It takes some self restraint to hold off watching these until I can savor them on post-work Friday w/ a beverage. Always some of the best KZbin content. ❤
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you mu friend. Much appreciated 😊👍
@TheRealWindlePoons4 ай бұрын
Thanks for reviewing Audio Note stuff, Tarun. As an amateur builder I have been using their components for decades and they never disappoint. They have also produced a number of kits over the years for soldering-iron wielders like myself. The Kit One single 300B power amplifier has legendary status.
@davidchingching1674 ай бұрын
It's nice to see a few CD players reviewed. Some of us still enjoy them.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thx 😊
@richardausten52954 ай бұрын
I have owned the DAC 0.1x for several years (6 or so) - it's meant to be left on so you don't really need to worry about the switch on the back very much - the expected tube life is 100,000 hours or 11.5 years of continuous use. It sounds better left on. This DAC I believe has been sold since the year 2000 and has sold continuously for 24 years. The zero series has been around since then as well - though some of the components have changed - the AX One and Two now have a "/II" as they've been upgraded. I also like to point out that Audio Note UK was the first maker of the NOS DACs (without analog or digital filters).
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you Richard 👍
@ianringstead24204 ай бұрын
Audio Note I believe are unique in their approach and knowing Daniel and Peter personally and been to the factory as well, it's no surprise that you are a fan so far. Peter sees audio design in a very different way to every other manufacturer and without getting into the politics ( let's be neutral) his philosophy in my opinion has immense merit. The sound of Audio Note UK speaks for iteslf and if any readers here get a chance to hear the products at a show please make an effort and prepare to be surprised.
@fletchermunson62254 ай бұрын
Thank You Tatun. Nice to see independent non corporate manufacturers pushing the envelope and are driven by the desire to excel.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thanks Jim 👍
@Firebottleman4 ай бұрын
Finally! It has been quite a while since I've seen some AN component reviews. I love their old school approach to sound, and how their components are built. Looking forward to the next one as usual. Good job Tarun. Thank you.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you. Much appreciated 👍
@markjohnathanappleton86424 ай бұрын
Always great work, simply the best KZbin audio reviewer, love your style, keep up the great work
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you Mark. Much appreciated 😊👍
@TheDjcarlos674 ай бұрын
I have to agree. This channel is always top notch 🎵🎥
@soumyajitdeb39434 ай бұрын
It's such a strange coincidence that at the very moment I am auditioning an AN level 1/2 system with an AN-K and a Cobra. My observations echo yours - I expected them to be soft and wooly but they turned out to be superbly dynamic and clean with a wonderfully inviting tonality. Loving my time with them.
@markpreston34064 ай бұрын
I bought (used) Oto and K 18 months ago, never been more musically satisfied with any other components, very easy to hear why it's an 'end game' brand when you want to get off the merry go round and just enjoy your music..
@hugobloemers44254 ай бұрын
This DAC is amazing, and then to think that the TDA1543 was designed by Philips as a budget DAC (well, this is AN's budget model line so in a way a perfect match). It seems we have been running in circles, where is the progress? The CD player does my head in. I do not understand why they did not opt for a CD transport in this set up. It would have also been nice to see a CD transport / pure streamer AND a pure streamer only, Primare can do it. All in all it is a very nice start to this system. Kudos to Audio Note for their endeavor in this price class. PS, (no pun intended) Paul from PS audio had a video yesterday that was regarding this AN DAC in disguise (He did not mention the brand and was called out for it in the comment section). But it is interesting to see the difference in philosophy between AN and PS Audio from the horse's mouth.
@Kukkema4 ай бұрын
Very interesting, but I’m gonna wait for part two so I can get the full review 😊
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Cool 😎
@brown-eyedman40404 ай бұрын
Interesting and informative as always Tarun. And how great to see a small company that ploughs their own furrow. And made in Blighty!
