Anyone here have experience with Audio Note???

[two dot]

The factory tour has really peaked my interest in this brand...

Anyone here have any experience with this company?

[PHC1]

The factory tour has really peaked my interest in this brand...

Anyone here have any experience with this company?

Do you feel the urge to splurge? :D Do I see $125k Gaku On amplifiers in your future? :thumbsup:

[PHC1]

Sorry, make that $252k... :D

[two dot]

Ok, sorry, I was thinking of starting with the Otto at 4k or the Meishu at 8-10k

[PHC1]

Ok, sorry, I was thinking of starting with the Otto at 4k or the Meishu at 8-10k

Have you considered Shindo? I thought you really liked it?

[klipschfan]

Some Audio Note gear is available in kit form.
Audio Note Kits - Welcome (http://www.audionotekits.com/)

Bill Baker from Response Audio will build it for you and warranty it for 5 years. Parts selection (upgrades) are available if desired. Bill will build it from stock all the way to extreme. He does outstanding work-he built the modified crossovers for two pairs of Klipsch Cornwalls for me.
Audio Note Custom
http://www.bellaextreme.com/wb1s.jpgWelcome to the wonderful world of Audio Note music reproduction. Response Audio has been offering you this ultimate pieces for several years. These pieces are a custom built, fully assembled and tested product that also come with a full warranty. We have taken these products to what we feel is their absolute fullest potential but were voiced to produce a slightly different presentation from what you may be accustomed to. Our goal with these units was to offer more articulation and detail along with upper end air and extension without sacrificing the body, soul and emotion Audio Note is known for. Another aspect of our Audio Note Custom pieces is that we have worked very hard on the layout and grounding scheme of these products to produce the quietest background and lowest noise floor. The Audio Note Custom products are dead quiet.

Response Audio / Musica Bella Custom Tube Audio product Line (http://www.bellaextreme.com/products.htm)
Audio Note Kit* Assembly Service (http://www.bellaextreme.com/audio%20note%20assembly.htm)

[two dot]

Have you considered Shindo? I thought you really liked it?

Serge,

Yes, I am VERY drawn to the SHINDO gear. I would love to own a full Shindo set up.

One of the most appealing things to me about the AN gear is that they offer a full class A Integrated, with phono, EL 84 based, in a single box... which I like.

As I have said before, if LAMM made a single box integrated, with phono, I would buy one regardless of price.

Shindo only makes a very basic integrated but AN goes way beyond that... with some very impressive designs.

I want full class A... phono section, single chassis, remote would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath...

[PHC1]

Aren't you going to tell us about your new Audio Note gear Stephen? :scratch2:

[two dot]

Guys, Let me first say that, I appreciate each and everyone of your input on my audio journey... and it should be mentioned that the cause of my downsizing is largely due to having to move to a much smaller place... like ~600 square feet from ~3500 square feet. Southern California doesn't have a lot of room...


I wrote this the other day, after listening to the new AN gear for a couple of days...

Ok, I have a confession to make.

I am NOT an audiophile. I have tried… I wanted to be one, but… low and behold... I am just a music lover.

Please, I want no one to take offense here. Some people are both. Thats great. I kinda wish that I were.

I don't like cables… nor power conditioners, nor massive speakers, nor plastic remotes with 100 buttons, I don't like a wall full of equipment, I think that in this day and time, CD's are silly, and owning a transport is crazy.

I think that music comes on vinyl records and that they are getting better every day. And that 25 years ago some of them were amazing. Think... original Blue Note.

What I do love is beautiful music. And, I have had a lot of that in the past few years… but, always, at the expense of constant upgrading and worrying if my gear, cables, power conditioners, etc were good enough.

I was missing the music.

I now have the most musical system that I have ever heard in my room.

Guess what…

It has 9 watts, plugs into the wall with a regular power cord, has one source (LP's), has speakers that are small 2 way boxes made out of PLYWOOD… no remote, no lights or meters, and…

IT IS THE MOST MUSICAL SYSTEM THAT I HAVE EVER HEARD IN MY ROOM.

It does not sound anything like HI-FI… it sounds like live music. It sounds like I am there. Period.

Looking at, acquiring, and listening to my McIntosh equipment has been one of the great joys of my life, and I will always be thankful for all of the help, guidance, and FRIENDSHIP that you guys have provided.

But for now… I will buying more music, sharing your love of your equipment and LISTENING to my music.

[Still-One]

Guys, Let me first say that, I appreciate each and everyone of your input on my audio journey... and it should be mentioned that the cause of my downsizing is largely due to having to move to a much smaller place... like ~600 square feet from ~3500 square feet. Southern California doesn't have a lot of room...


