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Audio Note Speakers

Dozey

Dozey

Air guitar member
I am thinking of trying some efficient speakers which can be placed close to a wall. So Audio Note are an option. Other than Audio Note amps are there any other amps that work particularly well?
 
Almost anything. I've heard them with Krells, 5wpc SET, an old Creek 4040, Quad, etc etc. But the 'classic' AN E or J set up uses SET amps and can sound flippin gobsmacking.
I've never yet heard a 'better' sound than old Snell A speakers ( Snell designs later became Audionote's J and E varients), driven by Audionote mono block SET amps. Still now, there are a million valve options out there. You need a bakeoff :)
When times allow:(
 
I have been using various 300B SET amps like the Living Voice Argento, Audio Note P4 Balanced mono blocks etc with AN-E SEC speakers and the sound is certainly one of the best in my humble experience in my music room. Snell speakers are very good indeed and can be serviced/re-foamed if need be by Audio Note UK so lots of choice. The Tron 300B amp that is currently listed is a very nice unit indeed and I can recommend it with Snell or Audio Note speakers.

I am currently thinking of selling all my (well most of) my audio gear due to a possible house move and do not wish to put it all into a storage facility so the reluctant list of items to sell is growing.
 
I have used AN Js for many years; AN J - D, I think and now the LX version. They sounded, to me, very very good with my 300b amp, which had been compared favourably with £10,000 AN amps. This was also the case with my Graff 50 amp. But I must add, it was also the case with Arcam 10, Naim Nap200, Chord 2650 and Sugden Masterclass.
 
A few years ago I agreed to move on my Impulse H2s which were lovely speakers. I was using a Line Magnetic 5181a 22wpc 845 SET. Had a small speaker bake off and someone bought along a pair of Snell Ks. These sounded great with the LM amp and I bought a pair. Subsequently sourced a pair of used ANJ/LX and couldn’t be happier. I haven’t had an AN amp in the system and would like to hear an Oto just to check out the oft mentioned synergy. But I can’t imagine it would oust the LM.
 
Especially if you want a speaker that can be placed close to a wall, I would recommend to try in your home before you buy. Every room is different and just because a certain AN model might work well close to a wall or in a corner in a room doesn't mean it will do that in your room. It's a good idea for every speaker purchase of course.

SET amps tend to have high output impedance which will affect the response of a speaker so I would also make sure to try it out with your amp or something very similar to it, especially if it's a solid state one or otherwise has low output impedance.
 
I will demo at home. Are there any other speakers designed to work close to a boundary I should audition?
 
I guess Klipsch Forte or Cornwall and Luxman might be an interesting alternative for close to wall operation.
 
Dozey said:
I guess Klipsch Forte or Cornwall and Luxman might be an interesting alternative for close to wall operation.
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That depends on who you ask. Some say the Forte and CW need space behind and to the sidewalls some don't. From a measuring point of view, they need as much space as any conventional speaker. A Audio Note speaker is voiced in a different way so is the old Naim speakers as SBL, NBL, DBL, SL2, etc. and Larsen for example. A Klipschorn must also be placed direct in the corner.
 
I had some K's on loan for a couple of months years ago and really liked them.There was a real rightness about them incredibley easy to drive and very smooth sounding can imagine they would work a treat with SET's etc.
 
The Snell Ks I had were fine right against the wall. The ANJs suffered from boomy bass on some tracks in the same position until I filled the stands to about two thirds which seemed to resolve the issue.
 
YehIknow said:
Been using old AN Js with a valve integrated for about a year now, I was asking the same question as you before buying, and the consensus seems to be use with valve amps, though I find this system somewhat limiting, in that it only really comes alive with sparse music like jazz, but with that it's great.
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Quite. I had J's with SET monoblocks and they were stunning with simple female vocal etc, but anything like a full orchestral crescendo? NO. It's why I sold it all on. Edging back round to it now but the tannoys are a different proposition.
 
partnered with the right amp as tuned for your ears, the Js, if and wen required, can be straggeringly raw with King Crimson, Hendrix, Nirvana, etc. - I used my pair with a Sansui AU-X901 and there was no shortage in energy or bite. however, when the music dictated so the combo was equally adept with the finests of Haydn or Telemann, as well. for me, though, that corner positon never worked not only with the Js, but the Ks or AZ-3s - rather, the speakers should be placed min. 1m of the back and side wall for best sonics. when set up as advised by AN, though, all bass/mid/treble/spatial capabilities suffered the speakers working 50% of their true potential at best. go figure...
 
Tassie said:
The Snell Ks I had were fine right against the wall. The ANJs suffered from boomy bass on some tracks in the same position until I filled the stands to about two thirds which seemed to resolve the issue.
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I did try mine in a smaller room 3mtrs front to back and closer to the wall,10 centimetres, on one occasion and suffered similar boom from bass or low cello. This was with my 300b amp.
 
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