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In Reply to: Please help regarding SET amp choice posted by acours on February 13, 2007 at 11:21:03:
HiMy choice. Look to Audio Note. Cary is ok. nothing special, other SETs are better for the money. But for SET amps that sound RIGHT, its Audio Note for me
www.audionote.co.uk
I love their products, and I have finally found a system I am totally at ease with after many long buy and sell heartaches over the years.
Their SET amps are superb, many are copied (badly) by other manufacturers, many use their parts but few compare in sound quality.
The Quest is 9 watts with one 300b per mono block, the Conquest (which I use) is two 300b per mono block and 18 watts. Either will easily power your efficient speakers.
Or if you wanted an integrated, the Meishu is a good choice. Check out the website.
Audio Note sounds is just on the button. When (if) you can hear a set-up with AN gear into decent and efficient speakers, you will stop looking. Trust me! It has a superbly smooth sound, realistic vocal, real bass especially for a SET, great dynamics, incredible detail even at lower volume, and none of the so called soft valve sound. I would say its realistic, but unmistakably valve, that is no harsh electronic sound like many SS amps or some Push Pull designs out there.
Email me direct if you want to chat.
Follow Ups:
"Their SET amps are superb, many are copied (badly) by other manufacturers, many use their parts but few compare in sound quality"I this what Audio Note UK did WRT Audio Note Japan, now Kondo? Oh, maybe I have my head on the wrong way and their arrangements were amicable.
If it were not for Audio Note UK there would have been no Ongaku - AN UK did all the mone work to get these amps known in the first place. Peter decided which amps Kondo was making were saleable and which ones were not. Kondo from what I can tell was the engineer Peter the deciding ear as to which was actually worthy for market. And in fact it still seems to be the case to this day with Peter deciding on what the Audio Note sound is to be and Andy Grove actually getting the sound that Peter wants.And frankly which is better a top Ferrarri, Bugatti or Lamborghini - I'll gladly take second best here -- it sure beats the ford festiva's for big money that make up 90% of what stereophile recommeds
"And frankly which is better a top Ferrarri, Bugatti or Lamborghini - I'll gladly take second best here -- it sure beats the ford festiva's for big money that make up 90% of what stereophile recommeds "Yeah, I'll take a Mazeratti (spelling?) over a Ferrari if I am paying. Hell, Stereophile, are they still around, peddling their 'this is sooo much better', component-churning gloss?
The thing is with Audio Note - Audio Note was one company putting out gear then they broke up. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle as it usually does. I don't think Peter is being dishonest - he is one of the few in the industry who tells people where he gets his products - basing them off of others' designs.His side of the Kondo break-up is in the link.
- http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=general&n=36887&highlight=kondo+peter+qvortrup&r=&session= (Open in New Window)
NT
Hello
Yes, I agree, there was a split with AN Japan, and AN UK was created. I understand the problem was the design philosophy, of ultimate sound regardless of cost. That meant AN Japan gear was completly out of reach by almost all the population. This in turn with the economy of Japan going of the boil, meant a reality check I guess.What would you want? AN to dissapear, or AN UK create affordable alternative products reachable by the more numerous population to enjoy. How many friends have you got with a Kondo or Onkaku? For me I am just glad they are still around, and producing fab products, at realistic prices. And without that, there would not be AN kits, which I think you must agree are the most successful kits at the moment re performance v price v buildability.
Lets face it, many hi-fi manufacturers have merged, been taken over or worse, disappeared. If a company produces great products there aint much to complain about.
Hey, I don't want either to go away... Kondo stuff is beutiful, in its way, but well out of my reach; even if was not, s**t, I would not pay the $$$ for it, no matter the amount of love that goes into it. Just wondering why AN UK got to keep the AN name when the spiritual heart of that company resides with Kondo. Also, I thought AN Japan was sweet with AN UK producing the more affordable stuff; they had that arrangement for a long while. So, is it more that AN UK wanted to move into AN Japan's market? I do not know, just asking."...which I think you must agree are the most successful kits at the moment re performance v price v buildability."
You may think that, others differ, which is cool.
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