I wrote this the other day, after listening to the new AN gear for a couple of days...

Ok, I have a confession to make.

I am NOT an audiophile. I have tried… I wanted to be one, but… low and behold... I am just a music lover.

Please, I want no one to take offense here. Some people are both. Thats great. I kinda wish that I were.

I don't like cables… nor power conditioners, nor massive speakers, nor plastic remotes with 100 buttons, I don't like a wall full of equipment, I think that in this day and time, CD's are silly, and owning a transport is crazy.

I think that music comes on vinyl records and that they are getting better every day. And that 25 years ago some of them were amazing. Think... original Blue Note.

What I do love is beautiful music. And, I have had a lot of that in the past few years… but, always, at the expense of constant upgrading and worrying if my gear, cables, power conditioners, etc were good enough.

I was missing the music.

I now have the most musical system that I have ever heard in my room.

Guess what…

It has 9 watts, plugs into the wall with a regular power cord, has one source (LP's), has speakers that are small 2 way boxes made out of PLYWOOD… no remote, no lights or meters, and…

IT IS THE MOST MUSICAL SYSTEM THAT I HAVE EVER HEARD IN MY ROOM.

It does not sound anything like HI-FI… it sounds like live music. It sounds like I am there. Period.

Looking at, acquiring, and listening to my McIntosh equipment has been one of the great joys of my life, and I will always be thankful for all of the help, guidance, and FRIENDSHIP that you guys have provided.

But for now… I will buying more music, sharing your love of your equipment and LISTENING to my music.
This is the place for AudioAficionado's, so whatever great gear turns you on that is what it is all about. Glad you are happy. :thumbsup:
Jim

[PHC1]

I can certainly relate. There have been more than one periods of my audio journey where larger systems were dismantled and replaced by much simpler, lower powered tube systems, including a period of a total simplicity submersion of nothing but tube powered headphone listening.

If bigger is always better then why do I have such fond memories of those simple days? :scratch2: Ah yes, because those listening sessions often lasted for hours on end and it was all about music and nothing more. Sure there were systems in my home that did many things better but not always as enjoyable overall. :yes: I found that the larger systems needed to be fed recordings that were nothing less than stellar if there was to be some satisfaction derived from a listening session.

One way to look at it is if we compare audio to photography, it is nice to have a very sharp and crisp lens when photographing perfect subjects with no blemishes. Often a soft focus filter goes a long way to hide the blemishes and reality and makes a photograph that much more pleasing to the eye....

The simpler tube powered systems were simply more forgiving even if they didn't or couldn't match the reality and brutal honesty of the larger systems.

This question has been brought up many times by many, has your audio system changed your listening habbits? Does it serve the music or does it serve traditional hi-fi goals?

I guess if we lived in a perfect world where all the music was recorded and mastered with impeccable skill and talent, the question above would be a moot point... As it stands, much of the musical content is far from optimal.

No wonder then that some find bliss in a less revealing system that simply sounds more pleasing to the ear. I know I did many times before. Took me many years to get where I am right now with my current system with which I derrive much listening satisfaction although I can still hear the difference in recording qualities rather easily but they are not as offending to the ear as they ofen were before. I attribute this to the Class A amps, tubed preamp, innovative digital front end and VINYL!

No doubt if space, budget or other reasons forced me to downsize, I would take a very similar approach and come back to the days of low powered tubes and higher efficiency/tube friendly speakers. :yes:

Enjoy your new system and the listening pleasure it brings you! :music:

[AudioNut]

I am very sorry Stephen, but 9 watts is not quite enough to power the SF Guarneri Mementos that I know you still want - and they do work in small rooms!!!!!

I am happy that you are happy though. What about your Barzalay cabinet?

[two dot]

Julian, So true..

Thanks for the kind comments guys...

I hope that you all know how much I miss those big blue meters...

I should add here that I gave some very serious thought to a MA7000 integrated and pair of Sonus Fabers either GM's or Auditors.

I know that I would have been very happy with that combo. At this level, all of the systems that we have are wonderful... it is the music, that I love!

In the end I finally decided that I really wanted to dip my toes in what many believe is ... sonic nirvana... Class A baby.

My new Audio Note is the only "A" I have ever gotten... wasn't much in school...

[PHC1]

Yeah, Looking at your avatar, I noticed we are now both Class A Blissed... :D

[KMC45]

Stephen,

Sounds like great stuff.:thumbsup: