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

Would be great to hear your take on the differences of those five models? One rarely gets to hear different E's in same system and especially in the same acoustic setting.

 

thanks

 

Hello!

I am considering transitioning to a tube audio system. Have found Audio Note Vindicator Silver Signature for a fairly good price. My concerns are about how good do 2a3 tubes get along with heavy music (rock, progressive metal). Does anyone who has the Vindicator amp have any experience with it in these genres? Would very much appreciate any information on that matter!

At the moment I own AZ-Three speakers which are pretty efficient but plan to upgrade to AN-J/LX or /SPE in the future.

 

I'm not an expert but the best amps for the J's are probably Oto, Soro, or Meishu

 

A very important deciding factor will be your room size, I think. I haven't heard any of the flea-watt amps myself but from what others have written, 2a3 amps are rather ballsy *if* the speakers are efficient enough. And as Fred writes, J's probably shouldn't be your first choice with 2a3. Unless you have a very small room, you should probably aim for one of the E HE models if you want to go the 2a3 route.

 

I have AN-J-LX with a Soro SE signature. My room is 4,85m x 4,65m. There is enough volume here. For normal listening 9 o'clock on the volume is enough. when I want to listen to and feel Rammstein and Metallica at high level 11-12 o,clock is as high I can go without disturbing the neighbours too much. I would not like to use a flea watt amp.

 

My suggestion is this:

1) if heavy music is your MAIN music - then do not buy the Vindicator.

2) if you listen to other music - jazz, instrumental, and generally intimate smaller scale music around 50% of the time the Vindicator can be purchased along with a high power amplifier.

On Monday I had a positive experience with the Parasound A23+ which is around $1500US new. This amplifier can be used when you want the big scale powerhouse music - and you can then switch over to the likes of the Vindicator when you listen to music that has more nuance and beauty.

One of the advantages of a preamp is that you are not stuck to one power amp. You may find SS power amps for peanuts on the used market I am just using the Parasound as an example. I was tempted to buy the older JC-1 monoblocks. This has been the first time I have enjoyed the sound of Parasound and the A23+ was surprisingly good for relatively little money. It's stable to 2 ohms and has more than enough power for most of the world's loudspeakers. Parasound for Dio or Nightwish and Vindicator for Eva Cassidy and Ella Fitzgerald.

 

How does one find out about AN speaker pricing?

Googling reviews can turn up pricing for a specific model, but many are several years old.

I'm interested in the AN-K, but cannot find how much the pricing varies from the LX up to Spe SE or if there is a price crossover to an AN-J.

 

Any of the authorized dealers will be happy to help. They'll give you the figures in a heartbeat

 

There is a HUGE overlap in prices of different models, depending primarily on how much refinement you desire or can afford. The smaller speaker can be more appropriate to a given room and setup, so it is not necessarily the case that a J or K is a lesser speaker than an E. A few months ago, I got to hear a top of the line J that sounded terrific in the mid-sized listening room; at something around $40k, it had better sound terrific.

 

it wish it were that simple. it would take pages to cover the span.

they each have there own place and as you go up the line you get more refinement, accuracy, speed, dynamics, and level of realism.

one of my favorite combos is the M3 or M5 on a Paladin (yes, in any small to medium size room with four corners and solid walls ... i have sold several and every single person loves them) on the E SPe HE Signature. there is a unique refinement in that combo you don’t hear outside of a few much high level pieces.

 

My suggestion would be buy the Vindicators and then buy yourself a nice pair of horn speakers. If you have the room horns are great for rock music and even easier to drive than AN speakers.

 

Erik, here is AN-K pricing from a US dealer in early July 2020:

AN-K-LX = $4,035
AN-K-SPE = $4,655
AN-K-SPX SE = $12,400

The SPX comes with high gloss, the other two models can be added for $1100

 

Thanks!

The SPE is on my short list.

Surprised at the price spread to the SPX SE!

 

Bob Neill over at Amherst Audio has a pair of used SPX SE for sale listed on his website if you're interested.

 

Thank you for the tip.

A bit of a stretch for my budget, but it is worth contemplating.

 

the Ks range from $2,690 for the Level 1 AN-K/ Ds (which are are a unbelievably good speaker) to the Level 4 AN-K SPX SE at $12,396. the respective Audio Note stands are $640 / pair.

there are lots of higher end Ks on the market now from people trading up .

 

May I ask which version of the Paladin your customers usually go with?

 

i have only sold the Silver Signature versions. but i’m sure the base and certainly the Silver version are also very good.

 

I'm listening to this
BILL EVANS TRIO Sunday At The Village Vanguard vinyl at Juno Records.

It sounds fine, I just wonder if there is a substantially better reissue of this masterpiece?

 

This one by Steve Hoffmann!
Bill Evans-Riverside Recordings-Vinyl Box Sets|Acoustic Sounds

 

There is also the Mofi "One-Step" version that was fairly recently issued, although, like most of the One-Step records, it quickly sold out and second-hand prices are really exorbitant. I haven't heard it, but, if it is like other One-Step records, it should be terrific. These records, when they are first issued have a list price of $125.

 

A question just for my own curiosity have any here heard Kondo AN Japan gear and even better compared it to Audio Note UK? I know Kondo is rare as hens teeth and breathtakingly expensive so guessing few have heard it. That's a shame because I think it would be super interesting to compare the two and compare how their respective sounds have evolved. Have they stayed close to one another or moved in different directions? @Richard Austen this could be a great feature article idea for you and living in HK maybe Kondo is more accessible?

 

I have to say that the best that I have heard (I have not heard the one listed above) is the MFSL One Step version. It's $99, so it's expensive, but it is one of the 5-10 best sounding records that I own, if not the very best sounding. Yes, I was that impressed : )

 

jonwoody,

I've heard a few pieces of Kondo gear. I liked what I heard. A local dealer had some Kondo pieces and Audio Note (uk). He liked both, although he said he slightly favored the Audio Note (uk) because of its more lush midrange. When I was looking for headphones, I auditioned the Stax 007 phones and bought them. Although I liked what I heard at home, it really wasn't as good as what I heard at this shop. When I inquired as to why it sounded better in the shop (it could not be the room acoustics), he noted that the audition involved an Audio Note (uk) DAC 5 special edition and a Kondo M10 linestage; I didn't own any close to that setup.