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

I have a 4.1 x Balanced and a 5 Special and the difference is significant however the transport and digital connection needs to be at the same level. The Signature will be impressive and you will enjoy it.

 

one of the newest additions and truly stunning SEC Signatures.

 

Sorry, I spelled it wrong. I meant to write Signature

 

I am curious of how the Signature (not Reference ) plays compared to the 4.1x and 5. I have just heard the 5 and it is extremly nice. You are lucky finn to have both!

 

Well, it could be that Audio Note would've created a new in-between version of the 4.1x
Sometimes there appears crossover models they don't make any noise about and are not on the website (at least for a while after the 'launch') like Dac 2.1x Balanced; kinda mash-up of 2.1x and 3.1x dacs. Or Sogon Minor etc.

 

Fantastic, congratulations!!

 

Are you using Sogon throughout?

 

Went to Elephant Holdings (AN UK dealer) yesterday - I really have to stop doing that as I usually end up buying something. And I did.

Some Audio Note Audio porn






The TT3 is missing from the top right shelf as it is out on loan to a reviewer.

 

Yes, it's easy to get tempted when going to your local AN dealer!
May I ask what you purchased, Richard?

 

M6 Phono. They are coming today to take my M3 Phono. Mine is a new model but has the older pots so I wanted to buy new pots for it - but spending that money seemed pointless if I would eventually buy an M6 later anyway - which was the longer term plan. So I placed the order so they said it would take a month or two to arrive (so three - lol). In the meantime they are delivering an M1 Phono for stand in. I have had my OTO for 17 years so it will be rather interesting to heard the M1 but with my Empress Monoblocks and a much better set of speakers and turntable. The M1 with my KingKo amp and AX Twos would be a relative budget system so a few combinations here to try.
With the M3 being traded in and getting various flight money returned from cancelled vacations and no being able to go anywhere at Christmas I can sort of justify it to myself -

 

Congrats! on the new addition to the Austen household.

 

I didn't here them yesterday - I have heard them only with the old stock ones and the ELROG tubes. I am curious to hear the 211 monoblocks from AN - I wonder how the Jinro Sochu power amp version of the Jinro is like versus the Ankoru II.

If they come in I would like to try them. The Ankoru doesn't get talked about much. They had them briefly and I liked them but they sold them and I have not seen them since.

 

Fantastic, Richard. This is a preamp for life and there's a unique pleasure in living with such a wonderful piece of technology for decades. It is an extremely musical device. Among other things, it can bring old jazz and classical music recordings to life

 

I hope it's a preamp for life - lol - the next one up I'd need to sell some sort of valuable organ.

This might be a tough few months - there is a M A S S I V E difference between the M3 and M1.

I have always operated in reverse where I don't notice improvements going UP levels of gear nearly as much as when I get used to something superior and then going back down.

But the M1 is something like 1/4 or 1/5th the price. So....

 

Congrats, Richard I'm sure it's gonna be worth the wait What is the list price of the M6 Phono?

 

~$180,000HKD

 

I asked them - they still use the old ones.

 

great photos. yeah ... you can see the TT3 footprints!

 

the incredibly good M5 RIAA for those of you with line stages. l

 

I’m a little late in responding but if you have the DAC 4.1/X, you will have a switch built into the back of the DAC that tells it which input you wish to use. I had the balanced input from my CDT3 and the single ended input from my Roon/Mutec setup. I simply switched the input selector to the source that I wanted to listen to.

I don’t know for sure, but I believe this is on the 3.1 and up models of DACs. Mine is the Balanced Signature version of the 4.1.

 

Please use a fabric covered sofa and chairs in a room that is lively. Leather reacts like any hard and reflective surface. I have used leather in two listening rooms and have been a bit disappointed. Too much upper mid sand lower treble. I would add large absorptive area rugs, even more than one on top of another (a friend did that and it worked well). Then add fabric covered furniture and heavy fabric curtains if possible. Then add bookshelves with the books being varied in size. Can do too much with records. Try adding a couple of large ferns for diffusion. Make sure the dimensions are not multiples of each other.

The room in my last house was terrific. 18.5 feet wide, by 19.5 feet long, with 9 foot ceilings. It was open on the far end, to the dining room and kitchen. The speakers could go in the corners, so it was a very open and expansive sound. I preferred the speakers sprinted at the listening seat or just in front of the listening seat. Not quite the far field listening that AN recommends. But I tried both ways and adjusted for the best balance in my room.

 

Are you sure about this? The Balanced/Single Ended switch on the back of mine affects the output not the input, and the DAC manual specifically tells you not to connect both at once.

 

Are the tt feet just simple rubber?

 

My, rather old, DAC 2.1 signature allows this! ie has switchable digital inputs.