Parkie37's Audio Note System

[Jimbo]

Very nice indeed Don, what a superb system you have there. The Audio Note equipment must be getting the best out of your VPI?

[Parkie37]

Isn't it fantastic when you get to this stage, it has happened to me this year. Enjoy

Yes it is! I was just telling my dealer, Don Thorne of Sound Hounds in Victoria, Canada, that it's a little unsettling how much of a change this has made. It has simply leap frogged every other system that I have owned. All while being the most musically enjoyable system.

[Parkie37]

Very nice indeed Don, what a superb system you have there. The Audio Note equipment must be getting the best out of your VPI?

To be honest, I really like the VPI, but it isn't really meant for such a heavy cartridge. I think that I will look at the new table from Audio Note, next year when it comes out. It will be designed to be used with my cartridge and SUT, so it should get a little more out of them. My next table will be suspended.

Sure do like it though....

[petrat]

Well Don, it's been a month of no postings, so we'll presume the upgrades were a success, and that you're otherwise engaged ...

[Parkie37]

Well Don, it's been a month of no postings, so we'll presume the upgrades were a success, and that you're otherwise engaged ...

Sorry to be so slow to respond Peter.

My personal life has become busy and time listening to music hasn't been as frequent. I had a daughter in a serious car accident, but she is ok. Several weeks of recovery and needing mom and dad to help her get back on track, but life is good and returning to normal.

I have found that my system is close to being finished. I know that I will tweak it once it is finished, but I won't be able to afford big changes for a while. In Canada, having both daughters in university is expensive!

When my dealer came to my house on a Sunday to make sure that I was happy and that the cartridge was setup properly, I was blown away by the improvement, right from the first song. An astounding improvement! There is a resolution to the IO Gold cartridge and AN-S8 SUT that makes me feel very fortunate to own these components. I keep worrying that someone will come along and take them back ��

Every record that I have played, from the very first one, has had a natural texture and timber that I have never heard in my system before. My Dynavector DV20X2Lo was very good for the money, but it produces the basic pieces of each note without the immense resolution of the entire recording space like the IO Gold. The IO Gold sounds like there is a cloud of sound surrounding each recording that is filled with resolution and natural texture of each note that is sung or plucked. It reminds me of a great camera lens like the very best Canon L series lens or a Leica or Zeiss lens. It is exceedingly detailed but natural.

All of this being said, I have a turntable and cartridge mismatch. The counter weight is hanging off of the end of the tonearm-a heavier counterweight won't resolve this, unfortunately. I have looked into several different tables, as a way to match the cartridge properly, but after looking around North America's used market, I have ordered an Audio Note TT-2 Deluxe in gloss black. I have been getting feedback through my system as the VPI is mass loaded. Every time I touch the Hifi stand, the turntable or any part of it, it is announced through the speakers. Also, I believe that AN and VPI are after two different sounds and my sense is that I am not getting the most out of my cartridge and SUT. I have spent too much not too optimize my analog setup. I love the sound improvement that I have already gained, but I can't wait for the improvement that will come with the new TT-2 Deluxe turntable! I have been missing the rhythm and drive of a really good suspended turntable.

One last thing. If you splash out on a top SUT like the AN-S8, you will have a huge sound improvement, as Peter suggested. It really is huge! The bonus is now that Audio Note supplies the S8 SUT with a built in Pallas cable with it! I don't know the price of it, but it is way up there, like Sogon! The sound is exquisite!

So, Peter, am I happy? Absolutely! I will make another change to maximize the rhythm and drive of my system. I was floored when the IO Gold and AN-S8 joined my Hifi setup. That sense of awe has not changed.

Expensive, but very much worth it!

[Parkie37]

Oh yeah.. I also bought a used CD 3.1X CD player, used at a very attractive price. Great sound so far!

[petrat]

Good news .... especially about your daughter recovering!