@patrikbergh48794 ай бұрын
I find myself looking forward to Saturday mornings (in AU) when i can enjoy the latest BA review with my morning coffee. As always, great work! Tarun, you have become my favourite HiFi reviewer. Cheers!
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you. That is very much appreciated 😊👍
@damayor624 ай бұрын
Outstanding as always Tarun. I am floored to find out there is a small audio company in England who make & assemble most all of their parts & products "in house". Mind blown for sure. Unless I win the lottery the entire Audio Note Zero system is out of my budget but the 0.1X DAC may be worth saving up for and I can't wait for part 2. Thank you and keep up the great work. Cheers...
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you. And those Audio Note components have an excellent reputation for quality within the industry 👍
@medonk12rs4 ай бұрын
I really do like both the AN UK folks a lot, and their HiFi gear -- their rooms are always my HiFi show high lights. And their music choice at these shows is very entertaining. Regarding "make almost everything in-house" -- well, at least the more affordable products seem to be made somewhere else. For me that's not an issue at all, just saw the hint "Made in EU" / "Made in Lithuania" on the devices' back panels.
@taho884 ай бұрын
Finally someone has compared a TDA1543 DAC with some more popular well reviewed DACs. You might be the first ever sir.Many thanks! Would love to see a review of the Audial S5b. Many claim its end game for around $2500. I will ask the owner of the company to send you one for review so you can tell me if I should buy it ;) The Audio Note is very tempting right now.
@jakobgooijer4 ай бұрын
That's a very interesting Dac , never heard of Audial. I don't understand the A-link connection, so something new to learn
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you. I appreciate the suggestion and support 👍
@ffgraylw24 ай бұрын
Very interesting! I look forward to part 2 :)
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thx. Me too 😉👍
@joshjeffery34644 ай бұрын
At last an Audio Note review from a respectable U.K audiophile. I’ve owned this DAC. It was outstanding. I traded eventually for an AN 2.1 Signature DAC and never looked back. With a good / very good CD transport (my flavour) the digital front end is wonde. I can’t get a streamer close to it in terms of enjoyment, resolution and involvement. Looking forward to pt2.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you. Great to learn about your experiences 👍
@giorgiovaloti41294 ай бұрын
Lovely review. Any hope for an interview with PQ some time in the future? Looking forward to part two 😊
@favorit6014 ай бұрын
„Old“ DACs are lovely? YES! Still use an heavily digitally upgraded Farlowe Exposure CD with two channel separated and paralleled TDA1545, with direct-to-DAC-clocking with a low jitter clock and galvanic separated grounds. Long live DIY!
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Great 👍 I have the original Farlowe CD player too 😉
@Coneman34 ай бұрын
I still use an Audio Alchemy DDE3 with upgraded power supply. I think it uses TDA 1541 which some very high end DACs use today.
@KITFLETCH14 ай бұрын
Insightful and informative. This is analysis at a very high level and not only critiques the units under scrutiny, but also provides a clear guide on how to listen for pleasure. Thank you.
@RimfireAddicted704 ай бұрын
Thank you thank you ....Thank you! for doing this review, Audio Note while out of the reach of most is such an intriguing company with products and philosophy that truly make them unique in the market. Every time you hear the name you automatically think $$$$ but you still want to see and hear it. Looking very much forward to this system review.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you for your support 😊👍
@bobb.99174 ай бұрын
Tarun….Loved the mini-factory-tour (so British!), and the comparisons. I keep threatening to upgrade my Pontus II to a Venus…you always rave about yours, soooo! A Venus can be had at a very attractive price on the secondary market, these days! 😀
@markcarrington85654 ай бұрын
Great stuff, Tarun. Now if I were to go digital in my main system, I think this DAC has my name on it! Proof if it were needed that the race for the latest chip being peddled by virtually every other manufacturer is pointless.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thanks Mark. I think you would enjoy this 0.1X DAC a lot 👍
@philpepp4 ай бұрын
Thanks Tarun, really interesting for me as I demoed the Audio note DAC a while ago. You may remember? The only shortfall was lack of inputs for me. Things have changed as to what I am needing now so I might have to revisit this!
