Audio Note Amplifier Kits

I have an ANK 4.1x DAC. Sold as a kit but they offer an assembly service

which I used. $3.5k vs $25k for the AudioNote product. 

Do you like the sound?  Is it near or close to regular Audio Note?

Thanks

I built a pair of 300B monoblocks starting with the ANK kit but I made a lot of "upgrades" to the design. I am very pleased with the results. I like them better than my Pass XA60.8s. I built my own enclosures to allow more room for the changes I wanted to make and to move all the connections to the rear. You can see them on my virtual system page.  

I've built several ANK kits. With a little creativity, you can get much better performance than their stock builds.

These kits offer tremendous value.

Determine your power requirements and choose that amp kit.

I built a pair of 300B monoblocks starting with the ANK kit but I made a lot of "upgrades" to the design. I am very pleased with the results. I like them better than my Pass XA60.8s

Interesting as these are very different types of amplifiers. Were they compared using the same speakers? I’ve read good things about the Audio Note Kit version amplifiers particularly if upgraded output transformers are chosen.

Charles

@charles1dad - When I first finished the ANK amps, I was using GR-Research NX-Oticas. These cross over to powered subs at around 70Hz. The 300B amps provided a bit more depth and width to the sound stage, a more natural decay, and a smoother midrange. Since I'm not using the amps for the lowest couple octaves, I can't really comment on the deep bass performance differences.

My new speakers (based on the GR-Research Line Force) cross over an octave or so higher (around 170Hz) and are more efficient (98db/w vs 93). With these speakers, the 300B amps are an even better match. The midrange, particularly vocals, sound exquisite. 

I started with ANK's top amplifier model - C-Core Interstage parallel 300B SET monoblocks. As I mentioned, I made a lot of upgrades including high-impedance current-mode heater supplies for the 300Bs, regulated DC heater supply for the driver tube, Maida regulator on the driver stage, Audio Note silver tantalums for all resistors, upgraded wiring and connectors, and a couple minor circuit changes. And a much beefier, aluminum chassis. Also upgraded to Western Electric (new issue) 300B tubes. 

@jaytor That's some really nice work. I'll bet it sounds fabulous.

@jaytor 

The amplifiers look wonderful! I have no doubt that your additional upgrading has led to marvelous sound quality. Very nice!

I have been using 300b mono blocks for years and know what these types of amplifiers are capable of.

Charles 

I get the fun and creative outlet of a DIY but has anyone heard real AN and compared to ANK kits?

I got my first hybrid amp and am loving the tube influence in the sound. 

Love this stuff

jh

@vinylvalet ​​@charles1dad - Thanks for the compliments. 

If anyone is interested, I created a build thread on the SH forums. 

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/ank-300b-interstage-monoblocks.1112018/#post-27958720

@johnah5 - I've heard some Audio Note amps at audio shows, but not in my system. I think the kits deliver similar performance to the lower-end AN commercial units, but none of the kits (that I'm aware of) have the silver wire transformers and the highest quality resistors and caps that AN's top models have. Still, they are a good bargain and are amenable to upgrades to deliver even higher performance. 

@jaytor where did you source the upgrade components for you amp build? We’re these available from the ANK seller?

Long ago, ANK and Audio Note were more closely affiliated.  Now, the kit company makes electronics based on Audio Note designs and uses the parts thaat Audio Note sells to the public.  I don't believe they have access to the highest grade transformers.

Jaytor,

All of your builds look fantastic and well thought out.  I like the ANK 300B amps with the nekkid output transformers (looks better than potted trannies to me).  A local dealer who builds his own house brand of electronics built an amp with real Audio Note parallel 2a3 trannies (silver wire primaries and secondaries) that he bartered with Peter Qvortrup to obtain.  These clone Kageki amps sound very good, although they did not look as nice as your amps.  

@changeout - I bought the upgraded resistors/caps and the TentLabs DHT filament supplies from HiFiCollective.com.

The Jensen line input transformers came from PartsExpress.com.

I built the heater supply for the input tube using a pmillet PCB I bought on ebay with parts from Mouser.

The Maida regulator for the input stage, as well as the soft-start controller came from Neurochrome. Parts for the Maida regulator came from Mouser, although Neurochrome now sells assembled boards.

