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

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Richard Austen, Mar 19, 2015.

  1. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong
    I know Peter Q tells me "buy the IQ3" because it is a big step up in terms of the stylus and that the cantilever is the same as the Io MC cartridge. So the IQ1 and 2 seem pretty close to the same thing but the 3 is a big jump. Still I like the IQ1 it tracks as good as my Shure M97xE which I bought mainly because it is known as an excellent tracker.

    You can put the IQ3 stylus on the IQ1 cartridge down the road (apparently the cartridge body is exactly the same on all IQs) so my question I suppose is when you upgrade to the IQ3 via stylus replacement - do you get that cantilever and stylus or just the stylus?
     
  2. Shiver

    Shiver Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Interesting. I got some prices for the carts and replacement styli the other day and it made me question if the bodies really are the same:

    IQ1 - cart: £340; replacement stylus: £220 (ie £110 'for the body')
    IQ2 - £490; £300 (£190)
    IQ3 - £705; £520 (£185)

    Good to know if PQ confirmed the bodies are the same, and just appears to be some pricing quirks unless I've interpreted it wrongly.
     
  3. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong
    So here is what their website says

    IQ1 - The suspension of the IQI is stiffer than usually found in a Moving Magnet cartridge, and uses a cantilever formed from a specially hardened aluminium tube. Careful attention is paid to the mechanical assembly of the generator, and for the stylus diamond, we chose the highly regarded Gyger Type II.

    IQ2 - The IQII is similar to the IQI, employing the same precision aluminium cantilever. However, its performance is significantly improved by the addition of the superior AN Type 2 diamond, used in the IQIII and IO I cartridges.

    IQ3 - The IQ III uses the same cantilever and diamond found in the legendary Audio Note IO I moving coil cartridge. Made from titanium tube rather than aluminium, the cantilever is unique, and in combination with the AN Type 2 diamond, offers a level of performance that was often though impossible to achieve with a Moving Magnet design.
     
  4. Shiver

    Shiver Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Yeah that's how I've seen it too. Upgraded diamond from 1 to 2, and upgraded further diamond and cantilever on the 3.
     
  5. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong
  6. tommylion

    tommylion Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Burlington, VT
    Apparently AN is coming out with a new CD5 CD Player,:

    “Audio Note (UK) will be exhibiting at this coming weekend's 'HiFi Show Live', which is being held at the De Vere Beaumont Estate in Old Windsor, Berkshire. The show takes place on 21st / 22nd October. Doors open at 9.30am on both days, closing at 5.30pm.

    We'll be demonstrating the following glorious system in the Lancaster 5 and Sandringham 1 rooms: -

    TT-Three turntable , AN-Arm-Three/II tonearm, IO I Moving Coil Cartridge

    AN-S9 Step Up Transformer

    M8 RIAA Moving Magnet phonostage

    CD5 Debut of our new Red Book CD player (final prototype)

    ONGAKU Integrated 211 Single Ended Triode amplifier

    AN-E/Spe HE loudspeakers in Olive veneer

    SOGON mains, interconnect and speaker cables

    Ticket and further information available via the link below.

    See you there!

    http://www.hifinews.co.uk/editorial/page.asp?p=1173”

    Anyone have any further details?
     
  7. Rob Hume

    Rob Hume Forum Resident

    Location:
    England.
    The CD5 is in effect a CDT Four transport and 4.1 Balanced DAC in one box. The two elements are connected internally by a very short length of Pallas cable.
     
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  8. Rob Hume

    Rob Hume Forum Resident

    Location:
    England.
    Having just upgraded to Tomei Kensei I second this.
     
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  9. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong
    Wow that might be something else - something tells me I will need a big raise.
     
  10. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong
    Congrats - that is one amp I don't hear much about but this is the ultimate integrated amp line and I am sure your power amp version is even better.
     
  11. tommylion

    tommylion Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Burlington, VT
    Anyone have any news about the discrete ladder DAC? That's what I'm really waiting for. I thought they might have used it in the CD5.
     
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  12. triple

    triple Senior Member

    Location:
    Zagreb, Croatia
    An innocent bystander might expect that a combination of CDT2 and DAC2 in a single box would be called CD2. Well, not quite - they actually call it a CD4. So, what do you call a CDT4 and DAC4 combined - a CD8? Wrong again - it's a CD5. I have difficulty understanding how their levels work.
     
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  13. Rob Hume

    Rob Hume Forum Resident

    Location:
    England.
    Thanks Richard. My new combo of M6 Phono Balanced CD/ Tomei Kensei is just epic to my ears! The latest M6 has a better attenuater and volume pots taking it close to the M8 according to PQ and the Tomei makes the Jinro sound coarse in the mids and highs and overly thick in the bass. My vinyl has moved to a very high level with IO Gold/S9. Tear inducing sound at times!
     
