Review: Audio Note Conquest Tube amp
Category: Amplifiers
I just had to share my musical experiences with my Audio Note M3 pre and my new SET Conquest monoblocks (4 x 300b). Sorry if it's a bit emotional but that's how it makes me feel...
"I now have real music, real vocal, real flutes and violins, real guitars. I am listening to just that, the music, not a pile of electronic black boxes.
I was originally running the M3 pre through a big MF MossFett power amp, which I thought was ok, but even though I had plenty of volume and low end power, I got uncomfortable with it after an hour or so. Since the Conquest power amps arrived, I now know why.
The synergy with the pre-power combo is superb. I replaced the M3 valves, hooked up the system, and from the first note just sat down in disbelief!
Plus 4 days in and it is still improving, even smoother, even more realistic. I find I am playing it louder than with the old MF A370 and the big kef 107/2s. And the bass is
very close extension wise, but much better in speed and slap and realism. The mids and highs are in another league, Scarborough FC and Chelsea FC.
The projection of the sound stage is remarkable. I left it on the other day, and before I unlocked the front door I thought I heard someone singing in the kitchen, seriously!
Biggest change/upgrade is to orchestral, voice, wind instruments and organ music. But everything else is hugely smoother, with no fatigue at all.
The other weird thing, the difference between recordings (all music types) is greater than before. Good recording are very good, great recordings are really fantastic. And I can here traffic rumble on some orchestral passages which contain solo instrument or voice passages. Something I never heard before except through the Stax headphones. Plus the decay on cymbals...superb.
I realise now I was not playing a lot of my CDs. Not because I had got bored of the music, but because the sound on this one or that one was steely, too bright, too false. Now I can listen to any, and hear them for what they are, but with no fatigue or dashing for the volume control.
Sum up - 18 watts of pure heaven. Fantastically recommended.
Product Weakness: gets warm, needs plenty of ventilation, heavy.
Product Strengths: Low level detail, realism esp in vocal and piano, real music, no grain, superb bass for tubes, no fatique, plays many real world speakers, makes CD's closer to vinyl.
Associated gear
Amplifier: Conquest mono blocks
Preamplifier AN M3 tube pre
AN CD trans, AN Kit DAC 1.1
Zingali Overture 2s (horn hybrid)
Cables/Interconnects: AN Silver ANV
Similar products
Audio Silver Knights 300b, Audio Note Meishu, McIntosh 275
