Audio Note UK Factory Tour

[RichardAusten]

Since I posted this on AA I figure I'd post it here.

Peter Breuninger (Former Stereophile and TAS reviewer) has looked at AN's new factory which shows you the workings of their amp, CD player, DAC and Cables plant.

Andy Whittle (Rogers LS-3/5a and Celestion) engineer largely takes you on the tour. 10 parts. I am certainly an Audio Note fan but I think it is one of the most in depth factory tours I've seen and quite different from most others.

Part 2: Andy Grove is the lead designer and was hired by Quad to design their anniversary amplifier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9vRyw65kE0

Breuninger's system and interview with Peter Qvortrup about NOS CD replay and his views on digital which run counter to everyone else in the industry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BijKabByrZQ


Speakers and turntables are manufactured in another plant reviewed by Rafe Arnott of Part Time Audiophile.
https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2017/...eter-qvortrup/

[a.wayne]

Hello RA ,

Is AN every going to do an SS amp ..? They should do one with their Silver output tranformers and MOSFETS. BTW , did you ever tell Andy Grove how you feel about Quad Speakers ..?


Regards

[RichardAusten]

Hello RA ,

Is AN every going to do an SS amp ..? They should do one with their Silver output tranformers and MOSFETS. BTW , did you ever tell Andy Grove how you feel about Quad Speakers ..?


Regards

From what I have been told Quad hired Andy Grove away from Audio Note - but Andy was bothered by Quad's financial limitations and went back to Audio Note.

As for SS - Peter has addressed that in his level system. http://audionote.co.uk/articles/art_level_system.shtml

Peter did tell me he liked the A21a given its limitations back when he was a dealer/importer. I like that Peter buys many of his competitors products - He had AG Duos in his broom closet for example.

[a.wayne]

From what I have been told Quad hired Andy Grove away from Audio Note - but Andy was bothered by Quad's financial limitations and went back to Audio Note.

As for SS - Peter has addressed that in his level system. http://audionote.co.uk/articles/art_level_system.shtml

Peter did tell me he liked the A21a given its limitations back when he was a dealer/importer. I like that Peter buys many of his competitors products - He had AG Duos in his broom closet for example.

Interesting him hiding his best sound in the Broom Closet .....

[Mike]

Interesting him hiding his best sound in the Broom Closet .....

He doesn’t. It’s another BS story. I texted with Peter this morning.

Richard - cut out your crap about AG or find somewhere else to plug those POS AN speakers.


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[RichardAusten]

Sorry if I am mistaken about the brand(in the write-up it was said to be AG) but this is the photo of the speaker in Audio Note's bike and broom closet from an old factory tour. I believe done by Fred Crowder but lost with Dagogo's website changeover.

Not sure what the anger you have about this Mike - Companies buy and test competing manufacturers products to run tests or even reverse engineer them. Then they have to put em somewhere. I have some nice gear in my closet back home.

I understand your a dealer so you whatever you sell has to be the best and the AN's have to be a POS because they're making other dealer's lots of money. But and A Wayne has the same problem - a Speaker that has sold for over 40 years in various forms and commands $5-200k and has been highly regarded and owned by a reviewer of every major print and online magazine around the world isn't a POS. I am not a fan of Magnepan speakers but objectively they are very well reviewed and regarded (often winning a bunch of awards - ditto B&W) whether I happen to personally like them or not - they're a fine speaker regardless of my opinion.

[Mike]

You are so full of crap. You said Peter had AG’s in his closet, not Audio Note. He doesn’t. I also don’t know any respected reviewer who would have those POS speakers in their system. I can’t even think of one who does. If you attend any show, the AN Speakers are in a room run by some homely looking guy, the room is completely empty and they sound like absolute rubbish.


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[puroagave]

Since I posted this on AA I figure I'd post it here.

Peter Breuninger (Former Stereophile and TAS reviewer) has looked at AN's new factory which shows you the workings of their amp, CD player, DAC and Cables plant.

