she was the back-up singer for Blue Rodeo. A band seemingly only famous in Canada.

 

May have to rethink the Tonmeister vs monoblocks. Including additional cables and IC's, considerably more expensive I would think. Although 2A3 mono's does sound tempting.

 

Lol ... My friends might wind up in the emergency room or ICU. I'm the youngest of the bunch.

 

I'll have to ask my dealer how he manages. Maybe he uses a rug too! He's 3 years older than me and about 10 years ago almost died from a viral infection that attacked one of his heart valves.

I think recently, he's had some other medical issues - nothing serious. He has a Jinro and Ongaku, a Meishu Phono Tonmeister and several other hefty AN gear and a few NAS TT's that aren't exactly paper weights.

Not to mention some SoundLabs speakers that make me tired just thinking about moving them.

 

Sorry to hear that man feel better soon! I have my J's on Sound Anchors but not spiked so when I need to move them from my knees I carefully slide them on our rug it's pretty easy and painless.

 

I had my fill of overly heavy equipment years ago the straw that broke, the proverbial only, camels back was a KR Audio beast about 30 inches deep and a foot wide and weighing 90 lbs. And it sounded like solid state, once I rid myself of the monstrosity I said never again to heavy amps. My current amp weighs a nice manageable 35 lbs what I like to call human sized.

 

I have teflon furniture glides screwed in to my Sound Anchor stands. Not ideal for rugs or springy hardwoods, but works a charm on tile and concrete.

 

Sound Anchor stands need something to elevate them off the carpet. When the stands are directly on the carpet, the bass becomes too warm and lacking in detail and the treble is too soft. The spikes supplied with the stands make the bass tighter and deeper and the soundstage is bigger and more focused. However, with some speakers the spikes can make the treble a little too sharp, in which case the gliders might give the best of both.

 

It's an interesting situation. I replaced the spikes with gliders almost immediately after I got the speakers. This because sliding the spiked speakers to adjust toe-in, etc. was problematic on the rough tile floor. At the time that I made the switch, I couldn't hear a difference. Now that the speakers are pretty well settled in their spots, I really ought to switch back to spikes, just to check.

 

Does anybody know the UK price for a R Zero RIAA?

 

My guess is £1500