When I first entered an Audio Note room, I scoffed at the plain box speakers set up at radical angles in the corner of the room. When I heard their price, I smirked and walked out of the room. How could a manufacturer be so arrogant to believe they could sell this stuff at those prices?
Two years and two systems later, I attended another show. Walked into the Audio Note room with another buddy. This time, with more experence under my belt, I ignored what the speakers looked like and I stayed to listen. Pretty nice. Especially considering where I'd been in my system. Still, I was seeking something with more cache.
Another year and anther system later, I again walked into the Audio Note room at RMAF 2009. I had no intention of auditioning the AN speakers on this trip. I had a short list of ten speakers to hear. Yet, I walked in anyway after hearing nine out of the ten speakers on my must-hear list. Well, I was enamored. This was what I was seeking. Music without analysis. Jump factor with the resolution of high end. My toes were tapping, and my ears weren't burning.
I left the room and came back four times.
Then, I wrote the check.
My suggestion for those intrigued by Audio Note speakers is to listen to them with a blindfold or an open mind, so you're not influenced by their appearance or the seemingly awkward positioning they require.
Having said that, Nakolawala has mentioned his desire for a speaker with a powered subwoofer, which suggests to me that the AN speakers may not fulfill his desires. They will not shake the windows or jiggle one's innards (qualities that I have enjoyed in the past), although they will present bass in proper balance with the rest of the spectrum.
Several AN amplifiers are 8 watt parallel SET, so this is clearly adequate provided an amp's output impedance is properly matched to the AN speakers.
I am using Wright AU-15 push-pull 2A3 amps (15 watts). So, my experience does not correspond with SET.