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Cool 😎 thx 👍
@jondu-sud2743 ай бұрын
Very interesting to see a review of a DAC with a valve in the loop. Thanks for that, very helpful to me.
@abritishaudiophile73143 ай бұрын
@@jondu-sud274 most welcome 😊
@tomislavvukusic50513 ай бұрын
I've had the dac 0.1x on home demo this weekend and it's really good. It's being fed by a bluesound node 2i, and a definite improvement over the 2i's internal dac. I will be sad to give the 0.1x back but it's set the benchmark for me.
@abritishaudiophile73143 ай бұрын
@@tomislavvukusic5051 cool 😎 it would be even better with a dedicated streaming transport 😊
@MichaelIrons-d5v4 ай бұрын
loved the review sir, looking forwards to part 2 m
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you 😊
@MichaelIrons-d5v4 ай бұрын
@@abritishaudiophile7314 no problem sir.
@bryanherr10934 ай бұрын
Excellent review Tarun. It looks like the valves are solder to the board and would need to sent in for repair if/when they fail. Looking forward to part II.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you Bryan. Hope, next week for part 2 👍
@sokrebis4 ай бұрын
I don't know why it took me so long to subscribe, but finally i have done it. Great review as always, thanks.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you. I appreciate your support 😊👍
@vinylgabfest285328 күн бұрын
Thanks for another great review Tarun. You got me intrigued with the Mogami Neglex 2534 Coax cable. Is this something you could provide a retail link to because I've searched in vain to find one 😂
@daveweston4034 ай бұрын
I enjoyed watching your review of the AN DAC. I love their design philosophy and old-school engineering simplicity. I looked at buying an AN 0.1x DAC but ended up getting an ANK 2.1x signature DAC in kit form. I appreciate they are different companies but the design approach is similar and I enjoyed building the kit (and you get a bit more for your money). I ‘m eagerly awaiting part 2 of your review.
@tubesticker4 ай бұрын
Hi Tarun, great review! In a comment on of your previous videos I asked if you would consider testing the new Epos ES-7N. After seeing this video I want to point that out again. The speaker has a 87-89 sensitivity (depending on switch in the back) and can be run with low-powered tube amps. LowBeats tested it with an 8-watts Fezz Mira Ceti tube amp. So potentially it could be a match with the Audio Note amp and considering you have that in house that might make for a great comparison. I also matches the price of the amp at around 2000€. I also think that the speaker might interest a lot of people considering not only the price but also the fact that it has a switch that makes it suitable to be placed close to a wall. It is made by Karl-Heinz Fink and has an interesting story behind it, both of which might make for an entertaining video. I would love to watch your take on it. Kind regards
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you for the run down. Epos is on my radar. I believe KOG audio distribute in the U.K. I need to get in touch with them 😊
@tubesticker4 ай бұрын
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Awesome! Thank you :)
@yippie68624 ай бұрын
Audio Note - Peter Qvortrup vs. Hiroyasu Kondo. Seems like a messy history.
@firstprib77423 ай бұрын
Hi Tarun. A great analysis and review as always. I have a question for you. I have just come across in a shop in hong kong the proac response 1sc final edition. I was informed that it is new and current production. Have you heard of this at all?
@abritishaudiophile73143 ай бұрын
Thank you. As far as I know, the 1SC is no longer in production 😊
@rig43654 ай бұрын
They certainly are an interesting company. Can't fault their philosophy when it is backed up with great sound.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
It is a very interesting brand and they make some great products 😊
@mw36404 ай бұрын
Really interesting! Will try to audition them as I am looking to replace my First Watt J2.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Cool 😎
@hudosytuk4 ай бұрын
One of a kind company in HIFI world, you have to love them:) They always impress with the sound at hifi shows. Looking forward to the 2nd part!
