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General Asylum: REVIEW: Audio Note M5 (Line Stage only) Preamplifier (Tube) by jnr General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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Model: M5 (Line Stage only) Category: Preamplifier (Tube) Suggested Retail Price: $7500.00 Description: Line Stage only version of this transformer coupled balanced preamp Manufacturer URL: Audio Note Manufacturer URL: Audio Note
Review by jnr ( A ) on October 05, 2002 at 22:36:30
IP Address: 64.85.233.148Add Your Review
for the M5 (Line Stage only)
Wow! Wow! WOW!!! I can’t believe what a huge improvement putting the Audio Note M5 preamp into my system made. To be honest I have been a stubborn defendant of the “No preamp is the best preamp†and have tried fine preamps from Kora, Audio Research, Joule-Elecrtra and others and always went back to no preamp. I don’t know if it’s because of the M5 being transformer coupled or what but this has been a glorious revelation. Here’s how it sounds at my house.
First and most noticeable difference is scale. Vocalist and instruments seem to take on a near lifelike size. The M5 gives you instruments in a full range of tonality. Vocal music has a rich tonality and at the same time a almost effortless quickness that just pulls me into the music.Then there is the detail. I heard things on Ricky Lee Jones, “Pop, Pop†and on Belefonte’s Carnage Hall that I have never heard. And all this detail without a trace of analytical or sterility. This is a preamp that lets all the details of live music and all the bold colors of live music come through at the same time.
And I have never had such dynamics in a home system and that includes micro dynamics. The transients are quick without sounding electronic or digital. This let me here instrument and vocal overtones, ambience, and spatial qualities I have never heard before.
All of this results in a wide and deep stage but more important a layered stage where you feel like you can reach out and touch instruments that are right behind or in front of each other.
The M5 moved my system to being more tonally correct both with simple and complex music, more vivid and much more musically involving.
System: Speakers Gerhman Avant Guards
Amps: Kora Reference 100 watt class A triode mono amps
Source: Modified Sony 777 ES
Power: by Ensemble and Shunyata,
Product Weakness: none other than cost Product Strengths: Musicaly involving, scale, and tonality
Associated Equipment for this Review: Amplifier: Kora Reference Mono Blocks Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Ultimate Nude attenuators Sources (CDP/Turntable): Sony SCD 777es Speakers: Gershman Avant Gard Cables/Interconnects: Valhalla Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz and Classical Room Size (LxWxH): 19 x 24 x 8.5 Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 days after break in Other (Power Conditioner etc.): ensemble and shunyata Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
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Topic - REVIEW: Audio Note M5 (Line Stage only) Preamplifier (Tube) - jnr 22:36:30 10/5/02 ( 19)
- Keep the engineers out of the marketing dept! - AbeCollins 15:46:10 10/6/02 ( 6)
- Re: Keep the engineers out of the marketing dept! - Peter Qvortrup 07:22:57 10/8/02 ( 5)
- Re: Keep the engineers out of the marketing dept! - Ivan303 20:58:39 10/11/02 ( 0)
- Re: Keep the engineers out of the marketing dept! - AbeCollins 00:49:12 10/9/02 ( 1)
- Re: Keep the engineers out of the marketing dept! - Peter Qvortrup 01:14:08 10/10/02 ( 0)
- You forgot to mention you also make the coffee! (nt) - Bob Bales 11:40:21 10/8/02 ( 0)
"We make fine Audio, not pornography"... - orejones 09:19:38 10/8/02 ( 0)
I'm sure it's great equipment but... - AbeCollins 10:51:16 10/6/02 ( 8)
- Re: I'm sure it's great equipment but... - Ivan303 21:01:27 10/11/02 ( 0)
AA Flaw - DRCope 11:19:52 10/7/02 ( 2)
- David, where are you? - mikemalter 16:14:33 10/7/02 ( 1)
- Re: David, where are you? - DRCope 20:35:20 10/7/02 ( 0)
Re: I'm sure it's great equipment but... - s.hum 07:35:29 10/7/02 ( 0)
I have an Audio Note DAC - BWM 15:12:14 10/6/02 ( 0)
Re: I'm sure it's great equipment but... - Biencfg 13:53:09 10/6/02 ( 0)
Re: I'm sure it's great equipment but... - mikemalter 13:45:17 10/6/02 ( 0)
I just built the AN DAC 1.2 kit with all upgraded parts and the same superlatives that you used - Fiddler 03:30:40 10/6/02 ( 0)
Sorry I did not know adding it to the reviews would post it again.(nt) - jnr 22:38:08 10/5/02 ( 1)
- It's OK! It'll now be under Reviews, and accesible to all, for ever and ever. - The Killer Piglet 23:09:00 10/5/02 ( 0)