[Sorry about the poor quality of the photos. My rechargeable flash batteries are dying one by one. Need to get a bevy of new ones before CES, that is for sure. I’ll use the tripod next, which obviates the need for flash].

The Audio Note U.K. CDT-Five transport, Fifth Element DAC and its Fifth Force power supply. We do not have a price, but expect it to be in the $175K - $180K range for the entire stack. These are going to be shown at CES (T.H.E. Show at the Flamingo).

Brand new. Cold, pressing play less than 60 seconds after turning it on. Running through the little preamp in the Emm Labs DCC2 (which we have been using quite a lot lately as the upstairs preamp - the big Audio Note M9 Phono preamp being down on the Audio Note system downstairs).

First impressions? [Mark Knopfler - Sailing to Philadelphia]

“Wow, that is really DIFFERENT.”

“Oh, the VOICES…!” [Hard to describe… We talk about being able to hear the emotion in voices - and how difficult most systems have with this. How important this is if the music is not an instrumental - how we have millions of years of training, wired into our brain’s DNA, on how to listen for and communicate using emotion in voices.

Well, this does that, all right. But it is not like two strange men [Mark Knopfler and James Taylor] telling you a story with some modicum of emotion, it is like your Dad sitting next to you, late at night, talking to you about something important when you were a young-in. [that is what I flashed on at the time. Now I will TRY to explain why this was so different. A little waving of the hands here] There is a presence, a solidity, an intimacy, to hearing the voice come not just from the mouth, but from the chest; that there is some amount of authority that comes from a large adult talking to a small child. That real people, real professional singers anyway, have a vocal authority that does not come across the reproduction barrier in our systems.

“Wow, there is a LOT more bass”

We remembered how the DAC 5 Signature [the DAC right below the Fifth Element] was very close to analog - as dynamic as [and even better harmonics than] LP.

Dynamic bass is something that analog has always done well. As far as I can tell, this stack does bass much better even than that - very, very articulate and there is more of it, but it is IN PROPORTION TO WHAT IS IN THE MUSIC [otherwise we can just turn down the gain on bass towers of the Coltrane Supreme speakers].

—————–

On further listening, the entire frequency spectrum is more dynamic, which we expected - but remember we are still running this when it is new [not as cold anymore] and thru a modest but very nice little, say $3-5K, preamp. In some ways I just wanted to see if this particular digital stack could shine in a non-perfect setup *. Obviously it can.

[* much more later about the cases where we are running into where there is a component, usually a speaker, that can almost totally obscure various different types of changes made to the upstream system]

The PRaT [the pressure for one to tap their toes, or start dancing, or just start moving around in a spastic fashion to the music (which is a fairly accurate description of what I tend to do)] is very good and I think we need to add descriptions for ‘inner PRaT’ or perhaps micro-, midi- and macro-PRaT. There are inner melodies that I was feeling drawn to in this way, as well as primary melodies. It’s ALL good - there is so much to listen to and enjoy in each song.

There is more - but I think our next step is to run the Fifth Element DAC to the Lamm L2, and then straight to the M9 Photo preamplifier [the perfect pre for this stack] upstairs, or the Ongaku integrated downstairs [which is the show system, with the AN/E SEC Signature speakers, and this should be very intense].

The top of the CDT-Five with the mounting screws still attached

The front of the CDT-Five CD Transport, with the plastic protectors still on.

The rear of the CDT-Five CD Transport

The back of the Fifth Element DAC with the CDT-5 in the background, and Audio Note Ongaku integrated way, way in the background.

The Audio Note CDT-5 Transport with the drawer open

The Audio Note Fifth Element DAC

The Audio Note Fifth Force power supply for the Fifth Element DAC

Somewhat preliminary… but this is very likely what we will be showing (all by Audio Note U.K.):

o AN/E SEC Signature speakers
o Ongaku 211 integrated amplifier
o DAC 5 ‘Fifth Element’ two-box DAC with ‘Fifth Force’ power supply *U.S. debut*
o CDT-5 transport *U.S. debut*
o SOGON and SOOTTO and PALLAS cabling

For all of us who like drug-like sound THIS will be the best room at CES.

Easily.