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you 😊
@marlonharewood83664 ай бұрын
Great video as always Tarun. Here's hoping someone sends you a LAIV harmony so we can get your take on that.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thx. Watch this space 😉
@markpreston34064 ай бұрын
That unit has Audio Note caps in it.. 😉
@mrkitewine77004 ай бұрын
Thanks Tarun, very impressive factory footage. For some reason I’d always thought Audio Note was a high end Japanese brand.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
There is a Japanese Audio Note too 😊
@mrkitewine77004 ай бұрын
@@abritishaudiophile7314ah, I’m not going mad then. Thanks. The Japanese company is now called Kondo, now I know.
@torchbox4 ай бұрын
@@abritishaudiophile7314 You should look into the history of Audio Note Japan and Audio Note UK - it’s “interesting”.
@richcarless77404 ай бұрын
Interesting, the Audionote DAC uses the same chip as the Sugden DAC. I haven't heard either, but I have read the Sugden DAC sounds great. Really looking forward to part 2, they seem to come from a similar school to Sugden.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you 😊
@louisavraamides90674 ай бұрын
The CAD dac also uses the 1543 chip.@@abritishaudiophile7314
@atulnsingh3 ай бұрын
Just when I was about to press the buy button on Pontus II, this brilliant review came out. So, if budget allows, which one should you recommend - Pontus II, Spring 3 L2, AN 0.1x Please help
@abritishaudiophile73143 ай бұрын
Thank you. They are 3 excellent DACs with different sonic presentations. I would let the sound signature guide you 😊
@juryservice14 ай бұрын
Before A/Note there was Audio Innovations. I had their 500 integrated amp, with upgraded valves that PQ brought back from s trip to Amsterdam. This was classically paired with a Voyd TT, which I still have, and a pair of Snell Ks. Wondful system and still missing the AI 500😢
@markpreston34064 ай бұрын
No coincidence PQ bought the rights to the Void and Snell designs!
@petergraves30864 ай бұрын
Audionote obviously have a passion for what they do and it produces results. Seemingly DAC chips from a few decades ago had achieved an advanced performance .
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
I agree 😊
@tubesticker4 ай бұрын
How does this DAC compare to the Merason Frerot with external power supply?
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Different sonic presentation but I think the 0.1X DAC sound more natural 😊
@tubesticker4 ай бұрын
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you!
@ericlo63704 ай бұрын
TD1543 is an amazing DAC Chip indeed!
@yellow_noise34 ай бұрын
Unfortunately original 1543 is no longer in production. Only tda 1543A. Slightly different
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
It is highly regarded 😊
@middleearthltd4 ай бұрын
Excellent Content Very interesting impressions of the DAC Color me interested in it as a consequence
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Cool 😎
@alexandrek.2944Ай бұрын
Hi thank you so much your great review about the Audio Note DAC 0.1x. Considering the DAC 0.1x uses old 16 Bit Philips TDA1543 D/A chips with 44.1/48/96KHz input capability, i'm just wondering how it'd behave when plugging a streamer to USB port with a 32 bits / 768Khz capability such as my Eversolo DMP A6 ME (i intend to use it soon as streamer only). Tidal for example provides FLAC files up to 24 bits / 384 kHz, would that flows automatically "downgraded' to 16 bits by the DAC 0.1x, or do you have to send 16 bits flows only from your streamer so it can "play" music ? I'm stunned how that DAC 0.1x reaches almost same level than a Denafrips Venus 12th which has higher 24 bits resolution, still wondering how that's possible. According to recent reviews new Denafrips Pontus 15th now reaches the level of Denafrips Venus 12th. I'm looking to upgrade my DAC and I'm now torn between Audio Note DAC 0.1x and Denafrips Pontus 15th... :) Do you think the DAC 0.1x would be an improvement over my Eversolo DMP A6 ME DAC (ES9038 Q2M) or should i better get the Denafrips Pontus 15th ? Here is a quick overview of my system if it can help : Tsakiridis Theseus Ultima 2x27W KT170 pure class A integrated amplifier, Studio Connections Reference Plus full line (power, speaker, RCAs cables), Eversolo DMP A6 ME (used as streamer & DAC at the moment), Horns Aria III speakers. Thanks a lot for your help !
