We must of seen different video's, I'm pretty sure he was talking about Boston Acoustics. I think so too, from what I remember. I'm trying to find the video again.
At 7:20 - Devore talks about Snell. The o/96 I heard years ago and they reminded me of the AN E but they did not pressurize instruments like the AN E could at that same show. Indeed the DeVore was right across from the AN E room so I heard them back to back. I have not been as big a fan of them only because they cost double what the AN E/LX costs and I see no advantage sonically or in terms of cabinet construction or material quality etc The 0/9k I believe cost at least twice the price of the E/Lx and the Lx is happy with 7 watts. The 0/96 though are easier to drive than AN Es and can probably be happy with 3-4 watts because they are much higher impedance. Still DeVore notes at 11:25 that Snell E and K were"killer" and he's right they were. If there was no AN E - The DeVore o/96 would be a candidate.
I just got done listening to Dire Straits - Making Movies, Joe Jackson - Night and Day and Steely Dan - Gaucho on my McIntosh MA5300 and its the best I've ever heard them!
From what I have heard fairly consistently, the AN speakers really need to be corner loaded and the O/96's are much more flexible with room placement.
Got a used deal on a Luxman L-509X which replaces my older (but venerable, well-respected Musical Fidelity A5 integrated). I can't claim to have heard a lot of integrated amps, (I have heard some like Dartzeel, Pass, D'Agostino, and others), but I read a lot, then buy used as I can get my ears on the unit and if it doesn't float my boat I can flip it back. What I really like about the Luxman is the luxurious spacious sound, but still very accurate, incredible bass grip and drive. I'll confess to liking the retro look and those meters. I like the loudness feature for low level listening, but prefer the sonic clarity of Line Straight at higher levels. And it has Home Theater Bypass, which is important to me with the constraints of one room for both. It's a keeper.
I would agree with this as well. Having heard a couple different models of AN speakers in the past (I have a few customers with them), they are certainly quite nice. But I'm not sure I would choose any of them over the 0/96 (or 0/93 for that matter). But that's one thing that makes this hobby great....2 fantastic speaker options b/t DeVore and AN....both with similarities to Snell.
I'd say neither are especially flexible with room placemment - the AN-E has to be close to walls and the DeVore has to be far from walls. In a vacuum (ie, a large room), I'd take the DeVores, but they wouldn't sound good in my space.
Nah plenty of people are quite happy with the AN E out from the corners (some prefer it for the perceived improvement to soundstage depth). The biggest AN Dealer in the world sells them hand over fist and their demonstration room has no corners available and they have them three feet from the rear and side walls. They're better in corners theoretically (if the walls are solid) - maybe 75% as effective away from walls - but then 75% is still better than most at 100%. The 0/96 can't be placed near walls so that to me makes them less flexible. Sound quality is subjective. The rest of the system also plays a role. I like the 0/96 but I wouldn't take it over my old AN J/SPe. But I have only heard the 0/96 on a couple of occasions as well as the Gibbon 88 and 3xl. DeVore is not available in Hong Kong as of yet to my knowledge. The main thing is that there are more and more available easy to drive SET amp friendly speakers. Then it's a matter of choice. Soundhounds in Victoria British Columbia is a great dealer because they carry Audio Note and DeVore and Harbeth so one can audition back to back to back the wide baffle speakers and then compare these to the narrow baffle low efficiency B&W, Dybnaudio and Linn
Well, well, well a very ill informed comment, why don't you email me directly and tell me exactly what it is you contend I have stolen from Kondo-san, so we can discuss this in a grown up manner. This way when you make a comment next time you will at least know what you are talking about, assuming of course you are interested in more than rumour and conjecture. [email protected] Peter
Why, so I can hear only your opinion? Everything I need to know is right here, in the words of the gentleman who started Audio Note.
Peter already replied to this 20 years ago. Re: Audio Note of Japan (KONDO) - Peter Qvortrup - Audio Note (UK) Ltd. - General Asylum
I had been told about this by a friend but never read anything. Now I have read it l think the reply comes from an entitled rich man who thinks you can do what you want if you have money. His analogy about treasure says it all.
So you're saying the guy that puts up all the money and takes all the risk and spends all the money to market the brand and whose design team designed and built 80%+ of all the products and named all the products and had the vast majority of the employees is the bad guy here? Wow!
Why don't we all just accept there are two sides to every (business) conflict and move on? It's off topic.
