Speaker Asylum: Re: Audio Note AN-K Spe Speakers by RGA

It's funny you mention that because it takes guts to sell Audio Note. They are hardly a household name. Their tube amps don't reveal the tubes so they are just plain boxes for high prices. The speakers too are plain, no 12 driver sytem radiating off of 3 walls or inverted dome and ribbons with leather wraps etc.

Soundhounds sold of their N802 and N801 and replaced them with the AN E/ Sec and SE(presumably). If you go by looks the N801 is to me a gorgeous speaker that sounds very good. SO you can imagine that the store has to have some confidence in replacing a proven best seller with in comparison an ugly plain speaker with no kevlar and neat looks from a no name brand that looks like you could do it from a kit.(which you could have a few years ago).

I commented to the dealer that I love their sound but they don't look that great. He simply said that good sound looks like that. I also find it telling that the owner and partners/sellers have all bought AN systems for their personal use in their homes. They have been there for 20 years or more and seen everything over that time as maybe the largest high end dealer in BC and for some gear in North America.

http://www.soundhounds.com/ (Open in New Window)