Andy Whittle (Rogers LS-3/5a and Celestion) engineer largely takes you on the tour. 10 parts. I am certainly an Audio Note fan but I think it is one of the most in depth factory tours I've seen and quite different from most others.

Part 2: Andy Grove is the lead designer and was hired by Quad to design their anniversary amplifier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9vRyw65kE0

Breuninger's system and interview with Peter Qvortrup about NOS CD replay and his views on digital which run counter to everyone else in the industry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BijKabByrZQ


Speakers and turntables are manufactured in another plant reviewed by Rafe Arnott of Part Time Audiophile.
https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2017/...eter-qvortrup/

I thought Tim De Paravicini designed the Quad II amp, aka anniversary. per Quad's website:

The Quad II Series circuit design is the work of Tim de Paravicini, a man widely acknowledged to be the UK's foremost valve amp designer. His design is faithful to Peter Walker's Philosophy of cathode loading onto the same output stage and fundamental simplicity of design, ensuring the new amp delivers the same wealth of detail and exquisite tone as its famous predecessor.Quad II Series circuit design is the work of Tim de Paravicini, a man widely acknowledged to be the UK's foremost valve amp designer. His design is faithful to Peter Walker's Philosophy of cathode loading onto the same output stage and fundamental simplicity of design, ensuring the new amp delivers the same wealth of detail and exquisite tone as its famous predecessor.

[hifinutt]

had a very small audio note pre not too long ago and great service from these guys in repairing it

went to their room at a show recently but they sadly played the music at ear bending volumes so had to come out . normally its brilliant in their rooms

[Howiebrou]

had a very small audio note pre not too long ago and great service from these guys in repairing it

went to their room at a show recently but they sadly played the music at ear bending volumes so had to come out . normally its brilliant in their rooms

Unusual for their rooms. I don't think AN stuff is particularly suited to ear bending volumes...

[hifinutt]

yes i was very dissappointed , the chap running the room said , i make no apology but this has to be played loud . well personally i value my hearing and so many shows they wreck it by blasting out the sound . probably showing my age now !!! normally audionote rooms are packed and those lovely corner speakers sound delightful

[a.wayne]

Well maybe Richard has lost his ......

yes i was very dissappointed , the chap running the room said , i make no apology but this has to be played loud . well personally i value my hearing and so many shows they wreck it by blasting out the sound . probably showing my age now !!! normally audionote rooms are packed and those lovely corner speakers sound delightful

[hifinutt]

quite possibly !!

[Mike]

I have no doubt.


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[Mike]

Anyone remember this about AN?

https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=general&m=37527


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[kevinkwann]

Anyone remember this about AN?

https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=general&m=37527


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I remember it well. It was quite scandalous at the time.

[Howiebrou]

Anyone remember this about AN?

https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=general&m=37527


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Oh yes indeed...

[a.wayne]

Anyone remember this about AN?

https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=general&m=37527


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I remember this situation back then , but had thought this was settled allowing Audio Note UK to use the name, i was not aware it was because the name was never contested as Audio Note UK.



I briefly recall there being an Audio Note USA, While ( if memory serves me correctly)demonstrating at the Stereophile 97 or was it the 98 Waldorf audio show, anyway i did meet who i had thought was Mr. Kondo, i was invited to his room by one of our distributor's and did get to hear his new at the time 5 watt beast connected to another beast of a Horn ( it was really huge ) speaker, i cannot recall the name of it now, but it was, IMO, better than the Jadis Yosemite Sam Horns i had heard the day before at Lyric, with Jadis amps, but as was common of the era, very colored.

The next day by invitation we ended up having lunch at one of those famous Mott St restaurants in China town with our Asian distributor who was also working with Kondo. Lots of translation later, i was introduced to the first watt is the best watt theory and why Kondo's focus will always be about that first watt and high efficiency loudspeakers.

I cant now recall the name of his NYC distributor, 20 yrs is but a busted memory , so was not surprised to later see a UK distributor. My only experience with Peter Q was some years ago i wanted one of his specially wound silver Autoformers for an SET and he was about as helpful as sand on my driveway..


