The four-source input selector that satisfyingly engages when using it and the volume control that operates without a scratch are crying out to be touched and turned by hand - a pleasure given the firm feel but one that nonetheless forces you to get out of your listening armchair from time to time. Now back to the electronics: The amplifier resists any attempts to operate it by remote control. And while its blue bass-midrange driver made from hemp fibers (hence the addition of “Hemp” to the name”) don’t make it a poser, it certainly is an eye-catcher. Because that certainly doesn’t apply to every sound transducer, Audio Note followed a logical train of thought and packed a suitable sound transducer with the pallet that arrived from Partridge Green near Brighton: The J/D Hemp is a black compact loudspeaker that rests on incredibly steady (and damn heavy) stands. Given a mere eight watts per channel, the speakers attached here should be pretty efficient. In the amplifier, four ECL82s raise the line signals of the source units to a loudspeaker-compatible level. So forget about glass bulbs warmly glowing in the dark that can end up burning your fingers badly if you don’t handle them properly. In no way do they flaunt the fact they’re valve units. After all, these small white cubes earn their money from a rational reduction on their insides, too. And this is true despite the UK manufacturer truly holding back from engaging in a component orgy on its entry-level offering. Still, it wouldn’t stand a chance against Audio Note’s 2019 valve electronics. Provided the capacitors got a rejuvenation treatment from time to time, the miniature system definitely produces a very decent sound, even by today’s standards. Years later, I added the matching tuner and pre-/power amp combination to that MCF 100. Perhaps that’s because my first serious piece of hi-fi equipment, bought with money I received as confirmation gifts, was a cassette deck from Grundig’s now legendary Mini series. These parts enable the cute little digital player, whose centerpiece features a valve output stage with a 6111WA dual triode, to be operated even when the less than dazzlingly designed dark gray plastic remote-control unit, which falls short of looking at all premium, happens not to be at hand.Īt any rate, these compact units from the UK that were devised in the Baltic states (see also our interview below) impressed me. Lending a dash of color to the CD player, and not just to its exterior, the pleasantly large and therefore easily readable display is bright blue while key controls appear in brushed aluminum. While the finger-caressing buttons on the black version gleam in a contrasting resplendent gold, my stack carries on with the theme of white. This light is joined by an input selector and volume control button on the amplifier. Simplicity lies at the heart of the Zeros’ design: A seamlessly integrated red LED on/off indicator light is all that adorns the front of the phono amp. So high-gloss as only a carefully finished plastic surface can be. No boring silver, no standard black - just pure wedding dress white. The CD Zero disc player, R Zero/II MM phono stage, and I Zero integrated amplifier all appear in that stylish, living-room-compatible, half-size format very much en vogue around here in the 1980s. But valve specialist Audio Note UK has developed a series that’s different: the Zero Chain. And those more than man-sized loudspeakers, the power amps with the dimensions of a child’s coffin, which outdo others in bringing quality sounds to your living room at home, don’t necessarily appeal to the female eye. WAF? Well, ahem, “wife acceptance factor” - in many cases, the ladies have been known to have different tastes. “Aren’t they cute!” exclaimed an opera singer acquaintance of mine, only just in her early twenties, which says a great deal about about the high WAF rating inherent in Audio Note UK‘s entry-level equipment. Small boxes that emit big sounds: That’s the basic idea behind the Zero Chain, which aims to offer an affordable entry into Audio Note’s world (of valves).
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