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The Black Adder
20-05-2011, 20:20
So... I sold my Radford kit which was very nice indeed but with a new family it certainly had to go to.

But not only that I've always wanted to hear an Audio Note so I ge me sen a very nice Audio Note OTO PP integrated.

I was really not sure how coming down from 35w to 12w would sound through my Hartbeths SHL5's but I was very suprised to hear that the bottom end is much richer and the mids are also just as dynamic as the Radford and yet somehow more airy with a tinge more detail.

It's currently running the NOS valves supplied from AN of which I've heard are very decent but would like to hear some Mullards in there too... :)

So, I'm a very happy bunny.

MartinT
21-05-2011, 09:35
I had to look it up but it looks very nice indeed. I've always liked EL84s, as used in the Leak Stereo 20, so I guess it sounds rather special. Enjoy! :)

HighFidelityGuy
21-05-2011, 10:20
That's a lovely looking amp and with the valves being internal it's a perfect solution to running valves when there's little hands getting in to everything. :)

I've just discovered the joys of EL84's. I've been stunned at the amount of grunt these little tubes can produce. They really do punch above their weight. I've recently been trying some cryo treated E84L mil-spec valves which I'd recommend. You can get them in matched quads HERE (http://www.watfordvalves.com/product_detail.asp?id=1425). They produce a nice clean, detailed and punchy sound. Certainly better than the JJ's they replaced in my amp. Mullard ECC83 are nice and rich but detailed sounding but they can be tricky to find and quite pricey. I haven't tried many other ECC83's so I can't comment much further.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll have lots of fun tube rolling. :)

roob
21-05-2011, 10:29
Now sell the Harbeths and get some Audionote J or E's for a better match;)
Oh if you come across a Border Patrol psu going cheap buy it and stick it on the amp for a performance boost.
http://www.borderpatrol.net/psu.htm

Ali Tait
21-05-2011, 13:23
Naah, get Nick to build a better supply than the BP for less cost.

The Black Adder
21-05-2011, 18:08
Cheers Andy, Ali.

I might just do that... :) If Nick is listening in, let me know what would be involved.

In regards to AN speakers I will look in to it but I do like the sound from the Harbs to be honest.

Martin, Dave... Yeah, it's a superb bit of kit and it's fookin huge!! I'm really quite blown away with the performance of the EL84's in comparason to the EL34's.



Cheers!

roob
21-05-2011, 21:00
The Audionotes are much more efficient than the Harbeths and are better suited to low power valve amps.
One of the best systems I have heard was 8watt Leben /Airtight amps driving a pair of Audionote E/Spe's, just so natural and right sounding.

Tim
21-05-2011, 21:04
You'd have to prise my Harbeth SHL5's out of my cold dead hands :eyebrows:

Alex_UK
21-05-2011, 21:30
You'd have to prise my Harbeth SHL5's out of my cold dead hands :eyebrows:

Ooh, now there's a thought, what was your address again Tim? :chainsaw:
;)

Tim
21-05-2011, 21:44
Ooh, now there's a thought, what was your address again Tim?
I live here.....
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/dorset.jpg

:eyebrows:

The Black Adder
22-05-2011, 11:06
You'd have to prise my Harbeth SHL5's out of my cold dead hands :eyebrows:

i certainly would be interested in hearing some AN speakers but for now the harbs are sounding sweet!

:eyebrows:

The Black Adder
25-05-2011, 08:32
Anyone heard or owned any AN-J Lx's?

Does anyone know if these come up regular on the S/H market?

roob
25-05-2011, 15:18
I have an older pair of ANJ-D on Something Solid XF stands and love them to bits.
I constantly check to see what Audionote speakers come up and it is not very often.
Best bet is to put a wanted ad on the various forums and HiFiforsale.com.

alfie2902
25-05-2011, 17:28
Have you considered Snell J's? Audio Note copied the Snell's before slightly changing the design! Some people prefer the Snells.

There's a pair on eBay atm & probably won't fetch AN prices either!

roob
25-05-2011, 17:32
I have a pair of Snell J's to sell.

The Black Adder
25-05-2011, 18:15
Hey Andy.

Could you send me a PM with details please.. I may be interested but still looking around.

What are the differences in scecs with the AN-J and the Snell J MkII ?

roob
29-05-2011, 11:10
Be quick
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Snell-Acoustics-Type-J-MK-II-Speakers-Pre-Audio-Note-/270749333615?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudio HiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item3f09eaf86f#ht_1386wt_1141

The Vinyl Adventure
29-05-2011, 12:43
I borrowed those for a while ... They are very good indeed!

jandl100
30-05-2011, 07:49
I'm really quite blown away with the performance of the EL84's in comparason to the EL34's.




Hi Joe :)

Yep, I'm not surprised that you prefer the el84-ed AN to pretty much any el34 implementation!

Must confess that I have yet to hear an el34 amp that managed to get my juices going. I've heard a few and they were all kind of boring to my ears.
Some folks like them, but I reckon they are a Pipe & Slippers valve, and I'm not a Pipe & Slippers kind of guy.

___

Get a listen to some AN speakers if you can - I think they are great but you're gonna have to go a fair way up the AN speaker ladder (silver wired etc) to get the level of detail and rez that I imagine you get out of the Harbeths. It's a very different kind of presentation.

Congrats on your purchase, btw, AN OTOs are very nice amps! :)

roob
30-05-2011, 09:17
A pair of J's has come up on the bay, he doesn't specify which level though.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Audionote-J-loudspeakers-/260789598718?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudio HiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item3cb84579fe#ht_500wt_1156

The Black Adder
02-06-2011, 15:22
Hi Joe :)

Yep, I'm not surprised that you prefer the el84-ed AN to pretty much any el34 implementation!

Must confess that I have yet to hear an el34 amp that managed to get my juices going. I've heard a few and they were all kind of boring to my ears.
Some folks like them, but I reckon they are a Pipe & Slippers valve, and I'm not a Pipe & Slippers kind of guy.

___

Get a listen to some AN speakers if you can - I think they are great but you're gonna have to go a fair way up the AN speaker ladder (silver wired etc) to get the level of detail and rez that I imagine you get out of the Harbeths. It's a very different kind of presentation.

Congrats on your purchase, btw, AN OTOs are very nice amps! :)

Cheers Jerry.

Yeah. I bought it as a curio more than anything (as well as being on a smaller budget) and were very... very surprised with the sound this thing kicks out.

Just ordered probably the last NOS Mullard ECC83's and EL84's in the country... Blimey those valves are like golden hens teeth!

I must admit though.. I keep getting told that the SE OTO is much better... but I've heard SE amps before and to be honest I really can't justify the claims of them being 'night and day'.

Anyways... I likes ROCK n stuff so I want something to boot some honest sweat out of the speakers.

I'm going to go for some AN-J/SPe's that I've found.. Just need to sell the Harbs but to be honest I'm in no rush, the Harbeth SHL5's are amazing sounding even with 12watts!!!!

Plenty of volume on the dial, infact a little too much to be honest so I may look in to some attenuators but I've herard that these compress the sound... never used em so I can't say.