Looking To Match A Tube Amp With A Pair Of Audio Note AN-K/Spe

I built a 6FW5 pp about ten years back using Sansui 1000A pulls for OPTs. Sounded very nice for vintage iron. Hashimoto does build good transformers.

You are entirely correct; there is very little novel in the area of tube design (unless you count ss assist). Most ’designers’ simply optimise component values for their particular application of a certain pre-documented circuit, or at the most give it a mild tweak - and sometimes they don’t even get that right. Ironically. some recent ’advances’ have have occured due to the re- examination of long forgotten texts.

There have been, and are very few true innovators coming up with novel ideas and making advances in the field. And I certainly don’t count myself among them.

several years ago I built an Audio Note L1 EL84 pp kit amp for a friend and was most impressed with the outcome. They now have a V2 listed with Mundorf silver/gold coupling caps for $1,100. This is a steal.

I can honestly say that this would likely demolish anything you are going to find at anything near the price point for driving the K’s (I own a pair of Snell K’s on which the AN’s were based). There is a level 4 version for $2,650, $2850-$3,100 with phono. But the base model sounds simply wonderful and will rock da house if need be. Into K’s it’s not second rate wrt SET’s (I build them) and gives very good account at low vols. It’s swings and roundabouts really.

If you can find a friend who is handy with a soldering iron I would say this is definitely the way to go for the lower price range. If you have a larger budget, then obviously I would advise you to broaden your search, but still not discount the L1.

HATES anything Mundorf. I have not done any serious comparisons myself, but he has, and does not like them in either amps or speaker crossovers. He also hates Duelunds

please don’t take this opinion as gospel. I would suggest that the dealer is out of line with about 95% of the rest of audiophilia and may be pushing an agenda.

Duelunds are widely regarded as the best caps out there (no affiliation).

just one opinion as to where Mundorfs and Duelunds lie in the food chain:

https://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/Cap.html

I personally love NOS Vitamin Q 196P’s and use them in my own builds. However, I would not like to see other caps which sound fine, even outstanding to the majority of consumers precluded from consideration on the opinion of one person, hence my proffering an alternative viewpoint for consideration.

Peter Qvortrup’s Audio Note amps are not voiced specifically for Audionote caps, as many were designed when Jensen were their supplier, and these capacitors sound markedly different to those of current Audionote manufacture. Some were even originally supplied with ERO polyester (yes polyester) caps. Good capacitors sound good in these amps. Period.

If you are talking about an AN Kit amp, I don’t think they are affiliated with Audio Note (uk). They have put together similar gear based on Audio Note design and buy those parts that Audio Note offers to the market, but, that does not mean they are as good as the real deal.

They are affiliated with and have the full blessing of AN UK. The design is by Andy Grove, the PT & OPT’s are sourced from AN UK. The parts quality is excellent and it is in no way a second rate product. You even get a NOS Telefunken driver/splitter. The level 4 transformers are top quality AN C-Core.

whatever you do try and compare before you buy, and do not commit to one topology before you begin trials. Try both . You will have a definite preference.

 

@pesky_wabbit ANK is in fact no longer affiliated with AN UK

when did this occur?

I am quite aware of the the rather unfortunate circumstances surrounding Kondo’s loss of the Audio Note naming rights to Peter Qvortrup, who is a rather unscrupulous character who reminds me of someone else who often hangs around here. He was into shipping insurance of all things before he got into the audio game.

There was some very interesting and heated debate on the Audio Asylum after their separation in which Peter tried to defend his actions, but he didn‘t come off looking too good. Google ’liars thieves and magpies’ if you want a good read. Don‘t know if HE‘s managed to get any posts or threads deleted, but it‘s definitely worth a look.