Until I picked up my current set of KEF Q950s, all three systems in my house ran restored circa-1980 Boston Acoustics, A40, A60 and A100. They are glorious, in the classic New England style of complete transparency. I'm loving the KEFs but Boston Acoustics of that era will always be my favorite speakers. As per the thread topic, personally I'd always buy a $1000 integrated and $9000 of LPs, but that's me.
I have witnessed similar business conflicts through the years. In many cases, the entrpreneur or the artist sees an infusion of cash and resources as a relief valve for their financial woes. Something to which they feel entitled. Something that preserves their ideal and a means to NOT have to change. Keep in mind, they wouldn’t need a partnership if they were willing and able to change. To the investor, they bring something else to the table that the entrepreneur doesn’t quite understand. In fact, many in this circumstance completely discount what the investor brings to the table: elusive capital, channel velocity, a deep knowledge of channels of distribution and a deeper understanding of consumer behavior. If the entrepreneur does understand it, things usually go well. If they don’t then you see unfold what happened between Kondo and Audio Note UK. The courts found in Audio Note UK’s favor and yet Mr. Kondo stuck to his artist’s take on things that since “he created or started things” that that was perpetual, eternal and that the business arrangement didn’t matter. Don’t take the investment if you don’t want to give up control. If you take the investment and agree to the terms, then you sold your complete freedom in exchange for the absolte opportunity for a smaller slice of a larger pie. Its unfortunate, Mr. Kondo was an artist in every since of the word. After the deal went south, he tried to shift to becoming more business oriented, the push pull products were good but not Ongaku magical. There will always be the cult of the mythical Mr. Kondo to whom Mr. Q should have deferred in all matters, but that just isn’t a realistic business relationship. Mr. Lonelysea may be in that camp, which is fine. But I find his/her accusations toward Mr. Q inappropriate and unfortunate. The business model and laser like product focus to which Mr. Q was and still is committed has resulted in exactly what Mr. Q said it would all along: a balanced and progressive array of wonderful sounding hifi gear for almost every pocketbook. Buy Audio Note UK products or don’t, no one cares, but to continue to disparage a man and an organization falsely from behind an anonymous computer screen is very poor form. Full disclosure: I own Leben, Boulder and Audio Note UK amplification and have another Audio Note amplifier on order.
Yes, under the title “Of Thieves, Liars, and Magpies”. Speaks volumes. That Kondo had the virtue to make one statement concerning the situation and then keep quiet about it says as much about his character as Qvortrup’s choice of words and the fact that years later he stalks forums to defend his position says about his.
I agree with this and would note that PQ founded an Audio Company called Audio Innovations which he sold to take the risk on Audio Note. It was Peter who brought Audio Note to US shores - if it were not for Peter - Audio Note would be a no name brand operating in Japan that few to no one would have ever heard of and to this day they make products than most people can't afford. As Peter noted - they were no worse off after the split. Just that PQ wasn't spending all his money to make Kondo famous. Creating a kind of mythical figure can be great for branding but it also creates a martyr if things go south. I have a film director friend and when you are just the director you have to answer to the producers who are putting up all the money. That means they can control casting or even how your movie ends. When you ask people for their money they tend to want to have their say over your product. If you don't like that then produce your movie yourself. My friend is also a wealth Manager who dealt with billionaire investors for Barclay's. So he now runs his own wealth management company - makes money - so that he can then produce direct and write his own films - or partners with other big agencies. If you don't want to lose creative control you have to pay for it all yourself. It seems to me that the 1997 Hong Kong hand over caused a massive recession to the Asian markets - this is the region where sales of tube amps were highest. When all the rich Hong Kongers decided to flee HK for Canada, the UK, Australia etc - they were not lining up to buy $90,000 Ongaku amplifiers. Demanding that Peter buy them all regardless of being able to sell them is frankly idiotic. It would be like Toyota telling the dealer that you must buy 80 cars a month even though with COVID-19, you can't sell 5. The dealer has to buy them all? Huh! C'mon.
Well done - let's say "in reach" As an aside though - I think it often comes down to choices. When I went to university I elected to buy an OTO and AN J speakers and take the bus to university. I could have bought none of that and a car instead. My view was to gt a good sounding stereo over a relatively crummy car. And hey - the bus has the biggest engine on the road - and chauffeur driven. All perspective.
My only real thoughts on AN UK vs. AN Japan is "if you want a real Ongaku, it has to be Kondo". Note this is just my thoughts on an iconic product, not a claim on who makes better sounding gear.
I'll never not be that guy - a couple years ago when the paint on my 1997 car started peeling so bad it began to look like a mobile meth lab, I eventually replaced it mostly for the benefit of my wife and neighbors - I'd have still preferred a new amp or speakers though.