[Bill Baker]

Hi everyone,
 A while back I mentioned working on assembling a complete system based on our Audio Note Custom products. I did get a bit side tracked with other ventures we were working on but we are now working on the AN system once again.

 Just recently, Response Audio became an authorized dealer for Audio Note UK products. Our AN reference system will be a mix of official AN products and our Custom line. Here's what I have in mind to start things rolling.

* Audio Note Custom 300B stereo amplifier which will eventually be replaced with a pair of Audio Note Custom 300B mono bloc amplifiers
* Audio Note Custom M2 preamp with custom phono stage (already in use - just need to install the phono section which will be done next week)
* Audio Note Custom DAC 2.1 Deluxe (already in use)
* Audio Note UK CDT-Two MKII transport
* Audio Note UK TT-1 turntable (in route?)
* Audio Note speakers - still undecided on which ones. Thinking of building a pair of KIT 03 speakers that come with the new Hemp drivers.
* Cabling will be Musica Bella Silver/Gold interconnects and speaker cable.

 Maybe over time I will swap out the Custom preamp for a higher level AN UK unit (M3 or higher) and build a seperate Audio Note Custom M3 phono stage.

 For those who mentioned wanting to come in to audition this system, just give me some time to get things together. I will keep this thread upgraded on the progress.

[SET Man]

Hey!

   Now that's something that I would love to check out. Man! Wish you were my neighbor!

   Keep us posted on this.

Take care,
Buddy

[Scott F.]

* Audio Note UK TT-1 turntable (in route?)

.....uuuum     Yep, you should see it mid-to-late week 


I've heard a very similar system that David Cope set up a few years ago. It is to die for. 

[Bill Baker]

Hi Scott,
 I was a dealer during the time when Dave was just coming on board with AN. I had one of the lower level systems consisting of a few "ZERO" and "ONE" level components and even that was very musically satisfying. I also had a pair of the lower level speakers (you know where they went) and the TT-1.......... you obviously know where that went as well........The little $1,000 mono blocs were truly amazing for the money.

 I have heard quite a few AN products over the years and have always likes the company. I have several local (Northeast) people interested in AN so I want to get this done as quickly as I can. I am lucky in that my custom preamp and DAC are just about burned in with all the V-Cap and Mundorf capacitors and Tantalum resistors but I will have to burn in the amp(s), transport and speakers.

 As much as I like the 300B, I am considering starting off with a straight power amp version of the SE 6550 amp as shown below. This is one I built for a customer last year and it was hard letting it go. I really liked the sound of it. We'll see

[Bill Baker]

As an update on the progress of the system, the CDT Two MKII is on order and the turntable will be here Friday. I still have to install the phono stage into my Custom M2 preamp. I also have to decide one which amplifier(s) and speakers to start things off with. When the system is complete, we should have a very nice setup for both vinyl and digital.

[Bill Baker]

 I have been without vinyl for several months. Yesterday, my Audio Note table arrived  I do not yet have my phono stage done for the AN Custom M2 preamp but did just finish up a modification on an old VTL Ultimate preamp that has phono. The customer wants me to put some time on the unit through the phono stage so I will have vinyl for a few more days and then be able to switch over to the AN Custom preamp.

 Wow, I missed it but now it's back. I'm not letting it go this time

[Scott F.]

Bill, I take it UPS didn't kill it or the EC3 XO on the trip up?

[Bill Baker]

NO sir, everything arrived safe and sound (ing good!). I am looking over the XO now in fact.

[Scott F.]

Cool.

See what I mean about the power supply? Thats one funky design.

[Bill Baker]

I now have vinyl running . Came in today to do some paperwork and cleaning with my boys across the street with their friends. I have been waiting for a circuit board that was on order to come in for the phono stage but it hasn't arrived yet so I figured I would just build my own. An hour and a half later, there is vinyl spinning.

 I built the phono stage on 1/4" Birch ply using a combination of ELNA Cerafine & Ruby lytics with coupling duties handled by SoniCap. Everything is hardwired using silver wire. Tube are Sovtek 12AX7WA for the input with a JJ Gold ECC82 output stage. It was installed in my Audio Note Custom L2 Deluxe preamp.

 I have two albums through it now and it is dead quiet and sounding decent (lots of break-in needed).

 I think I am going to stick with the hardwired Birch ply phono stages for all future builds and even going with the same arrangement for the analog boards as well in the Audio Note Custom preamps.

 This phono stage will be offered for our Audio Note Standard and full Custom L2 linestages. Pricing on the phono stage will depend on coupling caps used.