i-audio = Quest Review

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Reviews

i-audio
http://www.hifi.com.sg/=20
Audio Note = Quest=20 Monoblock

When one = thinks of a=20 list of exotic "dream" amplifier brands, Audio Note easily comes = to=20 mind. A specialist manufacturer of hand-built triode tube = amplifiers,=20 they are credited for bringing prices of audio equipment to new = heights=20 of giddiness with the introduction of the Ongaku in 1988. An = integrated=20 tube amplifier using Single-Ended circuitry and boasting a = humongous 27=20 watts of pure Class A power and retailing at over = S$100,000!=20
So much attention was = focused on this=20 exotic range of models that people forgot that Audio Note also = makes a=20 range of excellent sounding amplifiers at much more = down-to-earth=20 prices. The Quest monoblock is such an example.=20
A Pure Class A Single-Ended = design=20 making use of one 300B output tube per channel, the Quest is=20 conservatively rated at 9 watts per channel, about standard fare = for=20 this genre of amplifier. What is not so ordinary is how powerful = and=20 controlled it sound, even when driving medium sensitivity = speakers. But=20 then, I'm getting a little ahead of myself.=20
Circuitry-wise, it uses tube = rectification and a choke regulated power supply to supply the = DC to the=20 main board, where a 6SN7 dual triode serves as an input/driver = tube that=20 acts as the first gain-stage. The second gain-stage is the = output using=20 a 300B direct-heated triode before being connected to the = hand-wound=20 output transformers with separate tapping for 4 or 8 Ohms. An = extremely=20 simple and direct signal path that I think, plays an important = role in=20 defining the transparent nature of this amplifier. All = components in the=20 signal path are direct-wired, signal capacitors are Audio Note's = Copper-Foil paper-in-oil caps, critical wiring consists of their = own=20 pure silver interconnects and all output transformers are = hand-wound=20 in-house.=20
Review equipment included = Audio Note's=20 new 1x oversampling DAC 1x (review upcoming), the M-2 tube = preamp, AVVT=20 32B-SL output tubes, Totem Acoustic Sttaf (88dB/8 Ohms) and Arro = (87=20 dB/4 Ohms) loudspeakers and of course, Audio Note interconnect = and=20 speaker cables.=20
First impressions were very = positive,=20 especially the sense of ease and control of the bass when = driving the=20 Totems. This was quite an achievement once you take in = consideration the=20 fact that Totems do not come with a reputation as being easy to = drive=20 speakers. Percussion tracks were rendered with sufficient speed = and=20 definition to enable you to follow easily each beat in the = music.=20 Nowhere was there any sign of the notorious 'tube slowness' that = I so=20 often hear about. All this was coupled with an amazingly wide = sense of=20 dynamics that things like Kodo drums seemed to literally come = alive=20 right in front of me! I was able to drive the speakers to very=20 neighbor-unfriendly levels before any signs of dynamic = compression set=20 in.=20
I approached the review of = the Quest=20 300B monoblocks with pretty strong ideas of what a Single-Ended=20 amplifier should sound like - namely having a warm, smooth and = sweet=20 midrange, 3D soundstaging and airy highs. It didn't disappoint = on any of=20 those points, but added to the musical palette other = not-so-expected=20 qualities like excellent transient response (speed), huge = dynamics,=20 almost see-through transparency and a bass response with control = that=20 belied its low power.=20
Simply put, this amplifier = really kicks=20 ass! I went out of my way to test the Quest to its limits by = playing=20 full orchestral pieces, complex percussion tracks, busy fusion = jazz and=20 even some techno with heavy, synthesized bass.... they always = remained=20 composed and never lost grip of the music. I tell you, these = babies can=20 really make music and always in a way that was emotional and = involving.=20
I have heard many good = sounding tube=20 amps - and that includes not a few of the Single-Ended variety. = But the=20 Audio Note Quest set new standards. It has a balanced set of = strengths=20 in all sonic areas. Musical, seductive, and totally captivating = in its=20 portrayal of the essence of the music, it has become a new = reference for=20 me and I encourage everyone to audition the Quests before buying = anything else - cos' you really haven't lived until you hear = these=20 little wonders in action.=20

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