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RE: Audio Note AN-J vs AN-K

Posted by RGA (R) on September 8, 2014 at 03:35:47

In Reply to: Audio Note AN-J vs AN-K posted by jasonpatrickbrowne on September 7, 2014 at 19:21:17:

For that size room the AN K will likely be superb. I have owned both and now the AN E.

After considering the question a bit it's difficult to say one is best - each is designed for a given room volume. In your room the K will likely sound a lot better than the J and the E would probably be worst. In a bigger room the E will likely win.

Many years ago at Soundhounds in Victoria BC I had set up an audition session with the the Reference 3a MM DE Capo (and I was familiar with their more expensive speakers in the Royal reference Master and their top of the line floorstanders (the name of which is escaping me), B&'s N805 and Sig version, Paradigm's top standmount at the time, and most ofthe usual suspects from Sonus Faber, Dynaudio, Totem Mani 2 and Model One and numerous other standmount speakers.

I asked the dealer to set-up, in the same room with the same gear 4 speakers and I was smart enough to say "and throw in one you like" The one they threw in was the AN K (which was the dealer's favorite but he didn't mention that). I spent the entire day at Soundhounds which was probably overstaying my welcome but sometimes it's tough to make the trip only to be rushed out.

So I listened and pretty much eliminated the metal tweeter speakers fast. Too much of an obvious step between the drivers while impressive at first went away fast on acoustic instruments. The Reference 3a MM De Capo was my then front runner and for 2 years easily my favorite in the two way speaker class under $3000. Indeed, it probably would still be in the running. The K/Spe had a more even straight up frequency balance and first rate driver matching. It sounded faster nimbler and more engaging and more alive over the De Capo. More variation between the discs I brought. The De Capo though was richer warmer and more full bodied - but it kind of did the same thing with everything I put on them. Vocals seemed pushed back giving a bigger impression of stage depth but it also made them a little harder to hear and forced me to concentrate the wee bit harder. I am not surprised that they have changed tweeters twice since then but the change to Berryllium seems to fix some of that but has taken away some of the character that I liked about the speaker in the first place.

The AN K won the day basically on the back of a jump factor and piano. I eventually sold them back to Soundhounds for a pair of AN J/Spe which were being sold at a price too hard to turn down and Soundhounds gave me 100% of what I paid in the return. Plus I moved into a bigger apartment.

The AN E is doing supremely well here in HK in a much smaller apartment and along the long wall. I can't explain that really because I was very worried about the small room. But the ceilings are very high here and rather than carpet I have hardwood over concrete and the walls are concrete. I have also treated the wall behind the speakers.

I would say the Lx cable will be worth serious consideration over the Spe. The LX cables are friendlier to lower end amps/sources.

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