Greetings friends, I hope you are doing well.
Today is the Thanksgiving Holiday in the US, and as you will read in a moment, I have a lot to be thankful for today, and my hope is that you do too.
Today's Fresh Catch is the all-new version of the Audio Note (UK) 300B Meishu Phono Silver Tonmeister integrated amplifier!
Audio Note (UK) Meishu 300B Phono Silver Tonmeister integrated amplifier.
If you are a longtime reader you already know I love integrated amplifiers. They give you the biggest bang for your buck performance-wise, and I love having everything together in one chassis.
Long time readers also know I love single-ended amplifiers, both single-ended-pentode (the Oto) and single-ended-triode amplifiers, so you can imagine that I was quite excited that the Audio Note (UK) Meishu Phono Silver Tonmeister single-ended-triode integrated amplifier had arrived!
Peter Qvortrup (Audio Note (UK)) told me to be careful for my back while unpacking and lifting it out of its shipping container, as the Meishu Phono Silver Tonmeister is a big heavy amplifier, and it certainly is!
At 29.5 kg (65 pounds) and dimensions of 220 mm / 8.7 inches height, 460 mm / 18.1 inches width, and 530 mm / 20.9 inches depth, the Meishu is a handful to lift and move around.
Topless Meishu 300B Phono Silver Tonmeister integrated amplifier.
Once I had it out of its shipping carton - with my back intact - I placed it on an Acoustic Revive air isolation platform, while I busied myself removing the 20 screws (!) that hold the top cover in place so I could install the Psvane 300B vacuum tubes and 5U4GB rectifier that were packed separately.
Diagram courtesy of Audio Note (UK).
I'll tell you all about the details of the tube complement at a later date, but I want to say I was really impressed with the packaging of the Audio Note (UK) branded Psvane 300B vacuum tubes.
Inside the box there's a clamshell style molded plastic "air-cocoon" that the 300B - wrapped in bubble wrap - rests in. It's the coolest way to keep vacuum tubes safe during transport I've ever seen.
Sorry, in my excitement to get the tubes installed I didn't get detailed photos, but I will follow up with more in the future.
Topless Meishu 300B Phono Silver Tonmeister integrated amplifier.
The photos do not do the interior of the Meishu justice, it is absolutely stunning to behold the interior, with its gorgeous transformers, component parts, and vacuum tubes, this Meishu just oozes quality and fine craftsmanship.
From the Audio Note (UK) website: "The circuit is now a beautiful example of elegant simplification, something that could only be realised thanks to our ability to create extremely closely matched transformers in-house, and having our own supply of custom resistors, in-house made foil capacitors and custom made electrolytic capacitors. These allow us to exert extremely tight control over the performance and voicing of the complete amplifier from input to output, something that is simply beyond the possibilities of manufacturers who have to rely on 'off the shelf' components."
Topless Meishu 300B Phono Silver Tonmeister integrated amplifier.
I'll follow up with some more detailed photos of the interior as I get more familiar with the Meishu. Power transformer bottom right, 5U4GB rectifier next to it.
From the Audio Note (UK) website: "The new PSU uses only one mains transformer, one 5U4 rectifier valve and one choke. When this arrangement is optimised, it works extremely well, producing a very homogeneous and ‘complete’ sound."
You can see the 12AU7, 5687, and 300B tubes in the middle.
From the Audio Note (UK) website: "The input and driver stage is very similar to that found in the JINRO, TOMEI and ONGAKU, with a 12AU7 and 5687 driving an in-house designed and manufactured inter-stage transformer for the best energy transfer, evenness and authority. This is the most important, fundamental upgrade over the original (Meishu) design."
Topless Meishu 300B Phono Silver Tonmeister integrated amplifier.
In the photo above, the 'black box' in the bottom middle of the photo is the shielding of the phono stage. Output transformers are bottom left, interstage transformers bottom right.
Andy Grove, Audio Note UK Senior Engineer.
From Audio Note (UK): "The output transformers for the new MEISHU were designed specifically for the project by Andy Grove, and it is not an overstatement to say that they are superb."
Meishu 300B Phono Silver Tonmeister warming up and getting ready to play music.
After getting the Meishu's top cover's 20 screws (!) back in place, I installed the Meishu into the system.
Audio Note (UK) Io I moving coil phonograph cartridge.
Audio Note (UK) AN-S4 step-up transformer (SUT).
Audio Note (UK) AN-V silver interconnects.
The Audio Note (UK) Io I moving coil phonograph cartridge, AN-S4 step-up transformer (SUT), and AN-V silver interconnects provided the analog signal from my CTC Garrard 301 turntable to the Meishu.
Audio Note (UK) CD 4.1x CD player.
For a digital source, Peter sent along a beautiful top-loading Audio Note (UK) CD 4.1x CD player. I'll be following up with a Today's Fresh Catch introduction to the CD 4.1x in the near future.
Duelund Dual DCA16GA interconnect, photo courtesy of Duelund Coherent Audio.
I connected the CD 4.1x to the Meishu with Duelund 'Dual' DCA16GA tinned-copper interconnects terminated with Duelund RCAs.
I connected the Meishu to my Tannoy Westminster Royal SE loudspeakers with the original Duelund DCA16GA tinned-copper speaker cables.
Audio Note (UK) AN-SPe silver loudspeaker cables.
In due time, I'll be installing the Audio Note (UK) AN-SPe silver loudspeaker cables, so stay tuned for that.
System photo with Audio Note (UK) components on Nov. 25th.
Today, November 25th, is the Thanksgiving Holiday in the US, and having this beautiful system up and running and playing music is definitely something to be thankful for!
Meishu 300B Phono Silver Tonmeister.
I want to thank Peter Qvortrup for sending the Meishu and CD 4.1x for me to tell you about.
In case you don't know, audio equipment sales have skyrocketed during the pandemic - like a lot of consumer items - and inventories are very low, with manufacturers not having enough inventory to even send out review components to audio writers.
Audio Note (UK) CD 4.1x CD player.
So it is a real privilege to have Peter send me the Meishu and CD 4.1x to tell you about during busy times like this, because I know he's going full-speed-ahead trying to meet the avalanche of customer orders.
As I mentioned earlier, I'll be writing up a Today's Fresh Catch article to introduce you to the Audio Note (UK) CD 4.1x CD player in the near future.
Also, I'll be talking to Peter's senior engineers and scientists to tell you all about the technical aspects of the Meishu and CD 4.1x.
Here's some technical info from the Audio Note (UK) website about the Meishu for you to look at until then:
As I get some more time on the Meishu and CD 4.1x I'll be writing up some initial listening impressions for you, and then periodic updates as I get closer to writing the feature articles about them for Positive Feedback.
The Positive Feedback feature reviews are quite a ways off, but I'll be sharing lots of listening adventures with you here at Jeff's Place about the Meishu and CD 4.1x along the way to keep you informed about the developing story.
However, I can tell this now: Even straight out of their shipping cartons the Meishu and CD 4.1x are sounding magnificent, so that bodes very well for when everything is fully run-in, and I get the system optimally voiced for them.
Additionally, I'll do some 'round-robin' listening on both my Westminsters and my vintage Altec A5 Voice of the Theatre loudspeakers, and perhaps some other soon to be announced loudspeakers for you.
Here is a link to the Owner's Manual for the Audio Note (UK) Meishu 300B Phono Silver Tonmeister integrated amplifier so you can do a little day-dreaming about owning a Meishu of your own (HERE).
The Audio Note (UK) Meishu 300B Phono Silver Tonmeister integrated amplifier pricing in the USA is $19,300.00.
As always, thanks for stopping by, and may the tone be with you!
