[BillB]

I am going to build a pair of Audio Note 300B interstage mono blocks. I have been looking for any kind of reviews on their stuff but it's pretty sparse.

Has anyone heard any of their gear...what did you think?

TIA

[Bill Baker]

Hello Bill,
 I hope you don't mind me posting on this subject but I have a lot of experience with the Audio Note Kit products (and nothing to gain by recommending them).
 I can tell you that the AN kits are among some of the best values in audio kit amplifiers or DIY. Quality of these kits is unsurpassed and sonically hard to touch anywhere near their price point.

 Best of luck with whatever path you decide to take.

[BillB]

Your site is what made me lust for them in the first place...it was just recently that I realized they were available in kit form!

[Bill Baker]

Thanks Bill.

 Let me know your thoughts should you decide to go forward with building them.

 Best of luck......

 The other Bill B

[denjo]

Hi Bill

I have owned AudioNote gear for more than a decade, starting with the Oto SE, Soro and then Meishu (300B integrated), speakers were AudioNote J, then E (with silver cables). The Oto was my first foray with tube amplifiers and really got me hooked on tube amplifiers for more than a decade. The Meishu was a very musically sounding integrated and synergises extremely well with AudioNote speakers but the heat (from the tubes) and the more than often breakdowns (which were expensive to repair), forced me to give them up entirely and move into something less expensive to maintain.

During the time the Meishu was with me, it was an extremely delightful system, giving you eerie reality especially with jazz and vocals. You could almost feel the singer or musician sitting right in front of you!

I have a friend who owns the Soro but extensively modded the integrated. It sounded extremely musical with his DIY speakers.

Hope this is helpful!

Best Regards
Dennis

[BillB]

What was breaking down? The 300B interstages are ridiculously simple, I am not sure what the integrateds look like inside.

[denjo]

I am not technically minded but I think it had to do with the choke (transformer?), caps, DC leakage (almost blew my speakers!). The 300B Meishu had to be serviced ever so often! One time I remember we had a gathering with the Meishu providing background music. Because of the heat and our tropical climate, I always removed the top-plate. Despite, there was smoke coming from the Meishu and my well-intentioned friend rushed to get a bucket of water and was about to empty the bucket over the Meishu before I stopped him just in time! Another time, I had replaced a tube (not the 300B) but I think the pins were not in proper order. When I turned the Meishu on there was a bluish arch and then the sound just faded! I emailed Peter Qvotrup, related the incident and his reply was very cool! He told me not to worry. He said that tube amplifiers behave quite dramatically when something goes wrong but the "problem" was usually quite easy to fix!  It was really an inconvenience when I had to get the Meishu repaired because I had to carry the whole amplifier (heavy) to the agent for repair! Otherwise, when it was up and running, it gave such a realistic presentation, especially with the AN-Es! I understand what 300B magic is all about! No SS (no matter how good) can replicate the 300B magic!

[jmpiwonka]

Wayne Parham from Pi Speakers told me he really like the audio note amps. recommended me to get them.
I went with some used decware stuff though.

[Bill Baker]

Hello again Bill,
 The AN kits are the work of a few years of refinement. One of my favorites is the Kit 2 using a single KT88 for [about] 16 watts. It is an amp I could live with for a long time but without having any high efficient speakers on hand at the moment.......well you get the idea.

 I have spoken to a few that have the 300B mono blocs and are very happy with them.

[jrebman]

Bill,

The interstage monos are wonderful.  Would you be getting the parallel tube version, and the Double C core OPTs?  I've spoken with Brian many times and he is a real great guy and absolutely won't steer you wrong.

IMO the problem with the amps that Dennis speaks of is that they are fully enclosed and get quite hot, and heat leads to premature failures.

One of my local audio buddies had a Soro and now has a Kit1.  I myself would like to build a kit2 someday.

Brian is also coming out with a PP EL34 integrated which seemed to get a lot of interest at RMAF 2008.

I don't think you could go wrong with any of the AN kits.

-- Jim

[Brown]

I'll second that great product with unlimited options. Wonderfull customer service. Just had the 2.1 DAC in for an audition very very nice indeed. My buddy has a AN Kit 1 for sale. If anyone is intersted PM med I'll give you his number.

[luckylou]

Good day to all I like to ask I'm about to get a chance of being a owner of a set of audio note conqueror and I wonder what is the price of these I have read and heard goo things about them just can't seem to get a price on a pair . My question is what do they go for in the use market , which all packing material all new tubes power cords , The whole nine yards , So I'm looking to see what have others have paid and to see that I'm getting a deal .

[Rocket_Ronny]

While I have not heard audionote, I did hear a story about a person who had practically ALL the audionote gear and had Peter McAlister build him some custom OTLS, and that is what he was listening to.

I have seen McAlister SE-44s go for around $1200.00 U.S. That is a no brainer buy if someone has speakers that can be driven by a muscular 22 watter.

I am way more than happy with my McAlister PP-150 and have absolutely no desire to look at any other amps. It is that good.


Rocket_Ronny

[[email protected]]

Good day to all I like to ask I'm about to get a chance of being a owner of a set of audio note conqueror and I wonder what is the price of these I have read and heard goo things about them just can't seem to get a price on a pair . My question is what do they go for in the use market , which all packing material all new tubes power cords , The whole nine yards , So I'm looking to see what have others have paid and to see that I'm getting a deal .

from a dealer site:
Conquest . 18 watt SET monoblocks amplifier. More information and commentary coming. Conquest, $11,500. Conquest Silver, $14,500. Conquest Silver Signature, $21,250.

[enjoythemusic]

While not reviewed, i have owned the Conquest (about 8 years ago) and Meishu (about 10 years ago). Both were truly wonderful and if i had to nit picks, the Meishu was more musically enjoyable while the Conquest had more resolution. Then again, i had WE300B in the Meishu and i THINK the then new VIAC in the Conquest, so it could have been the output tubes that was part of the equation of course. Either way, both were wonderful.

[bowmore]

I owned a meishu and a DAC 4 for many years. The meishu would be pretty similar to their kits. It was dark, full, rich. It was not very dynamic or detailed or great in the bass. It did make most CD's sound similar. Fat, rich, chocolaty, smooth. It was a very comforting amp and great at late nights. But my EE M520 was enough better in almost every category that I sold my meishu a couple years back. The M520 was more microdynamic, macrodynamic, detailed, extended at both frequency extremes and has a lot more power. But for things like solo acoustic guitar and solo vocalists, the meishu was still a little better.  It is not as accurate as most other amps, but that is not why I liked it or like tubes. If your musical taste leans towards the more simple and less raucaus, that AN kit might be just the ticket. It is just pretty specialized in what it is good at.