Audio Note DAC Owners- please share your thoughts
Hello to All-
Although I’ve been reading this forum for years I’m relatively new to posting here. I’ve read most of the archived posts regarding Audio Note products- unfortunately the majority of them are fairly old.
For the last few years I’ve been wondering about AN DAC’s as I rarely hear about there being any downside to them (other than the entry fee) and have also noticed that they are fairly scarce on the used market.
I’m currently using a Aqua La Scala Optologic MKII and while I enjoy it very much I am always wondering “how good is an AN dac and would it be worth purchasing?”
If you happen to own one of these mystical pieces of technology would you mind helping me understand more about their qualities? Like-
1) I’ve heard they are remarkable when it comes to Redbook playback- flawlessly true to the source
2) I’ve heard them described as warm, some say like syrup and others say neutral.
3) Looking under the hood (pictures) seems straight forward- like old school yet it still competes with the latest designs
4) If you’ve owned one and sold it what did you move to, why and did you regret it?
5) Some folks have decided to pass on the high ticket price and have bought the AN Kit instead. Are these even a close facsimile of the original?
I am very fascinated with this product as it seems to hold a high place in audio gear history- it’s reputation makes it almost one of those things that you shouldn’t have to ask about but I’d like to know a little more before making the spend. Any help on this would be appreciated!
Designsfx
Interesting story- it sounds like you were really into it at the time, what dac are you using these days? After many months of reading the experiences of others and waiting for the right unit to become available for sale I moved on and purchased a new Lampizator TRP3. It is (to use your words) dramatically better than the Aqua in most aspects although my opinion of the Aqua has not changed- which is why I’ve chosen to keep it as well.
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I have heard the entire range, including the new top model that is about $156k. They all share the same basic sound—relaxed, natural, and easy to listen to for many hours without being distracted (you engage fully with the music), smooth (but not dulled in impact or murky in get that smooth sound). All the models basically have the same digital conversion circuit which is minimalist and use vintage chips chosen for their sound. The model differences are primarily in the analogue stages and they involve progressively more expensive parts, wire, and more elaborate circuits using their very expensive transformers and chokes. For their performance, I don’t think the lower level stuff is expensive, particularly because the Audio Note sound is sort of unique. But, the price does rise very steeply beyond the DAC 3 level. My own personal preference and willingness to pay would stop at the DAC 4 level (I have too much already invested in a Naim 555 server/power supply/UnitiCore server to convert). |
@designsfx currently the modified Orchid described above. |
While I haven’t had the opportunity to hear all models in the AN Dac lineup I think I had heard enough to know it wasn’t for me after all. I had been searching for a 4.1x balanced for sometime but (as you note above) was not going to go for a new unit because I felt the asking price to be overly excessive. I found one for sale in the UK that I felt to be an acceptable price but the issue of converting power prior to the sale was farther than the seller wanted to go. After that I considered a 4.1 balanced signature model but couldn’t secure an in home audition. I did notice that particular model came up for sale more frequently (in the UK) but the asking prices were very high and units seemed to be for sale for very long periods of time. This reinforced the thought that they were severely overpriced. Finally I was able to hear one in early 2023 in a digital setup and after hearing it (and knowing the sales price) I was not that impressed.
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