A wiseman once said: Luck is preparation meeting opportunity. So, there I was, prepared to buy a Sony SCD-1, a machine I just new would stir my tea. Thing was, my local dealer didn't have an SCD-1, he didn't even sell the brand.
Well, what do you have? I asked.
Alot of my clients like Audio Note. You should take this DAC home for the weekend. He smiled wryly.
Let me tell you that that DAC Zero (the bottom of the AN line, mind you) struck me upside the head as if to say "Here I am! The one you've been looking for!"
Well, I brought back the borrowed DAC, and ordered the most expensive version up the line that I could afford.
Nuff said, I suppose. Since that "lucky" day, I've been climbing the Audio Note ladder. Even tried my hand a building a couple of pieces. They sound great and provide quite a bit of fun and enlightenment, too. Check 'em out:
http://audionotekits.espyderweb.net/
So why did I go with Cain & Cain instead of AN speakers? Mostly 'cause I don't have the required corners for the Audio Note speakers to sound their best. The curse of the modern tract home--all open spaces and not a symetrical cornered room in sight. Oh well; the room sounds good as it stands.
Thoughts on room treatment and other upgrades welcome.
I'm enjoying my journey as I hope you are yours.
April 06 Update: replaced the AN copper caps in the Balanced Line Pre with AN Silver caps. Stunning! The difference is not subtle. Almost frightening in it's resolving power. I'd take a picture, but, well, you know, they're caps! Ok, they look kinda cool, but this neurosis goes a bit far when you start looking at caps and lusting. Right?
CDT-2/II, wasn't too sure how much difference a transport would make. No second-guessing now. This thing is amazing. Physicality and sense of space are it's calling cards.
Audio Note M-2 line
Balanced Pre kit, uses M2 power supply and M3 (pre 2006) amplifier section which drives HiB core output transformers. With copper AN caps and AN-V along with some Black Gates for good measure--this thing is quite impressive.
Audio Note DAC-4
Audio Note DAC 4.1x Balanced
Audio Note Meishu P-3
Kit1, this was my first Audio Note kit I built. After hearing what the DAC did, I just had to try this. 300B, set, no neg feedback. Upgraded with Black Gates, silver wire, tantalum resistors and plenty of good tubes--red base 5692 RCA and Western Electrics are are glorious combination! This is an amp to hold onto for life.
Audio Note Kit Interstate Monos
All blackgates, AN HiB Ccore output tx, and Ultra HiB Ccore interstage tx. WE300b. Big and beautiful!
Audio Note AN-E/Spe HE
High eff, hemp coned in very nice madrone burl on Sound Anchor stands
Audio Concepts Titan
One nice thing about big, open tract homes is the lack of standing waves. That's about the only nice thing that can be said from an audio viewpoint. With my huge volume room *see pic*, a single Titan does a good job taking the baton from the Cains. A pair would do more, for sure, but with test discs I get solid 27Hz response. Better yet, I like the way it plays music, and it matches the Cain's finish nicely.
Right on, Vince. Looking forward to hearing the new Fire melt the old ICE.
In my rig, haven't yet replaced components in the dac, but seems like I have in everything else! Funny, though, the digital board (I think that's the one) in the dac is labelled "DAC 4/5", so I suppose I could pump up the other components and not need to replace that one part. Hmmm. Thanks for getting me thinking.
Replaced Copper caps in pre with AN silver caps. This is my first experience with the silver AN caps, having tried the other AN foil caps: aluminum and copper. Each has it's own sound, no doubt. But the difference between the second-best copper, and these silver is quite stunning. Resolution would be a good summary term. Just that resolution doesn't go far enough in describing the revealing nature of the texture that is exposed with these caps.
Doug, thanks for the great audio party. You always do it right. Your daughters are an utter delight, and it was fun having their company.
That was the best sound you have had in that room. There was a lot of detail, that never drew attention to itself. I was amazed at it's integration. Your subwoofer was well matched.
We are so right about the superiority of our non-upsampling DACs.
In my 3.1x I switched from the stock JAN Philips to '70s vintage (I think) Siemens, with nice gains in resolution, linearity and transparency. I didn't roll the rectifier, though. My current 4.1x is bone stock - at that level I trust Peter Q to feed it what it needs for best performance.
Based on your experience, Glider, sounds like the HDLs perform differently than do other Zoebels. Right now I'm settling in my new pre, but when I get it figured out I am going to investigate this more deeply--Grant, I will be in touch!
Glider, what tube rolling have you done on your DAC? I've tried the Bendix 6x5 but prefer the stock Philips. I have about 6 more NOS 6x5 to swap in my pre and the DAC. Funny, I've got about 12 different pair of 6922 and none sounds better than the stock Philips. I even just bought and tried a pair of Siemens pinched waist NOS from the late 60's. Although they cost about 20x what the stock tubes do, in this application I prefer the stock. What've you tried and found?
