First impressions at California audio Show

[RGA]

Accepting the 18 dB corner boost for "low" notes, then the numbers are more or less plausible.

The closest standard Seas 8" woofer is the Presitige CA22RNX, (here). According to my Bass Box Pro program, in a 2.7 cu.ft box, (about the size of AN's), the -18 dB point is about 16 Hz. (This make sense since the -3 db point is around 31 and the roll-off for a standard vented box is 18 dB/octave.) So AN's spec is arguably conservative stating -6 dB at 18 Hz.

On the other hand with the steep 18 dB/oct roll-off it's pretty difficult to imagine a smooth compensation with corner placement -- what is the roll-off of Donald North's 18 dB boost with rising frequency??? For me it's easier to imagine setting up for smooth response with the closed box AN-K model with a 6 dB/oct roll-off. BassBox estimates a -22 dB at 17 Hz for the same woofer in the AN-K's approx. 1 cu.ft box-- yet for that model AN makes the much less extravagant claim of "50 Hz to 20 Hz (-6 dB)".

Peter unfortunately doesn't much care about the website - it was created by a fan of his stuff - 2 points -

1) the 8 inch woofer you linked does not look much like the AN woofer so we can't be sure it's the same - it is possible that when AN says it's a custom woofer that it truly is a custom woofer and they don't make it for anyone else. For instance there is a Tonnegan tweeter that AN uses but AN has had all the Ferro-Fluid removed - the speakers are air-cooled and there is a completely different magnet on the speaker. That's a big custom change so while you can buy the shell it's not really the same. Also, the AN E woofer is not a long throw woofer so if you see any of those cross them off consideration. Hemp, not long throw, foam surround.

2) The AN K is rated free standing according to Peter and not corner loaded like the J and E. I asked him on another forum about this and I can't remember why he said he placed a spec for free standing position. According to Peter in a corner the AN K is 36hz -6db. I also know that he is not entirely happy with the AN K in the sense that it has some compromises in the speaker that he was forced to make due to the size of Audio Note as a company. For instance he wanted a foam surround for the AN K but to get that driver he would need to order 500 pairs at a time. So he is using a rubber surround. That is an upgrade to make for the K. I think there are plenty of things he would do personally to a lot of things but it has to fit an end price that has some possibility of sale. I think the majority of companies are in the same boat.

[Feanor]

Peter unfortunately doesn't much care about the website - it was created by a fan of his stuff - 2 points -

...

If the AN-E`s woofer is hemp and foam then it isn`t the CA22RNX for sure. Conceivably that woofer is the one used in the AN-K.

I still have misgivings about boosting below the -3 dB roll-off frequency, at least with the steep, vented box 18 dB/octave. A real expert, (with all due respect), would have to assure me that corner placement has at least a roughly complementary boost effect.

I like the idea of closed boxes. In this case boost below -3 dB is often recommented, albeit usually by electronically means rather than by corner placement. Of course the electronic boost isn't efficient in terms of the amp power required.

[RGA]

If the AN-E`s woofer is hemp and foam then it isn`t the CA22RNX for sure. Conceivably that woofer is the one used in the AN-K.

I still have misgivings about boosting below the -3 dB roll-off frequency, at least with the steep, vented box 18 dB/octave. A real expert, (with all due respect), would have to assure me that corner placement has at least a roughly complementary boost effect.

I like the idea of closed boxes. In this case boost below -3 dB is often recommented, albeit usually by electronically means rather than by corner placement. Of course the electronic boost isn't efficient in terms of the amp power required.

Unfortunately the AN K woofer is not a SEAS it's a Vifa.

The problem is that all the measurements that have been done have been free standing. And most of the time they're not positioned in corners because most people are not used to it. In England Audio Note will drive to your house and set it up for you to try so there is absolutely zero excuse for people living in England not to try them - costs nothing but some time (Peter also runs a high end shop in Denmark so people living there also probably have the same in home service). Here where I live you can take home anything to try so it's not like that costs anything but some gas and some time. And a couple of dealers in the US will mail you stuff so to me it's a try it and see. All speakers and gear should be a try it and see. It's not like they're the only game in town. There are other ways to get deep bass. A popular one is the old small two ways standmount with a sub in between or two subs (IMO better) and a good sub will play deeper and louder. I have never heard a truly good system doing this except for George Lucas' favorite M&K gear but even then I didn't care for the treble.

I think Peter relies heavily on the acoustics papers done by Bell Labs, L.L Bearanek the opera house designer acoustician, speaker designer who designed the boxes, Peter Snell, and N. W. McLaughlin's Loudspeakers, McGraw-Hill 1934 (Peter believes this is the best book on loudspeaker basics that has been written) and Any of Harry Ohlsons books.

And hey why not skip the AN E and look into speakers Peter thinks are the absolute best of the lot?

"The treble and midrange on the Lowthers [PM4] was one of the best I have ever encountered, and I have owned pretty much everything over the past 35 years, from Voigt's field coil driven horns, Tannoy's original 1950's Westminster's, Siemens Klangfilm and WE cinema systems to B&W DM70s, stacked Quad 57's, Beveridge System 2's, Acoustats, to Hill's Plasmatronics, Heil's full range AMT, Snell A/IIIs you name it, I have at some time or another had them all and what they all has taught me is not insubstantial.

I rate the Lowther PM4 system and the Siemens systems as the best overall, but they are domestically almost impossible unless you live in a mansion, and very few of us do, so something smaller is needed.
Which is why we are here!" http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?...er+Qvortrup&r=