Author: Dimitar

First Impressions of the Audio Note OTO Phono SE Signature Integrated Amplifier

I have the pleasure of enjoying the Audio Note OTO Phono SE Signature amplifier in my system. Peter Qvortrup, the owner of Audio Note UK, was generous enough to send me a unit to test and review. In my initial email to him, I simply stated that I was interested in this pure Class A single-ended amplifier, which would probably suit my taste better than my push-pull Line Magnetic LM-211IA. A few weeks later, Andy Whittle, the Sales Manager of Audio Note UK, was standing downstairs with a large, 20-kilogram box containing the requested amplifier. After unpacking it, I realized that I’m not accustomed to seeing such solid build quality every day.

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Visit by Michael Methe

I went to Kassel over the weekend, just to meet Michael Methe and his buddy Martin Bober, as well as to listen to their systems. For those of you who have never heard of Michael, I just want to say that he is very special to me and that his blog was the main inspiration for me to start blogging myself. He is well known in German audio circles, and his website is a database of meticulously documented DIY projects, modifications of commercial products, and experiences in the realm of audio reproduction. Following his winding road in the pursuit of perfect sound has brought me immense pleasure and has greatly expanded my understanding.

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Audio System Adjustment Using Natural Sound Recordings

Today I would like to talk about a method for adjusting an audio system with the help of recorded natural sounds. Why natural sound recordings? There are several reasons, but the aim is to make it easier to refer to real-life acoustic events. The first point is that such recordings are made in open spaces—somewhere in the woods or in the fields—which means they are stripped of room resonances and reverberation. Although close-miked studio recordings also eliminate most environmental acoustic artefacts, the resonances and reverberation inherent to the musical instruments themselves may overlap with the reverberation modes of the listening room, making the two relatively difficult to distinguish.

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Line Magnetic LM-211IA Integrated Tube Amplifier

I postponed writing this review for quite some time, being aware that reviewing a component I own and use as a reference might not be very useful to the reader. I mean, the LM-211IA is the best amplifier I have ever had in my system, and since I have never heard anything better, there is nothing else I can say other than to praise its virtues and express my positive feelings toward its performance. This, I guess, might be rather boring to read, and that is why I was thinking of writing this review only after stumbling upon an amplifier that could outperform it, giving me a proper point of comparison.

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My Audiophile Journey

It all started with my love for music. We did not have proper audio equipment back in the iron curtain times of the 1980s, which were dominated by cheap Russian transistor electronics. I was first introduced to what could be considered an advanced audio system in the home of my drawing teacher, where I attended lessons together with a group of other children.

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