@abritishaudiophile7314Ай бұрын
@@alexandrek.2944 I found the EverSolo to be very resolving but also to have some artificial elements to the sonic presentation. The DAC 0.1X is just as resolving but a not more natural sounding. You will need to limit the digital output of the A8 with high res signals though 😊
@dennis37794 ай бұрын
Nice dac but only one input so that means switching by wire if you have more gear. Forget about the Ares and Eversolo dacs then better try the FX Glass dac or Cyan 2 or the Teac RN 505 with volume control and remote 🤔
@abritishaudiophile73143 ай бұрын
Thx for sharing 😊
@brendanmccarthy42184 ай бұрын
I’m a level 3 user, but I have heard the Cobra integrated with dac. That is a truly fantastic and would be at twice the price. If more ‘reasonably’ priced AN products are the focus, the Cobra is the place to start.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thx for sharing 😊
@carlitomelon46104 ай бұрын
HelloTarun . Should i have been surprised to see that tiny 6112 Nu-Vista valve in the AN CD player? I thought that Anthony Michaelson of Musical Fidelity had bought up the entire world stock🤔 The MuFi X-10v3s buffers in my collection have 2 in each;-) Peter Quathrup has obviously proved that we threw out the baby decades ago.....what folly! Now.....Wheres that plunger?? 🎶😅🎶
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
That is very funny 🤣
@BostonMike683 ай бұрын
Very interesting and informative as usual. I just have been using a pioneer Elite Blu Ray as a transport with a budget DAC . I wish I had FU money like that. But I'm happy just to have something and I have nice speakers and I think that's a good step in the right direction. Stay positive 😂
@abritishaudiophile73143 ай бұрын
@@BostonMike68 thx for sharing 😊
@Stelios.PosantzisАй бұрын
Well that was a bit unexpected. The 0.1x is the baby-the infant-in the AN line up. That it could easily dispense with the lower end Denafrips in your listening session is a bit telling. One wonders what you'd think of the higher end AN dacs. If the 0.1x sports only a single lowly 6111 which is not even that linear, can leave such a strong impression, what can the proper AN dacs with the better valves, current output multibit dac chips and current to voltage transformers do more? Having said that, I'd still like a head-to-head with the Chord dacs at that price, or near that price, for completeness. Of course, at the end of the day, most audiophiles have to choose between having a house and a car or having a great (dream) system. There is one Japanese audiophile that chose the latter (and he seems quite happy in his choice) but I have yet to see a second one that made the same choice (of any nationality). There are a few videos about him on youtube.
@vaneast4114 ай бұрын
thanks for an interesting review af a very interesting company love all of the great pictures of the electronics!
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you. My photography skills are improving 🤣
@Coneman34 ай бұрын
What happened to Kondo San means I’ll never use AN products.
@tothemax3244 ай бұрын
Kondo is still King
@connorduke46194 ай бұрын
It would fascinating to see how these Audio Notes using classic Philips proprietary transport and dac chips, would stack up against Teac Dacs and CD players using modern Teac proprietary transport and dac chips.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
That is an interesting suggestion. Thank you 😊
@spotshooter14 ай бұрын
It would be fun to have you review a higher end streamer like the Naim NDX2 or 333 streamer.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
I appreciate the suggestion 😊
@D1N024 ай бұрын
The DAC reminds a bit Of the Lampucera Lampizator DIY builds. Probably my ignorance.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
I understand why. There are similarities 😊
@remiwjuniski1808Ай бұрын
Hello, Is the sound warmer than the Merason frérot ? Or the opposite ? Thanks 😇
@abritishaudiophile7314Ай бұрын
@@remiwjuniski1808 yes, but I would say more natural timbre rather than warmer 😊
@philipgardiner200316 күн бұрын
Do you have experience with the LAIV Harmony DAC and if so, thoughts on that compared to the Audionote?
