Some time has passed since the Audio Note OTO SE Signature took over the amplification duties in my audio system, and as usually happens when a new component of higher quality is introduced, some deficiencies intrinsic to other links in the audio chain begin to reveal themselves. Armed with some new knowledge obtained during my communication with Peter Qvortrup, I went through a process of system optimization evolving around this single-ended amplifier, with the main goal of bringing out the best in it. I am glad to say that the end result is a level of enjoyment that has surpassed anything I have experienced before.
As you might have noticed from the cover photo, I got rid of the acoustic diffusers behind the speakers. There is simply no need for them, as the curtains are doing the main job of absorbing unwanted sound waves between the speakers. As a next step, I rewired my Belden 8402 interconnect cables according to the common standard of grounding the shield at one end only, thus no longer using the shield for signal transfer. It turned out that such wiring yields better results – a dead-silent background and stress-free reproduction.
The next thing I did was to optimize the speakers’ performance by introducing softer gaskets for decoupling the drivers from the baffles and adding sand to the pockets just below the horn mouth opening. It is simply astonishing what a certain amount of sand can bring in terms of weight and volume articulation of reproduced instruments. Separation and presence are affected tremendously, but it is the inner contrast that is the most striking aspect and the main contributor to the believability of the reproduction. As with so many other things, the right amount of such additions is essential. When too much sand is used, for example, the guitar starts resembling a piano, and its strings are no longer soft but become harp-like and stiff. The balance is very fragile, and it is a challenge to decide when to stop and where the golden mean lies, where the parts are harmoniously woven into the fabric of the whole.
One thing I learned is that during critical listening for sound evaluation, one should not fix all of their attention on a particular instrument within a given record but rather keep perspective on the overall sonic picture. What I used to do while evaluating components was listen for the pure tone and characteristic timbre of a particular instrument. This kind of mistake is so common nowadays – concentrating on a single instrument within a particular recording – and even well-known audio reviewers fall into this trap. I have been making the same mistake for so long: I would adjust the piano in one recording to sound realistic, and in the next one everything would be gone. One thing that helped me overcome this fallacy was my introduction to Audio Note’s system for component evaluation, summarized in the essay Are You On The Road to Audio Hell?
Peter Qvortrup developed the concept of comparison by contrast in the late 1970s as a way of reducing the influence of personal preferences on the judgment of whether something represents an improvement or not. As Peter told me: “This has essentially guided everything we do since then.” I would even go further by saying that judging by contrast is the main advantage Audio Note has over others. It is simply a method of comparison that takes sonic differences into account. The point is that while listening, one should not concentrate on the instruments themselves but on the surrounding silence, the soft echoes constituting the so-called hall colorations, and the recording artifacts.
I formulated this process in the late 1970s when I started playing with the sound of different parts. I noticed that recordings had different sonic characters that basically must have been imprinted by the equipment used to record them, the room, and other unique aspects specific to each recording. When I then started to listen only for these differences, I found it much easier to distinguish between better and worse equipment.
Peter Qvortrup
I have to confess that the idea of listening for the sonic character of a record had never crossed my mind before. There are so many audiophiles claiming that we should not concentrate on spatial clues and other sonic traits, but instead on information relevant to the musical content, such as timbre, tone, rhythm, melody, and so on. But especially when it comes to judging reproduction qualities, that approach is utterly wrong – low-level details locked inside the recording process are the key element. They are difficult to reproduce but easy to assess.
I was quite skeptical at the beginning and doubted that this could lead to something good. I also assumed that there might be cases where a component, despite its ability to underline sonic differences between records, could still lack musicality. But then Peter made me realize that what I call “musicality” does not actually exist as an equipment attribute. What I used to describe as “non-musical” in terms of hardware was actually caused by a lack of contrast, and such terminology, when used to describe sonic attributes of a record or equipment, is not precise. It should be reserved for references to musical content only.
If the equipment reveals a lack of what you call musicality, then it is because the recording lacks that quality. A good example of this is comparing Heifetz and Milstein playing Bloch’s Baal Shem. Heifetz is exact but lacks what I would call musicality; Milstein, on the other hand, well…
Peter Qvortrup
Peter is very pragmatic in what he has been doing for more than 30 years, and he gladly helped me free myself from some misconceptions I used to take for granted.
Comparison by contrast is merciless. Any sameness imparted by the equipment reduces contrast and thus disqualifies the equipment as inaccurate.
Peter Qvortrup
Guided by this concept, and determined to put it to the test, I adjusted the system in accordance with the idea of emphasizing contrast on both micro and macro levels. My record collection became more saturated, and the sonic differences between records increased dramatically. But also, within a given record, the contrast between soft and loud, near and far, low and high, light and heavy has increased immensely. The overall result is extremely satisfying and represents a pinnacle in my listening experience at home. A musician friend of mine, who was recently at my place, needed only a few minutes to conclude: “What a separation!” It is actually amazing what this humble system delivers with the presence of the OTO and the fine adjustments I mentioned. This is something very rewarding, especially after all these time-consuming efforts, but all I can say is that it is worth it.
Now the only thing left is to enjoy music, which I truly do. In this regard, I cannot skip saying “Thank you!” to ECM for their commitment to sound quality and their decision to make their entire catalog available for streaming. If you wonder where to start, I would suggest the album Vaghissimo Ritratto by Gianluigi Trovesi.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!