Recent content by Richard Austen
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"Long-Term Equipment Loans: A Win-Win for Everyone" by Robert Harley, The Absolute Sound
That is true - new doesn't necessarily equate to better - sometimes - oftentimes - new is created to sell something cheaper and to maximize profits. I am looking forward to auditioning the AN E Field Coils that they have spent several years on - mainly the external power supply and the physical...- Richard Austen
- Post #774
- Forum: General Audio Forum
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"Long-Term Equipment Loans: A Win-Win for Everyone" by Robert Harley, The Absolute Sound
With me, you know where I stand and my preferences - and I have been consistent for over 20 years in the things I like - and when they change - I have stated those changes. I am not going to be one of those reviewers or individuals who pretends to have no bias - pretends to like a whole pile of...- Richard Austen
- Post #773
- Forum: General Audio Forum
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"Long-Term Equipment Loans: A Win-Win for Everyone" by Robert Harley, The Absolute Sound
Like any industry - there are bad individuals - Stereophile has fired at least one reviewer in the past for being a bad operator - which means they also HIRED the guy in the first place. Stereo reviewers do not get paid enough to make a living at it - or not one where they can afford most of...- Richard Austen
- Post #649
- Forum: General Audio Forum
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"Long-Term Equipment Loans: A Win-Win for Everyone" by Robert Harley, The Absolute Sound
I think it's a bit silly to throw reviewers who use SET amps under the bus as not professional because EVERY SET amp owner - every single one of them - has owned and auditioned plenty of bomb-proof measuring SS amplifiers. All SET owners come to SET after auditioning the likes of...- Richard Austen
- Post #648
- Forum: General Audio Forum
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Audio Note UK vs Audio Japan Sonic Differences
A bit off-topic but Peter Qvortrup on a recent podcast - Audio Topics starts at 16:00 - before that, it's about world politics. @ 36 minutes - comparing speaker driver magnets https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-occasional-podcast/id1332323668?i=1000649642730- Richard Austen
- Post #333
- Forum: Power Amplifiers and Preamplifiers Forum
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Audio Note UK vs Audio Japan Sonic Differences
Did he like your system - what did you play? I enjoyed my time with the P3 Tonmeister. I am thinking of saving for the P3 Konzertmeister or Tomei. But this is all a long ways off - unfortunately - when I move back to Canada in a few years I am probably going to have to sell all of my gear due...- Richard Austen
- Post #332
- Forum: Power Amplifiers and Preamplifiers Forum
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Audio Note UK vs Audio Japan Sonic Differences
The AN room with an easier-to-read price list. Enjoy the music coverd it a bit too. https://www.enjoythemusic.com/Florida_International_Audio_Expo_2024/Rochlin/Audio_Note_UK.htm Jinro Shochu Power Amplifier $38,000 M6 Phono Pre Amplifier $25,000 TT-Three Turntable & PSU 3 $16,500 IO 1...- Richard Austen
- Post #330
- Forum: Power Amplifiers and Preamplifiers Forum
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SS/Tube Preamps that better than Gryphon's Commander
Yes the reality is that you may audition say 10 preamps and rank them 1-10 in one system and the winner in that system may finish 10th in a different system - and that would be my assessment - yours might be completely different. I do get this forum has some wealthier folks but it seems a bit...- Richard Austen
- Post #4
- Forum: Power Amplifiers and Preamplifiers Forum
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Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?
I admit that I like Peter and the fact that into his 70s he gets excited over some valve that can't be used because there is no amplifier left in the world that can take them - or his pride over his new valve bases. It's just a different thing than 99% of everyone else who just seems to me to...- Richard Austen
- Post #2,516
- Forum: Digital Audio Forum: DAC, Transports, Digital Processing Forum
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Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?
I don't think that's a very fair assessment since there isn't much that is new in audio and at least Audio Note UK does hold actual patents on various things. I mean everyone that made a CD player other than Philips/Sony was "copying" so every single company in the entire audio industry made...- Richard Austen
- Post #2,515
- Forum: Digital Audio Forum: DAC, Transports, Digital Processing Forum
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Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?
Peter Qvortrup likes other speakers more than the speakers he sells. He has said this on other forums. He has heard all the heavy-weight speakers and sold most of them at his dealership back when he was an importer. I think many valve and speaker driver diehards would be impressed by the WE...- Richard Austen
- Post #2,511
- Forum: Digital Audio Forum: DAC, Transports, Digital Processing Forum
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Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?
Customers will be able to negotiate 10-20% off their list prices (assuming you can find a list price at AN) and a reviewer will do 10-20% better than a customer. Although the product is technically used once the reviewer has reviewed it; thus, I am not sure how much better reviewers do since a...- Richard Austen
- Post #2,510
- Forum: Digital Audio Forum: DAC, Transports, Digital Processing Forum
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Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?
I have not found this to be the case but it again depends on what you're listening to. What I note at dealers and audio shows is that most rooms play a certain set of recordings over and over and over - Diana Krall "Live in Paris" Keith Don't Go" etc. A couple of weeks back I went to a dealer...- Richard Austen
- Post #2,507
- Forum: Digital Audio Forum: DAC, Transports, Digital Processing Forum
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Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?
I think the issue is there because you purchased the product at a discounted price before you decided to write the review. Although, so long as you state that in the review I don't see why there would be a problem. Well no - I think the problem would be that they have two price thresholds and...- Richard Austen
- Post #2,506
- Forum: Digital Audio Forum: DAC, Transports, Digital Processing Forum
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Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?
Perhaps different markets - their DACs are geared for CD. They don't make a DAC designed for computer-based/digital streaming so that probably takes out most American consumers even back in 2012 when Colloms covered their gear. AN's biggest business is in Hong Kong/Singapore/China. Add to this...- Richard Austen
- Post #2,501
- Forum: Digital Audio Forum: DAC, Transports, Digital Processing Forum
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