@abritishaudiophile731411 күн бұрын
@@philipgardiner2003 I reviewed it but I prefer the AudioNote DAC 0.1X 😊 HOTTEST DAC OF 2024 ! Laiv Harmony DAC Review kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3WTgKiDoK2Wqa8
@philipgardiner200310 күн бұрын
@abritishaudiophile7314 Interesting. I'm currently streaming Tidal through Bluesound Node 2i to a Hegel H90. (Speakers are Focal Electra 1008BE's.) I'm using the superior internall Hegel DAC vs Bluesound. Would I notice a substantial improvement by using the Audionote DAC? Trying to find a less expensive otpiton than upgrading the amp at the moment.
@geoffreydebrito2653Ай бұрын
I note that the tube in the DAC is soldered to the circuit board... so no tube rolling and however unlikely, if the tube goes bad then it's likely that the average owner will have to send the DAC back to the factory... yes? If so, then that is a possible negative that should have been mentioned in the review... yes?
@tonydeniro2844 ай бұрын
Man, 7k is considered entry level nowadays....man, can I have the 1980's back?
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
It is the entry point for this brand. Hand built in the U.K. with custom parts 😊
@carlitomelon46104 ай бұрын
£1,300 in 1980 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £6,986.26 today, an increase of £5,686.26 over 44 years. The pound had an average inflation rate of 3.90% per year between 1980 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 437.40%. This means that today's prices are 5.37 times as high as average prices since 1980, according to the Office for National Statistics composite price index. A pound today only buys 18.608% of what it could buy back then. Sorry Matey Remember what we were earning back then? £40 a week?
@NeilBlanchard4 ай бұрын
I would have expected the CD device to be a transport, and use the stand along DAC?
@net_news4 ай бұрын
Amazing!!! Love Audio Note!!
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Cool 😎
@ks45454 ай бұрын
Not an engineer or expert, but I've always thought the simplicity of doing away with the transport altogether makes sense, like the top loaders. That does usually mean they're inconvenient or impossible to use in a rack and have to stay on top though.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thx for sharing 😊
@AntoninPassemardPaintings4 ай бұрын
Compare the AN dac2 against the Venus. AN is amazing! Much better even Venus or Pontus...
@lonniefarmer70674 ай бұрын
Choices, and the older I get the more educated they become. Thanks!
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Most welcome 😊
@Ricky-cl5bu4 ай бұрын
Love audio note equipment lovely airy sounds stuff
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thx for sharing 😊
@hamidrezahabibi81114 ай бұрын
I had always had a distance from Audio Note. I listened to Audio Note UK 🇬🇧 and prior to that Audio Note Japan 🇯🇵. Are they using different technologies? What’s the difference between the two brands and their similarities? 🤔
@richardausten52954 ай бұрын
They had a bad public separation. Audio Note Japan (now Kondo) only made the very expensive components $90,000 Ongaku amp that price in 1989! Audio Note Japan was a tiny outfit no one had ever heard of - They made only amplifiers and cables. Peter Qvortrup was an importer/dealer and also a manufacturer of Audio Innovations. He imported Snell and Kondo among many others - when Snell died - PQ bought the rights to the original Snell speakers and manufactured them under Audio Innovations. He did the same with SystemDek turntables - buying the rights when they folded - and again with Voyd Turntables when they folded. With Kondo - he made a deal to manufacture affordable products under the Audio Note name - because - you can't just sell $90,000 amplifiers (and the Ongaku was the - cough - affordable amp. You would spend even more for separates). So AN UK made all of the gear people can actually afford. AN UK hired the engineer/owner from Voyd (Guy Adams) and engineers from Rogers (Andy Whittle) and Quad (Andy Grove) among others. So they basically modified and improved Voyd Turntables (now AN TT3), SystemDek (Now AN TT1 and TT2), and the AX One (which is directly based off a Rogers - not the LS--3/5a I forget which) AX Two and all the AZ series speakers, as well as all the Snells - now with much better cabinets, drivers, crossovers, wires etc. If interested - AV Showrooms did a 9 or 10-part factory walkthrough available on KZbin. The AN Factory is B&W's old factory in the UK. But AN makes the speakers and turntables at a separate plant in Austria - and the budget components like the Zero series are made at their plant in Lithuania.