As another datum, my Tom Evans amps have transformers, and the HDLs, um, "transform" the sound. The other ones I tried were called BOB, from Argent Audio. I liked them at first, then changed my mind on further audition. Not so with the Walkers.
I don't buy the transformer explanation. given that they are a low-pass filter, I think that talking about "Zobels" in general is like talking about "crossovers" in general. The devil is in the details.
I'll be putting my PX-25 amp back in for a listen some time soon, and I'll see if the Walkers coexist with it better than BOB did.
Doug, I haven't a clue about the technical workings of a Zoebel network. If you're interested to learn more, I recall Alpha Core goes into a thorough explantion on their website. Indeed, with the output tranformers on your tube amp, a Zoebel netork would appear to be unnecessary.
Audiogon member "Sean" was the king of explaining the Zoebels. I'm sure you can find more by doing a search for Zoebel in the threads.
Anyhow, the offer stands. It'd probably cost a whopping $.48 to mail them to you. :)
Grant, good to hear from you. Appreciate your kind words and the Zoebel tryout offer. Maybe if you're up here again we could have a listen at my place and you could bring them. From your explaination, however, it sounds like my tube amp with output transformers make it not necessary.
Is that from the natural low-pass charachteristics of the transformers, or something else? Curious.
I heard the AN Zero when at Doug's, right after he got it. It was an epiphany for both of us. Before listening, Doug was describing it to me as a, "Whole," making a round motion with his hands, "Head." He was right. I got me an AN DAC as soon as I could. I've auditioned other players, and even SACD. None compare to the naturalness of the AN.
Doug, very nice room and set up. You deserve a lot of credit for finding a sound you like from a manufacturer you like and staying with it...DIY no less!
Regarding Zoebel networks. I have a pair that I requested a couple years ago from Alpha Core, when there was much discussion in these forums about the Zoebel's benefits when using low impedance speaker wire. They are basically four inch lengths of silver wire with two tiny resistors on each length. Alpha Core includes some literature with the Zoebels, and they specifically state:
(Zoebels are not necessary) with electrostatic speakers or with tube amplifiers containing output transformers.
The portion in parenthesis is my paraphrasing.
You are welcome to try my Zoebels if you think they might be of some benefit to you.
Glider, appreciate the tip on the IsoClean. I have since checked out their site and familiarlized myself with it. Boa tells me that he's heard a similar effect with the Sound Applications models, and they appear to be in the same price range. Have you had the chance to hear one of these? Thoughts?
The Walker HDL have been on my radar as well. You're description makes them appealing to me. I've read that any "Zoebel" (are they one?) will be more difficult to drive for low powered set amps. From what I can tell, they say that there will be tonal imbalances, etc. Not at all what you have found. Since you're running the Audion PX25, I'd think this issue would affect you if it were true. What do you make of it?
The 60A3 is the IsoClean model designator. I'm running my transport, DAC, line stage and amp off it, on one dedicated circuit, and it sounds wonderful. It's the first power treatment I've heard that doesn't seem to have a downside.
One other tweak to think about is the current iteration of the Walker High Definition Links. The devil must be in the details, because I tried one other design of Zobel networks, and they mucked with the sound something fierce. The Walkers have been running in my system for about a week now, and seem to have a similar sonic effect as the IsoClean filter. Glare goes away, the sound gets more harmonically dense, a touch sweeter ("sweetened with REAL fruit juice!") and more present, without any damage to the microdetails or the dynamics.
Thanks for the invitation. I wish I could make it to Sacramento, but I'm in Canada and until the next Presidential election the US is on my no-fly list :-(
Thanks for the responses Vince, Howard, and Glider. Glider, I have looked at your system before and also thought we were on a similar path. Funny how we both started our AN affairs with the Zero. Your description of coherence and wholeness is spot on, and I will add that texture and color are particularly appealing to me as well. Appreciate your tip on IsoClean and I will check it out--any particular model? I am using something you may want to check out--Harmonic Resolution Systems Nimbus couplers and spacers under the transport. Doesn't drain the life away like others have.
I'm open to any other suggestions, please!
Howard and Vince (and Glider if you're in the Sacramento area anytime) looking forward to the next chance to get together.
Your system looks lovely - it seems as though you have a very good understanding of the sound you want.
The exact same thing happened to me with the AN Zero DAC. My dealer loaned one to me for a week, and when I took it back I ordered a 3.1x. As a matter of fact, differences in specific brands notwithstanding, we're on very similar sonic trajectories. I expect you love the sense of coherent, organic wholeness you're getting from that system.
As an upgrade, look into the IsoClean 60A3 filter. It's should be a real ear-opener on a system like yours - I know it was on mine, even with dedicated power lines.
