|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
[ Asylum Support ] [ Rules ] |
Model: | Conquest 300b mono blocks |
Category: | Amplifier (Tube) |
Suggested Retail Price: | $7500 approx |
Description: | SET pure class A valve mono blocks 18 watts into 8 ohms |
Manufacturer URL: | Audio Note |
Model Picture: | View |
Review by astrostar59 (A) on October 17, 2006 at 08:52:13 IP Address: 88.11.62.114 | Add Your Review for the Conquest 300b mono blocks |
I just had to share my musical experiences with my Audio Note M3 pre and my new SET Conquest monoblocks (4 x 300b). Sorry if it's a bit emotional but that's how it makes me feel..."I now have real music, real vocal, real flutes and violins, real guitars. I am listening to just that, the music, not a pile of electronic black boxes.
I was originally running the M3 pre through a big MF MossFett power amp, which I thought was ok, but even though I had plenty of volume and low end power, I got uncomfortable with it after an hour or so. Since the Conquest power amps arrived, I now know why.
The synergy with the pre-power combo is superb. I replaced the M3 valves, hooked up the system, and from the first note just sat down in disbelief!
Plus 4 days in and it is still improving, even smoother, even more realistic. I find I am playing it louder than with the old MF A370 and the big kef 107/2s. And the bass is
very close extension wise, but much better in speed and slap and realism. The mids and highs are in another league, Scarborough FC and Chelsea FC.
The projection of the sound stage is remarkable. I left it on the other day, and before I unlocked the front door I thought I heard someone singing in the kitchen, seriously!
Biggest change/upgrade is to orchestral, voice, wind instruments and organ music. But everything else is hugely smoother, with no fatigue at all.
The other weird thing, the difference between recordings (all music types) is greater than before. Good recording are very good, great recordings are really fantastic. And I can here traffic rumble on some orchestral passages which contain solo instrument or voice passages. Something I never heard before except through the Stax headphones. Plus the decay on cymbals...superb.
I realise now I was not playing a lot of my CDs. Not because I had got bored of the music, but because the sound on this one or that one was steely, too bright, too false. Now I can listen to any, and hear them for what they are, but with no fatigue or dashing for the volume control.
Sum up - 18 watts of pure heaven. Fantastically recommended.
Product Weakness: | gets warm, needs plenty of ventilation, heavy. |
Product Strengths: | Low level detail, realism esp in vocal and piano, real music, no grain, superb bass for tubes, no fatique, plays many real world speakers, makes CD's closer to vinyl. |
Associated Equipment for this Review: | |
Amplifier: | Conquest mono blocks |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | AN M3 tube pre |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | AN CD trans, AN Kit DAC 1.1 |
Speakers: | Zingali Overture 2s (horn hybrid) |
Cables/Interconnects: | AN Silver ANV |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Rock, Classical, Electronic, Choral, Organ |
Room Size (LxWxH): | 18 x 15 x 9 |
Room Comments/Treatments: | Large rug, soft furniture, thick drapes. |
Time Period/Length of Audition: | 12 weeks |
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): | dedicated fuse box |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Your System (if other than home audition): | As above plus Stax Lamba pros |
Follow Ups:
Amen brother!
And I will sneek into this old tread .I'm gigling because I was modding Quest's and I'm going to make a chinesse copy of them on cheap . Piece of crap of course ,cheap parts , dreaded 6SN7 and DC on 300B's (also cheap ) Just can't stop to listen . Anybody want to mod AN E speakers ?? (So i could measure and check how they are made ;0)))
But then you'll probably spend all of your time swapping out parts and trying to tweak the thing into playing music.
so many of the similar descriptions of Audio Note gear from such a diverse group of people. "Disblief" that what you thought you knew and perhaps what you thought was "good" before kind of hits you over the head in "boy was I on the wrong road" kind of way.
For your next upgrade, I would suggest you build the new Audio Note DAC Kit 2.1 (or wait for the impending upgrade). I built one recently and the difference between that and the stock DAC Kit 1.1 is huge and I'm sure your system would improve even more.Below is a link to my review of my 2.1 kit - there is also a link at the bottom of the page to the actual build.
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: