Anyone here have experience with Audio Note???
 

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:

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

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?

Some Audio Note gear is available in kit form.
Audio Note Kits - Welcome

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

Audio Note Kit* Assembly Service

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...

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

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