@hamidrezahabibi81114 ай бұрын
@@richardausten5295 Thank you for this accurate history of this brand. 🙏🏼
@michaelmityok10014 ай бұрын
An excellent manufacturer, but the prices are steep even when accounting for the fact that the R&D and manufacturing is done in the UK. The consensus is that to maximize the synergy you should buy an all-AN setup, which I suppose is a good business model for a hifi manufacturer. Gryphon too promotes that "philosophy". Whenever I see AN and Gryphon at shows, they are both displaying/demoing complete systems - and they always sound very good.
@markpreston34064 ай бұрын
If you like a particular brand's sound and they can offer a complete system you always get the most bang for your buck in my experience
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thx for sharing Michael 😊
@gr3284 ай бұрын
The CD Zero does skip occasionally playing non-perfect discs. It's worth putting up with, I think.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thx for sharing. I haven’t encountered any issues as yet 😊
@rupertherbert5944 ай бұрын
these aparatus looks very nice and well done, just I don´t get the fact that tubes are directly solder on the PCB, I guess these one will last for years, but sooner or later need replacement, or not?
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thank you. In these low power applications they should last for years 😊
@davidspendlove59004 ай бұрын
10,000 hrs for these tubes.
@davidspendlove59004 ай бұрын
That cd transport is an absolute banger , anything above 16/44 is indeed a folly.For anyone who thinks the transport is not that important just listen to this.
@hirdeshirde4 ай бұрын
Nice informative review.
@priedits24 күн бұрын
Do you prefer 0.1x over Frerot with Pow1? :)
@abritishaudiophile731424 күн бұрын
@@priedits yes 😊
@priedits24 күн бұрын
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you! :)
@rapier54 ай бұрын
It seems a bit odd that it isn't just a CD transport. Why have a system with two DAC's?
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
They sell transports as well. You don’t have to buy two DACs 😊
@bryanbeaumont23524 ай бұрын
Very interesting video
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Thx 😊
@20CycleMonger4 ай бұрын
No doubt this system will need a couple of RELs. So add 1.5k And no high res streaming? Almost all new classical is HR. Just discovered the BS Node2i can be set to lower res (Fidelity) streaming. But thats Folly! Peter??
@remiwjuniski18082 ай бұрын
How does it compare to Merason frérot ? Thanks!
@abritishaudiophile73142 ай бұрын
@@remiwjuniski1808 I have review the Frerot 😊 CAN EUROPE COMPETE? Merason Frerot (+ Pow1) DAC Review kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYSzmaukp7J0Z9E
@luminiferous19603 ай бұрын
The fact that the DAC 0.1x down converts hi res formats to the CD Redbook standard rather than playing the hi res formats natively makes it a non-starter for me since I have many hi res files on my home server and I subscribe to a hi res audio streaming service.
@abritishaudiophile73143 ай бұрын
Thx for sharing 😊
@kvrhifi4 ай бұрын
level 0 or 7 and what is the basis of grading ..
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Audio Note have an article explain the levels on their website 😊
@Borednlonely3 ай бұрын
its my very strong belief that a hybrid system is the best way to go. Valves offer something transistors cannot replicate and vice versa. I use Valve design source components and I'm yet to hear a solid state device that can even match them let alone improve on them. The first time i heard a circa 1999 Audio Note DAC 2, I could never return to Solid state source components. In amplification though i cannot ignore the drive, attack and speed of solid state.