Your decription of the Gold/S8 combo is spot on, and I'm sure the new TT and arm will finish the job perfectly.

Strangely, I've never heard an Audio Note cd player ... how are you finding it? Or are you too busy listening to vinyl

[Parkie37]

Good news .... especially about your daughter recovering!

Your decription of the Gold/S8 combo is spot on, and I'm sure the new TT and arm will finish the job perfectly.

Strangely, I've never heard an Audio Note cd player ... how are you finding it? Or are you too busy listening to vinyl

I had planned to go with the new AN TT-3 0.3 Reference, which is coming out next April or May or...

I was planning on adding the AN-1S tonearm with AN-Vx cable. That will be a great setup but I'm not sure that I can afford it. My local dealer and two or three people that I have spoken to, that I trust have said very complimentary things about the TT-2, so I am excited. I gave a very short explaination in my previous response, but basically I am trying to find the synergy with my setup that you did with the new tonearm that matches up nicely with your IO I. I am actually familiar with that arm and I'm not at all surprised that you like it. My other dealer that I have bought from (both VPI turntables), sells about ten brands of turntables. He is very enthusiastic about Brinkmann and he and I discussed that very arm for me. In the end, it didn't seem to match my VPI, so I moved on, but I think that it will suit your system very nicely!

I almost ended up with a turntable like yours. Another local turntable dealer (specializes in repairs and tune ups and modifications) that sells mostly used gear, sold a used copy of your Platine right before I spoke to him : (

Worst part was that he sold it at a crazy good price, because he didn't think anyone knew about that wonderful brand. Sigh.

Speaking of CD players, I used to always check any CD player or DAC, for its ability to play higher bit rate and higher sample rate songs, believing that was only way to good digital sound. However, last May I attended the Vancouver Audio Show and picked up my AN-E SPE HE speakers at the same time as my dealer travelled to Vancouver to co-demonstrate with Audio Note. While I chatted with my dealer and friend, Don Thorne from Soundhounds in Victoria, BC, Canada, I kept noticing how bloody good the sound was from the CD 4.1X. David Cope, of Audio Note kept putting on interesting music that I liked, but had never herd of. I couldn't get over how much this CD player sounded like a really good turntable. The body of the music was quite close to good analog. But...its $14,000.00 CDN new. Ok, so much for that!

My dealer told me that he had an older CD player up for sale (consignment) at a very attractive price. It was one model down and one series older. But...the price was low enough to make it worth trying. If you get the chance to hear the CD 4.1/X, I highly recommend it!

[Parkie37]

I just wanted to add that I would much prefer the AN CD 3.1/X or CD 4.1/X to my previous Meitner MA-1 DAC, which was US $7000.00. It is a very good DAC, but the AN CDs sound like analog and to me that means more body and a fullness to the sound that is very rewarding.

[Parkie37]

I just wanted to add that I would much prefer the AN CD 3.1/X or CD 4.1/X to my previous Meitner MA-1 DAC, which was US $7000.00. It is a very good DAC, but the AN CDs sound like analog and to me that means more body and a fullness to the sound that is very rewarding.

Well, my VPI Classic 3 is sold now and unless there is some tragedy from Fedex that prevents it from getting all the way to Los Angeles, I am committed to the Audio Note TT-2 Deluxe.

I may be one turntable away from my final table, in that I may upgrade up the AN line in a year or three, I suspect that I am done, other than perhaps some better power cords.

My turntable arrives at the end of January and I can't wait to hear it setup. Aside from the fact that it is hard to wait, I have one more thing to do to improve my system. I have had suspended floor issues that drove me away from the VPI, but I have since found a local,supplier that will sell me extendable floor jacks that you put in your crawl space or basement, under your floor joists. This makes your suspended floor sound almost like your are on concrete. I am going to out three of them underneath my speakers, in an L-C-R configuration. I have read very good things about others doing that. Between my suspended table and the floor jacks, I am hoping that my bass bloom will be gone : )