Just the Ongaku by itself would make this room an odds-on favorite. Just the one-box DAC 5 Signature with the lowly CDT-3 that we heard here would make this a shoo-in [sorry, but I am having fun with all the sports cliches here ]. But with the new statement level ‘Fifth Element’ and the statement level CDT-5 … AND the Ongaku? OMFG [ran out of sports cliches… darn! … but couldn’t think of one that communicated what I feel the druggish potential is here].

I’ve wanted to put the Jinro through its paces for a loooong time, ever since the Jinro integrated amplifier came to this country at last year’s CES, where I was impressed with its sound and its low cost. Like the bigger Ongaku, combining a very high quality stereo amplifier with a very high quality preamp in one chassis saves on power cords, interconnects, and amps stands/rack space. This allows one to achieve price-performance ratios unheard of in here in our Extreme High-end part of the audiophile hobby. Essentially, it allows you to get close to the Extreme high end at ’slumming it’ prices.

We performed a shootout between the $20K Audio Note U.K. Jinro, in black, and the $95K Audio Note U.K. Ongaku, in copper. As you can see, they are very similar externally, and are using the same brand of 211 tubes. Internally the Jinro is wired with copper and uses copper-wound transformers as opposed all silver inside the Ongaku. They both weigh about 60 pounds or so and put out about 25 watts. Kevin O., Neli and I were in attendance.

The system was the Marten Coltrane Supreme speakers, Emm Labs digital, Nordost Odin interconnects and power cords, Jorma Design Prime speaker cable and HRS platforms. We will also do another, similar shootout on the All Audio Note system downstairs with Steve G., Neli and I doing the finger pointing at that time.

We played the Jinro first using our 3 test cuts: Gloria Esteban, Elton John and a short but complex Mozart piece.

It was great: good details, lots of good separation, dynamic, good color. The Elton was not quite as magical as we remembered it, but maybe we had exaggerated the magicality in our minds over the last few weeks. Certainly did not hear anything that didn’t sound great.

We then played the 3 cuts on the Ongaku. Kevin kept bringing up Mike Tyson, so I will put it like he did: It was like me, Mike Davis, and Mike Tyson going into the boxing ring. It wouldn’t take anybody very long to figure out who was the winner [me being the first, in that scenario ].

The Ongaku has a LOT more stuff happening between the notes, which allowed it to have a lot more resolution and the harmonics to be much more vivid. We went through the motions and played all 3 cuts - the Elton piece was as amazing and drug-like as we had remembered it being [more so in fact - hearing a song be ‘great’, and then soon after be ‘OMFG great’ has its own special kind of drug-like effect. More later on this].

As a shootout this was somewhat worthless - but we did learn a few valuable things nonetheless.

The $20K Jinro did a great job on this 1/2 million dollar system. Without hearing the Ongaku, many people would never know what they would be missing and would be very happy campers.

Is the Jinro as magical and drug-like as the Ongaku? No. But that is not saying much, as only very, very few other amps are.

But the system around a Jinro can be designed so that the Jinro doesn’t have to do ALL the heavy lifting [our test system is pure straight-line high resolution components and cables counting on the Ongaku do all the drug-like magic]. For such a Jinro-centric drug-like system, the Jinro will be able to supply very high-quality dynamics, separation, phenomenal note control, and harmonic purity…. and quite a lot of resolution (esp. compared to most amps).

Our next step here will be to put the Jinro on a system with a Audio Note digital front end, on Audio Note speakers, and see - I mean hear - how it compares once again to the Ongaku [we really do like the Jinro, a lot(!), even though we are putting it up against impossible odds against the Ongaku in these shootouts]. This shootout will then tell us how they compare on a very musical front end.

After that we will proceed to try and build, hopefully several, reasonably-priced drug-like Jinro-centric systems from the components we have lying around here.

We were originally scheduled to drive out to Las Vegas tomorrow, Monday [it is about a 12 hour drive], setup on Tuesday, and fix any problems and let things warm up on Wednesday.

But the shipment from Audio Note did not clear customs until late New Years Eve. So Monday we spend at the shippers, forwarding things on to Las Vegas and several dealers. Now Tuesday we drive. Wednesday we rent a truck and go pick up things at the shipper and get them up to the two rooms. We figure that by 6pm, we will start unpacking and setting up the system.

