Audio Note speakers

[DanielT]

Well, we still do hear certain combinations of harmonics or distortions as pleasant or unpleasant, as well as combinations of notes. And it's called "psychoacoustics". And it's actual science.

And as far as my knowledge goes, we can't faithfully reproduce sound of phylarhmomic orchestra or stadium rock concert in 30 m2 room anyway. No matter what speakers and amps. There's the elephant in the room - and it's the room itself. Not to mention if you try to reproduce music with correct level of decibels police and neighbours will be knocking on your door in no time, unless your first neighobours are bear and wolf. And even that is not the biggest problem. So "faithfull reproduction of what's on record" only goes so far.

We probably all agree with you there. It's easily worth its own thread (there are already such threads). That is, how close to the dynamics of live music, with acoustic instruments, can you reach with a home HiFi system?

How can you in your listening room, living room, make it sound like it did when you stood in the square and listened to:

Regarding the dynamics of that example of music in the square with lots of instruments and a large choir compared to that piece recorded and then played back with home HiFi? Home HiFi is then just a fart in space.

Edit:
By the way, diy tube amps, for those who have the knowledge and the interest, is another matter I think. Check here for example. It turned out really well:

Building a valve amplifier

One of my next projects is a valve amplifier. I built many solid state amplifiers and I'm very happy with these. I always considered valve amplifiers as being vastly inferior to solid state one but nevertheless I would like to build one to measure it and to listen to it. From all the available...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[Canuck57]

I just bought used Audio Note AN/E Lexus speakers in gorgeous high gloss burl oak at a good price that I couldn't pass up. I've heard them at The Toronto Audio Fest three times and at Corby's Audio where Vincent Belanger played the cello. He's an Audio Note ambassador. I've always loved how they sound.

They sound amazing in my home, at the moment they are not set up where they should be, but they're very impressive. The bass is very deep, fast and not bloated and beautiful mid-range and treble. I'm very very pleased with them. Obviously many here in this thread don't like them but I do and I've probably 50 pairs of speakers over the years. Speakers are a matter of personal taste, what one person likes many others won't.

 

[warnie7]

I tried a pair here pre PA, started with them in the usual ‘free space’ position there was no bass, pushed them really close to the wall, no bass, it was suggested to push them tight into the corners and sit in between like a giant pair of ( extremely coloured) headphones.
A triumph of marketing.
Keith

Theres no way you were listening to AN E. My wall is to long to place them in corners so I have then 2ft from the back wall and bass is my least worry' Folks cant believe the bass when they hear them.

 

[warnie7]

I just bought used Audio Note AN/E Lexus speakers in gorgeous high gloss burl oak at a good price that I couldn't pass up. I've heard them at The Toronto Audio Fest three times and at Corby's Audio where Vincent Belanger played the cello. He's an Audio Note ambassador. I've always loved how they sound.

They sound amazing in my home, at the moment they are not set up where they should be, but they're very impressive. The bass is very deep, fast and not bloated and beautiful mid-range and treble. I'm very very pleased with them. Obviously many here in this thread don't like them but I do and I've probably 50 pairs of speakers over the years. Speakers are a matter of personal taste, what one person likes many others won't.


View attachment 379911

I have the exact same finish. They sound exactly as you described

 

[MattHooper]

Theres no way you were listening to AN E. My wall is to long to place them in corners so I have then 2ft from the back wall and bass is my least worry' Folks cant believe the bass when they hear them.

I auditioned, audio note speakers in the classic corner configuration and they certainly were not lacking for bass! They sounded rich and even.

Though when I auditioned one of their cheaper pairs, way out in the room, they sounded thinner and more shrill.

They sound amazing in my home, at the moment they are not set up where they should be, but they're very impressive. The bass is very deep, fast and not bloated and beautiful mid-range and treble. I'm very very pleased with them.

Congratulations. I’m sure they sound great. I’ve heard Audio Note speakers sound truly impressive.

 

[Ro808]

That's a remarkable claim.

Is it?


"The best sounding gain devices in the world are linear gain. The triode tube is linear gain and is TRULY a quantum device to boot.
The only linear gain solid state devices in the world, are the SIT, and the V-fet.

The rest, and I do mean ALL of it, no exceptions, no mincing of words, no combination of parts, or qualities, or topology... every last stinking bit of it....is just non linear gain odd order harmonic distortion devices.

One gets used to it like walking around with permanent pain and a bit of a limp. We witness all other people doing the same, so we think it is the norm, the reality itself. Not.

The vast number of us, +99.99%, use non linear solid state device based audio and don’t understand the difference between our backsides and a hole in the ground ....when it comes to what is so special, right and true... about a linear gain solid state device (or a linear gain tube).

We are ignorant, to almost the last person."

 

[SIY]

We are ignorant, to almost the last person.

That's what keeps them in business.

 

[Waxx]

Is it?


"The best sounding gain devices in the world are linear gain. The triode tube is linear gain and is TRULY a quantum device to boot.
The only linear gain solid state devices in the world, are the SIT, and the V-fet.

The rest, and I do mean ALL of it, no exceptions, no mincing of words, no combination of parts, or qualities, or topology... every last stinking bit of it....is just non linear gain odd order harmonic distortion devices.

One gets used to it like walking around with permanent pain and a bit of a limp. We witness all other people doing the same, so we think it is the norm, the reality itself. Not.

The vast number of us, +99.99%, use non linear solid state device based audio and don’t understand the difference between our backsides and a hole in the ground ....when it comes to what is so special, right and true... about a linear gain solid state device (or a linear gain tube).

We are ignorant, to almost the last person."

