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REVIEW: Audio Note E/L Speakers

216.254.151.43


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Model: E/L
Category: Speakers
Suggested Retail Price: $2,950/pr
Description: 2 way rear ported enclosure with 1
Manufacturer URL: Audio Note
Manufacturer URL: Audio Note

Review by PureTone ( A ) on November 09, 2002 at 15:41:21
IP Address: 216.254.151.43
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for the E/L


To begin I would like say that I enjoy the contributions from fellow inmates and have found their advice invaluable towards my equipment purchases.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to purchase a pair of Audio Note AN-E/L's at an excellent price. My decision to buy them was based on various reviews and an appreciation for the Audio Note philosophy. Add the price and I was sold. Results: I couldn't be happier. I have a tube setup (amp and pre) with an EAD Ultradisc 2000 CDP. It already sounded quite good with my old speakers( 12 yr old Angstrom's!!) however the addition of the AN-E's has really improved things from several perspectives:

The bass is clean and pleasing to the ear. It is not muddied and it does not obscure mid/high frequency details. It is surprisingly powerful given the box size but more impressive is it's character. Whether I played trip-hop, classical, blues, funk,jazz..you name it..the lower octaves were clean. This doesn't mean lean. They shook the walls on some tracks demonstrating power and fullness where required and each time I was struck with how "right" it sounded. Very Impressive.

Moving up the frequency spectrum all I can say is "fantastic"..Piano, brass, vocals, strings etc....all of it beautifully "presented", the main strengths being purity of tone and excellent definition and decay. Soundstage depth and width were also very good.
I found this with all types of music however the results with jazz and classical recordings were outstanding. The "Fratres for 8 cellos" by composer Arvo Part was simply stunning. I couldn't do anything but listen, frozen in my seat. Ravel's Jeux d'eaux was hypnotic. For jazz and classical the emotion of the piece really came through. Popular music fared just as well. Radiohead's Amnesiac was tremendous with bass energy and gorgeous melancholy atmosphere. Cracker "rocked" with clean guitar riffs and an intelligible bass line.

This brings me to the greatest strength of the AN-E's as I see it...the enjoyment and musicality factor.
The AN-E's suck you in and make you pay attention. If you love a particular piece of music the AN-E's will increase your enjoyment of it. They will elicit an emotional response from you. Of your favorite recordings, all those things that attracted you to the music in the first place will be further revealed and focussed. You will become aware of the musicians and marvel at their skill. You will shake your head and wonder how anyone could imagine and put to paper what you just heard. You will appreciate music even more than you already do. And that is the goal of this hobby we call audio isn't it ?

Faults ?
1)I am still breaking them in although I feel he highs may be a little "hot".
2)They are sensitive to room placement but this only relates to how much bass you want as opposed to it's quality.
3)The aesthetics I would describe as "minimalist retro chic" which may not be everyone's cup of tea.
4)Pricey !! The "L" series comes with a vinyl woodprint although I have to say that they look very very nice nonetheless. Still real veneer would be necessary at the current list of $2950 US !
5)Not sure how they would fare with transistor amps.
6)Require 10" stands which aren't readily available except at steep prices. My carpentry skills came in handy here.

This is an exceptional product. In combination with my equipment it really increased my enjoyment of music. I recommend them to the serious music lover or anyone who wants to move their system up to a new level.
If ancilliary components are of "very good" quality they will reward the listener with their wonderful sound.


Product Weakness: Price is high. No wood veneer for entry level models. Positioning may be a factor depending on room size/variables as pertains to bass response quantity.
May not work well with certain transistor amps. This is what I have heard and read. Experiment although tubes would be a safer bet considering that Audio Note has an "all tube" philosophy.
Product Strengths: Musicality. Rich and expressive. Emotionally involving with all kinds of material. Excellent detail and tonality of instruments. Exceptional bass response quality. Balanced.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Canary Audio Ca-706 (4X EL34, 4X 6SN7 GTB- 40wpc)
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Sonic Frontiers Line 1
Sources (CDP/Turntable): EAD Ultradisc 2000
Speakers: Audio Note AN-E/L
Cables/Interconnects: TMC Yellow, TMC Gold Reference
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Radiohead: Amnesiac: EMI Cracker: Kerosene Hat : EMI/Arvo Part: Fratres for 8 cellos: NAXOS/ Francine Kay: Ravel Satie Piano Works: Analekta/ Pierre Boulez: Sur Incises Messagesquisse Anthemes 2: DG 20/21/Bjork :Debut
Room Size (LxWxH): 15 x 20 x 9
Room Comments/Treatments: None
Time Period/Length of Audition: 50 hours
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): CCPC Model 11, Wireworld Aurora, Zu Cable Birth
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Audio Note E/L Speakers - PureTone 15:41:21 11/9/02 ( 5)