A side story , ( OK as short as possible)

While this first watt SET approach was not new to me and this may sound strange today , this kind of combination was not very popular as it is today and i found all horns until recently so colored none really worked for me or most that i knew, period...!

Dennis Had ( prolly one of the nicest guys in the business ) at Cary Audio said similar and had a similar approach when introducing me to his 805B SET, an amp that i thought was fantastic and really produced natural and realistic sound on one of our 93db/w/m models , both Dennis and I were really taken by what we heard , only later , for me to be dumb struck after reading JA stereophile review where he found the 805B, well , wanting , i could not believe an amp measuring with such high thd could really sound that real and visceral , it made me rethink the metrics involved when evaluating lab test measurements.

I thought it was fantastic sounding then and still stand behind that observation today, but with all SET's, load is everything, IMO very few amplifiers SS or PP toobs can match the realism of "they are here" better than a good SET.





Regards

[Nikhil]

Anyone remember this about AN?

https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=general&m=37527

Mike, I was a little surprised to see your strong reaction earlier to AN.
Thanks for the link to that audio asylum post by Kondo san. Explains everything.

It makes some of those AN Youtube episodes pretty distasteful.

[Jozua]

It is sad to read about Peter Qvortrup behaviour-- maybe AN products should be blacklisted until Peter Q pays his royalties and the money owing to Mr. Hiroyasu Kondo?

[asiufy]

Unfortunately, Mr. Kondo has passed away once a few short years after that episode. In disgust, no doubt.

[a.wayne]

Looks like Richard opened the wrong broom closet .....

[MikeCh]

The AN UK gear has always caught my eye due to what appears to be exceptional mfg quality control and resulting "neatness" of cable management internal to the chassis & component layout. Reminds me of viewing completed electronic work by my Dad. No matter how simple or complex the wiring might be its always neat with power and logic cabling routed & dressed properly, etc. Perhaps this is what catches people at least initially?

I've only ever heard the AN speakers (E version?) at shows but not their electronics. Have any of you guys had experience with the AN UK electronics? What is the sound signature like?

[hifinutt]

very natural and very involving with a real sense of presence that is captivating

[MikeCh]

very natural and very involving with a real sense of presence that is captivating

Now I'm even more interested. Thanks.

[Jack]

Mike, call Bob Neill at Amherst Audio and talk to him about it. He carries the line including some of the speakers. After many years as a reviewer he has heard a lot of gear.

[MikeCh]

Mike, call Bob Neill at Amherst Audio and talk to him about it. He carries the line including some of the speakers. After many years as a reviewer he has heard a lot of gear.

Thanks Jack, I may just do that.

edit: have been reading Bob's site much of the night tonight. There is a lot to read.

[Jack]

Mike

Bob is a good guy and I have found him to be a straight shooter both as an equipment reviewer and also as a dealer. When he became the Reynaud U.S. distributor he voluntarily quit reviewing gear as he perceived it as a conflict and now only reviews music for PFO. He likes what he likes and will tell you what it is and why. Haven't talked to him in over a year but always an interesting conversation. Well worth the call. His reviews made me a Reynaud fan which I am still today after over fifteen years and four different pairs.

[Myles B. Astor]

Mike

Bob is a good guy and I have found him to be a straight shooter both as an equipment reviewer and also as a dealer. When he became the Reynaud U.S. distributor he voluntarily quit reviewing gear as he perceived it as a conflict and now only reviews music for PFO. He likes what he likes and will tell you what it is and why. Haven't talked to him in over a year but always an interesting conversation. Well worth the call. His reviews made me a Reynaud fan which I am still today after over fifteen years and four different pairs.

Just to clear any misunderstandings up. You are NOT allowed to review equipment for Positive Feedback and be a dealer, salesperson or in any other way involved in the marketing of audio equipment. That is a clear conflict of interest. If a writer doesn’t resign and this conflict is found out, they will be terminated. This is SOP for all high-end audio magazines.