@abritishaudiophile73142 ай бұрын
@@Borednlonely it is hard to integrate the design of both and do it well but I bet there are some creat Hybrid designs out there 😊
@gdwlaw55494 ай бұрын
I have to admit that I’m on a very steep learning curve regarding this company. 😊
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
I try to keep the content as diverse as possible 😊
@gdwlaw55494 ай бұрын
@@abritishaudiophile7314 look forward to reviews of any REGA equipment. I just auditioned the new REGA Aya. Very nice and very very original construction, materials….im sure you’ll like them.
@NikaVinylАй бұрын
It is recommended to leave the Audio Note DAC 0.1X turned on by the man himself, it goes against what I thought but I trust this enough to leave mine on 24/7.
@abritishaudiophile7314Ай бұрын
@@NikaVinyl thx 😊
@barneyrubble93094 ай бұрын
The big issue with audio note is they refuse to give prices even on there own web site How can you evaluate something if you don't know its cost.
@markpreston34064 ай бұрын
Simply contact an authorised dealer
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
All their dealer have price lists in their respective countries 😊
@rofgabor4 ай бұрын
do these speakers have grills? They are so hard to look at :( I do love Audio Note though, their ecosystem. Aesthetics is not their main focus.... but we should listen, not watch.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
I’ll check the box 🤣
@ThePerkri4 ай бұрын
Audio note UK, not Kondo…
@priedits4 ай бұрын
everyone is saying how fast Dacs are evolving and yet this old DAC is able to beat R26 . My mind is blown😅
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Newer isn’t always better 😉👍
@welshrarebit92384 ай бұрын
This is old school philosophy of if you buy all the the matching components and speakers you get a “Better Sound “ Another gimmick to take our hard earned money
@goodsound47564 ай бұрын
The 1541 was the legendary DAC chip, the 1543 was a cheaper successor/alternative.
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
Both are highly regarded in the industry 😊
@Sonofsun0014 ай бұрын
If I had 7k, I wouldn't buy this setup.
@Coneman34 ай бұрын
I do t think AN are the best value. Lots of smoke and mirrors imo
@mikehuntington44404 ай бұрын
Great 👍
@MitchNorris4 ай бұрын
Out of curiosity, what would you get with 7K?
@Coneman34 ай бұрын
I’d go Audiolab CD transport, 9000 model, Denafrips DAC, not sure about amps and speakers, maybe Ophidian speakers.
@Sonofsun0014 ай бұрын
@@MitchNorris I am happy with my Primare pre and power amps (class AB) & Buchardt s500 mk2's. You could get a hell of a system 7K though.
@teachonlywhatiseasy4 ай бұрын
let me guess. "Highly recommeded'
@abritishaudiophile73144 ай бұрын
🤣 do I detect some cynicism?
@silmarils944 ай бұрын
1500 for a DAC, realy?
@misterzero86674 ай бұрын
That's about average for a decent piece move on from asr Chinese crap fixation
@markpreston34064 ай бұрын
Wait till you see DCS..
@sjqideez66264 ай бұрын
MSB the Select DAC goes up to around £130K, enjoy
@silmarils944 ай бұрын
@@sjqideez6626 my house goes up to €500K, yes I enjoy🙂
@lakinnenlako68834 ай бұрын
For a mini system I'll stick to Technics SE-CA01 that costs about 50x less than this. Looks better and can play cassettes. 😆
@clan_biblioteke3 ай бұрын
Please,Denafrips ares II(Enyo) vs Topping D90III.What to buy, I have ESS (Topping e50) and AKM (SMSL SU-9 ultra), I don't have R2R DAC yet... And is Eversolo A6 as good a streamer as most of the reviews say? do reviews even more often. Good luck
@abritishaudiophile73143 ай бұрын
Lots to consider in that decision. Thx for sharing 😊