Sorry, but that is rubbish, as proven here more than once. And i do love tube and SIT (or VFet, what is actually the same) amplifiers like build by Nelson Pass. But they are all coloured, and that liking is a personal preference. Chip amps and jfet or mosfet transistor amps can sound cleaner, and so technical more advanced. And MOST, not all, will prefer those above coloured amps. That is studied extensivly by people like Sean Olive and Floyd Toole (and others).

But that does not mean you can prefer different. But it's a personal preference, not a technical superiority. Because they are not at all...

 

[BDWoody]

We are ignorant, to almost the last person."

Ignorance can be cured, but it takes effort.

'They' count on most preferring a good story. Believing is much easier than understanding.

 

[Ro808]

Chip amps and jfet or mosfet transistor amps can sound cleaner, and so technical more advanced. And MOST, not all, will prefer those above coloured amps.

Like +99.99%?

 

[Waxx]

a tube amp has in best case a SINAD (signal to noise ratio) of 80dB, most are less. Clean chipamps or transistor amps can go above 120dN SINAD. Tube amps and SIT/VFET amps have a low damping factor that changes the frequency response with some speakers, clean modern amps don't. They are different beasts, and if you take the neutral sound as standard, clean chipamps and mosfet amps win easely of all the rest and so are technical far superior.

But just like you can enjoy an oldtimer or something like a (new build old style) morgan car, you can also enjoy a tube or class A SIT amp, even if both are technical inferior to modern devices. That is what you and the clean fundamentalists (from different point of view) don't want to understand. And that is why these discussion are endless and pointless.

 

[Cbdb2]

"The best sounding gain devices in the world are linear gain. The triode tube is linear gain and is TRULY a quantum device to boot.

We don't listen to devices, we listen to systems of devices, and the most linear systems are solid state.

 

[CapMan]

Theres no way you were listening to AN E. My wall is to long to place them in corners so I have then 2ft from the back wall and bass is my least worry' Folks cant believe the bass when they hear them.

Do AN specify the necessary room shape and dimensions to ensure the right room modes are triggered to get that special sound and balance?

Asking for a friend

 

[Purité Audio]

The only qualification for AN ownership is gullibility.
Keith

 

[MarcelH]

a tube amp has in best case a SINAD (signal to noise ratio) of 80dB, most are less. Clean chipamps or transistor amps can go above 120dN SINAD. Tube amps and SIT/VFET amps have a low damping factor that changes the frequency response with some speakers, clean modern amps don't. They are different beasts, and if you take the neutral sound as standard, clean chipamps and mosfet amps win easely of all the rest and so are technical far superior.

But just like you can enjoy an oldtimer or something like a (new build old style) morgan car, you can also enjoy a tube or class A SIT amp, even if both are technical inferior to modern devices. That is what you and the clean fundamentalists (from different point of view) don't want to understand. And that is why these discussion are endless and pointless.

SINAD describes amp like 0-60 describes quality of the car. Tesla3 performance will outperform any Ferrari or Lambo, not to mention Rolls or Benz, 0-60.

Noise is not an issue if it's below treshold of human hearing. With unsensitive speakers it's just not issue. Is there audible difference between -85 db and -120 db, even with most sensitive speakers? And distortion? Distortion of 3% is mostly inaudible, if it's second harmonic and sequence of even harmonics, which SET amps produce. And when it becomes audible, it's just fuller sound, it sounds pleasant and adds to sense of "being there". And 0,1% is VERY audible and nasty and harsh sounding if it's combo of high order odd harmonics, Not all distortions are made the same.

 

[Sal1950]

And when it becomes audible, it's just fuller sound, it sounds pleasant and adds to sense of "being there"

Wrong, it sounds like what it is, distortion of the sources purity.
OMG, is this nonsense thread still alive?
Listen to whatever flix your bix, but the idea of High Fidelity is and has always been truthfulness to the source
Modern (4 or more decades now) SS gear and even some well designed tube gear can be completely transparent.
Putting unswitchable tone controls and distortion creating devices in the audio path belongs in the studio, not the home.
A straight wire with gain is the goal of High Fidelity, not creating a pleasant buzz in your ears.

 

[MarcelH]

Do AN specify the necessary room shape and dimensions to ensure the right room modes are triggered to get that special sound and balance?

Asking for a friend

18 m2 for an-e, minimal room size, and room shape issues are the same as with any speakers, square room is the worst, golden ratio best

 

[MarcelH]

Wrong, it sounds like what it is, distortion of the sources purity.
OMG, is this nonsense thread still alive?
Listen to whatever flix your bix, but the idea of High Fidelity is and has always been truthfulness to the source
Modern (4 or more decades now) SS gear and even some well designed tube gear can be completely transparent.
Putting unswitchable tone controls and distortion creating devices in the audio path belongs in the studio, not the home.
A straight wire with gain is the goal of High Fidelity, not creating a pleasant buzz in your ears.

goal is one thing. reality is ss amps do produce odd harmonics due to nature of negative feedback circuits. more or less of it.

 

[SIY]

reality is ss amps do produce odd harmonics due to nature of negative feedback circuits

That's not quite accurate. Odd harmonics are products of symmetrical nonlinearity, irrespective of active device.

 

[Mnyb]

goal is one thing. reality is ss amps do produce odd harmonics due to nature of negative feedback circuits. more or less of it.

No not the negative feedback is bad trope again any amp can produce odd harmonics SS or tube ,thing is that the levels can be inaudible low the THD spectra can look anyway it wants it' still inaudible , apart from AN's terrible electronics with very high amounts of possibly clearly audible distortion and noise . On to the ignore list you go ? Why are you on this forum go post astrology on an astronomy fora ?