Audio Note Gaku-Ons at night

For some reason, I think a lot of people are like this - and wait to the last minute for everything [ALTHOUGH 90% of the exhibitors get it together early enough to have time to ship their stuff so that it automagically appears in their exhibit rooms without them having to lift a finger]

The thing is, we are not like this.

One of the [many] reasons our rooms at shows sound so good is that we allow ourselves time to let things warm up, to tweak things this way and that, to actually listen to the system to see if and where it needs a little love.

We’ll do our best, of course, but this sure ain’t helping my gray hair problem any!

Audio Note Gaku-Ons at night

We’re taking the Gaku On amplifiers to CES. .

We have a ton of photos. Still will take another ton.

These are not our amps - but suffice it to say I ***WILL*** have these amps for my own, someday. They are just so much better than anything else… except, well, the Lamm ML3 are different. Suffice to to say I ***WILL*** own both someday.

And I usually, eventually, perhaps decades down the road, own everything I want. As do most people, really. It is figuring out what I want that takes for-ev-er. And then figuring out how to focus my efforts so that they are not wasted on silly things like food and vacations

Yes, a ton of photos. A little bit of confusion about where to post the photos. Here… yes, but they are so small. On Spintricity, it will look great, but if we are not careful, everything over there will be Audio Note - they make such a wide range [aka large number] of good looking equipment.

Maybe I’ll post it over on Luxury Review [a stealth zine where I can say what I want - and be the old exuberant me and then some], then convince Mattters to run it on their luxury channels.

Anyway, the quandary will soon end, one way or the other. Post CES we are going to rethink the publications a little bit. Well, first we will rest and sleep a lot. Then we will do a rethink.

This is what we currently plan on showing at CES at the Flamingo (T.H.E. Show).

Several of the items are coming from the factory in the U.K. and are due to arrive in Denver this Wednesday. After they make it through customs we will ship them directly on to Las Vegas.

We are doing two rooms….

Smaller System:

AN/E SPe HE speakers
TT1 turntable
M3 RIAA photo stage
Jinro integrated amp
CD 3.1x player

Larger System:

AN/E SEC Signature speakers
TT3 turntable
S9 phono step-up transformer
M9 Phono preamp
Gaku On amplifiers
CDT Three transport
DAC 5 Signature

We are close enough to drive - it is about a 12 hour trip - so we always have this tension between driving with all the equipment to the show, perhaps renting a bigger vehicle or taking fewer things… and shipping it all. Or mixing and matching.

We are taking everything for two rooms - so that adds up, cubic footage-wise - but it is so much safer to use mike & neli shipping incorporated than the alternatives. At least, we hope it is

You know, in the last few years, places like C|Net and engadget have started covering CES big time. They really overwhelm the internet so it is hard for little guys [like us!] to compete in some ways. Have to figure a way around that

2010?

It’s been 10 years in this millennium already?

We’ll have two rooms, both Audio Note-based, one for the upper end of things (powered by the Gaku-On’s ) and one just a little bit lower (powered by the Jinro - a copper version on the Ongaku integrated amp).

A complete list of equipment will be forthcoming.

We had thse speakers for a few days. Really quite nice looking. And they sounded quite nice too They sit around the $20K mark and have out-board crossovers.

[Yes, the power is back on. They really do a pretty good job here, considering we are in the mtns and how all the power-lines and pine trees often try to share the same space].

For your viewing pleasure - some photos of the Audio Note AN/E SPe HE high-efficiency speakers in plain maple. Retail price is $7600.00

You will notice that the maple that Audio Note is using is more interesting than the plain jane maple we often see here in the States.

The speakers are also brand new - and compared to the much older (~7 years) maple of the Acoustic Dreams rack, it is lighter in color. But, expect it to also gain some slight patina [color] over time as it ages.

The color in these photos is very close to real. Yes, our carpet has a touch of burgundy in its darkish gray [we thought that the purplish color of the carpet would help it go with the many pieces Mahogany and red Cherry furniture we have - and it does. It also is a little more cheery than plain gray].

But enough about the carpet on to the photos!