The delayed start output relay PCB was purchased from the DIYAudioStore.com site, with parts from Mouser.

I used hookup wire from DHLabs.com (solid silver for audio signals, silver plated copper for power signals, all using PTFE insulation).

The connectors were purchased from various places including PartsConnexion and Amazon.

The enclosure panels were purchased from FrontPanelExpress.com, and were all designed using their free software.

Here's a photo of the inside of one of the two amps. 

@larryi - thanks for the compliments. I imagine those AN silver transformers are pretty amazing. One of these days, I'd like to try to build an amp with silver OPTs. There are a few companies that will make them with silver wire, although they get pretty pricey. 

@jaytor 

Thanks for sharing the additional information regarding your beautiful amplifiers. They are certainly an effort to be proud of. Did you by chance use the Audio Note Tantalum non magnetic resistors?

Charles

@charles1dad - Thanks Charles. I used the AN non-magnetic Silver Tantalums for all the parts in the audio path. These are the white-colored ones in the photo above.  

@jaytor 

Heavenly sound you must be experiencing.👍

Charles

@jaytor

thank you for the parts list! Your amp is beautiful, superb workmanship! I have built an amp or two but nothing as well put together as yours.

thanks again.

@jaytor 

What bike are you on in your pic?  

thanks for the info!  I want to build an amp.  I am very handy and have built wood chairs but I don't know about electricity.  Would you recommend an amp kit like bottle head or something to read?  I will ready your thread on SH forum but I really don't know how electricty makes an amp work etc.  Are you anywhere close to Indianapolis?  I would love to hear your amps .  Thanks  JH

@jaytor 

I also got a 404 error when I clicked on your system link to check it out.  FYI

jh

@johnah5 - I own a lot of bikes (I own an e-commerce cycling business), but the one in the photo is one of my oldest - a Serotta ti with S&S couplers, SRAM red etap. This is the one I usually take to Europe since it fits in a small 24"x24"x10" case so it's easy to travel with. 

Audigon seems to have a lot of bugs with their website. Here's a direct link to my system page - jaytor's system. You can try in incognito mode if a direct click doesn't work. It works fine for me, but I've run into lots of quirky problems on this site.

I don't have any experience with the Bottlehead kits, but they look pretty nice and I've heard a lot of good feedback on them. 

I'm in Portland, OR, so a long way from Indy. But if you ever get out to Portland, I'm always happy to show off my system 😁

Thank you for the invite!  I started reading your thread and love the idea of upgrading a kit but was lost quickly. 

I just got a Frame from Independent Fabrication in steel that I built up.  I have a Giant TCR with the integrated seat post that weighs in at 16.5lbs in size XL with pedals attached. IN is perfect for biking in the wind.  The always blowing as a headwind no matter how you turn flat hot.....anyway.

JH

Nice bikes. IF makes an excellent steel frame. I don't own any steel frame bikes at the moment - mostly high-end carbon road race bikes and a couple gravel bikes. I've got to pare down my stable at some point. 

Here's a decent book to start with. It introduces basic electronics concepts before going into vacuum tube amp info. 

Vacuum Tube Amplifier Basics by EJ Jurich

A more advanced book that covers vacuum tube amps in much greater detail is

Valve Amplifiers by Morgan Jones

This one requires a bit more basic electronics understanding though, and has a lot more detail than you will probably ever need. It's also several times the price of the first one I listed. 

Moots Routt 45 for a bike here 😁

More relevant to this thread, I built an AN Kits EL34 integrated amp a few years back. Great amp and I am still using it. I got the version with the upgraded C core transformers. I love the sound of this amp. The kit was well thought out with good documentation for the build process. I changed out the binding posts for some pure copper Cardas ones, but the supplied Audio Note ones are pretty good quality as well. I happened to have the Cardas ones left from a different project.

I previously owned an Audio Note P3 300B amp and loved it but never got to compare it to one of the ANK versions.

I wouldn't hesitate to go with Audio Note Kits again.

@davej  thank you for the positive feed back on the ANK products. I have built two amps from schematics and I sourced all of the parts. The first was a JE Labs 2A3 and the second Gordon Rankins Bugle 45. I had fun building both of the amps. I want to save a step and get everything required in one box at the same time.

specialized robaix sport is my ride