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  14. Rob Hume

    Rob Hume Forum Resident

    Location:
    England.
    I hope that you are the patient type Tommy and have a deep wallet for when they do incorporate it. The very high level DAC's only will benefit I'm told.
     
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  15. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong
    Audio Note has to put out a course to help us figure it out.

    But not that CD4.1 and CD5 are used what if they make a one box CDT3 and Dac 3.1 in one machine? CD4 .66?

    Seriously though - I would just go with whatever the level is of the DAC

    And with amps - if it has a bunch of silver it is level four or higher.

    I'm waiting for level 11 - you know you want to turn it up to 11.

    Back to the CD5 - it's an interesting idea - I wonder what the price would be like? I have been considering the CD Two/II transport and the DAC 3.1x but then you have to buy cables. Still I am not a big fan of one box players - if the transport fails the whole thing fails. With a DAC - no moving parts and if the drive fails you can always make due with your bluray player's optical outputs as back-up. Because for this sort of money I demand 20 years trouble free operation. If my $800 Cambridge Audio CD6 (bought in 1996 as a demo which was on everyday all day for over a year when I bought it) can last 20+ years after being a heavily used demo with no issues - then you sort of have to expect it from a $5k+ transport or $20k+ CD player. Maybe I'm too pessimistic.
     
  16. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong

    The M6 Phono is the one I want and and and - but given the prices I would keep having to wait and wait to get the things I want - I refuse to put anything on credit - for audio I have made it a cash only endeavor. So I realized that if I kept waiting I would never get a complete AN system - still not quite there. Running the overachieving Kingko KA 101 as a power amp until I decide which way to go for power amps. Amazingly that little bugger is so good that I am not in any rush to decide on power amps.

    The dealer had Onkoru/II monoblocks but then soon sold them so I never got much of a chance to hear them. Probably out of my price range - but... The Empress Silver (which have no silver) have been my front runner for a while - relatively affordable and I like their ability to rock and go big - but maintain delicasy - the 2a3 is a wonderful thing and I prefer it to the 300B counterparts (parallel 300B an exception as I like them greatly as well).

    My eyes are bigger than my wallet - I see a Neiro Balanced but I don't see an Empress balanced - and since I have the M3 Phono Balanced - I am itching to you know - use balanced cables.
     
  17. Rob Hume

    Rob Hume Forum Resident

    Location:
    England.
    I agree with your philosophy regarding cash only for hifi purchases Richard. I could own a top of the line Range Rover with a level 2 system instead of my 3 series BMW with a level 4. No regrets because I have a love affair with music not cars. I will say this. If the law of diminishing returns applies to AN gear it hasn't kicked in yet. The jump form Jinro to M6/Tomei is dramatic. The way a separate pre amp effects the sound creates great life and dynamics and then the Tomei is so clean and open (My Balanced IC's are Sootto). I'd probably prefer one of the new M8 pre's with my Tomei Kensei than an Ongaku Integrated. That's just speculation of course based on this experience.
     
  18. finn

    finn Forum Resident

    The choice you made Rob was the correct one in going with the pre/power option, the dynamic potential is rather interesting to experience with fresh ears. You think you know recordings and then you realise there is a whole new park to play in. Did you keep the speakers in the end?
     
  19. Rob Hume

    Rob Hume Forum Resident

    Location:
    England.
    I didn't Neil. Stuck with Spe/HE for now. SEC/Sigs with Jinro/ISIS speaker cable just didn't work well. Cleaner top and bottom but a strange "scooped' like effect to midrange. I put the funds toward the amp combo and will re visit in the future. No regrets. Amps just as you describe. Have you taken delivery of one of the latest M6's?

    Waiting to see how the TT3 1/2 ref sounds. You will no doubt have heard that there's going to be four TT3's in the range. I'm still not 100% convinced with AN turntables over some of the competition. Everything else absolutely!
     
  20. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong
    Here is the latest on the DACs and other information

     
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  21. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong
    Here is a new 10 part tour of the new facility done by Peter Breuninger

    This is astounding even if you're not an Audio Note fan.
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2017
  22. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong
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  23. Don Parkhurst

    Don Parkhurst Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    I forgot to mention back in November, but thanks for sharing that. The whole tour was quite enjoyable. The new factory looks great.
     
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  24. Shiver

    Shiver Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
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  25. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hong Kong
    I liked what he had to say about reviewing complete systems the problem of course is that few companies make complete systems nor are many willing to send complete systems. And I also agree about products by decade - similar to the academy awards - they choose 9 nominated films whether there were any movies worth nominating or not. Stereo magazines put out a list of the best components whether there was anything truly good that came out that year or not.
     
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