STATUS - SOLD
Click here for more pictures
Description :
The Audio Note OTO SE is Audio Note's entry level single-ended amplifier running in single-ended pentode mode. It has been selling for 16 years since 1992, and continues to beguile, amaze, and sneak into the hearts of owners for its sheer beauty at replaying recorded material. The amplifier combines full functionality with a high quality single-ended tube circuit that imbues it with a powerful sound that belies its 10-watt power rating. Great attention is paid to the interstage behavior and bandwidth time constants, in amplifiers with feedback, which all pentode amplifiers must have, aligning the time constants in the closed loop with the circuit's natural response constants in the output transformer. All these are encased in an elegant protective chassis that would find a welcome home in any situation.
The Audio Note OTO SE is easy to operate, and there is no biasing to worry about and thus no need for volt meters. It's as plug-and-play as it gets for tube amplifiers. The Audio Note OTO SE has 8 tubes that can last for around 8,000 hours. Firing up the OTO SE with its paltry 10 watts of EL84 power, it is shocking how truly powerful this amp can sound: full range, crystal clear to a high levels, and absolutely no noises, hums, or hisses. In some ways the OTO SE might be considered a true powerhouse at ten watts compared to a great many SET amps of the sub-three-watt variety. At ten watts, the Audio Note OTO SE is certainly not for everyone because it simply can't drive a lot of the speakers on the market to acceptable volume levels. Fortunately, more and more efficient speakers are coming out which will afford owners the opportunity to get into amplifiers like the OTO SE, allowing them to buy amplifiers based on sound quality rather than power requirements.
The sound of Audio Note OTO SE is satisfyingly full, dynamic, and clear, sounding and wonderfully informative through the midrange. It has a tremendous ability to resolve subtle detail and add nuances never heard in other amplifiers. The bass offers three-dimensional organic qualities. It opens up the lowest octave, revealing how low the line plummeted, the weight behind it and the fabric of the individual notes it contained. The Audio Note OTO SE is able to provide a powerful level of drive when needed, while also delicately delineating the subtleties of acoustic instruments and vocals. There is a glorious combination of leading edge attack and full-bodied decay with astonishing bass depth and a grain-free open treble reproduction. The OTO SE has a beauty of tone, timbre, and a full-bodied enveloping sound that makes it difficult to resist on any music program.
Percussion strikes and horn stabs have great dynamism and timbre realism. The Audio Note OTO SE's warm, full-blooded presentation of voices display authority and solidity. Even in less efficient speakers, the OTO SE shows grip and finesse, especially with potent bass lines. All instruments appear solid, for instance, the flute having palpable substance supporting notes that are predominantly breath on the standard amplifier. The OTO SE's scrupulous demeanor makes better sense of intricately arranged jazz. It sorts out a six-piece arrangement beautifully to give a more plausible view of the music's harmonic and temporal structure. It better relates different instrumental lines to each other, sounding cohesive and adept. The OTO SE makes events more telling, locking them into a stricter temporal and tuneful regimen than the standard amplifier, where the music sounded looser and less expertly ordered. The Audio Note OTO SE is by no means an inexpensive amplifier for most, but it is in the reach of many audiophiles looking to get a real taste of the organic musicality.
Specifications :
Maximum Output.............................10 watts Class A
Tubes..............................................4 x ECC83
...............................................4 x EL84
Inputs..............................................CD1, CD2, Tuner, Tape In
Outputs...........................................Tape Out, Pre Out
Input Impedance...............................100k ohms (Line in)
Input Sensitivity................................350mV (Line in)
Fuse Ratings...................................1.6 amperes anti-surge (110/120V supply)
....................................1 ampere anti-surge (200/240V supply)
Dimensions(w x d x h)......................44.5 x 45.5 x 14.5 cm
Weight............................................17kg
Miscellaneous :
Made In...........................................UK, England
Condition.........................................9/10
Product Information :
http://www.audionote.co.uk/products/amps_integrated/oto_se_01.shtml
Reviews :
http://www.audionote.co.uk/articles/reviews/AudioNoteOTOPhonoSE.pdf
http://www.malcolmsteward.co.uk/?page_id=1357 |