The Birth of ONGAKU
1988. The first page of the bright history of Audio Note.
Audio Note's ONGAKU was born this year, instantly attracted attentions from audiophile around the world.
Audio Note's vacuum tube amplifiers started shipping overseas.
Reviewers from leading audio magazines, e.g. "Hi-Fi Choice", "Audiophile" from UK and "The Absolute Sound" from US, reported their surprises and appreciations about the good sound qualities which they had never heard of. Among them, ONGAKU which employed big size power tubes 211 in the amplification stage; stole the hearts of audio fans with her overwhelming expression of rich musical details.
ONGAKU's magic and its good comments are still spinning around the world without slowing down.
Audio Note's high reputation and good comments are building up on this solid platform.
The Audio Silversmith
People call Audio Note's founder Mr. Hiroyasu Kondo "the Audio Silversmith".
Being the first person to use silver wires in audio designs, Mr. Kondo was given names of "The Audio Silversmith" and "The Master of Best Audio" for his position in the audio industry.
To get “the highest sound quality”, Mr. Kondo did comprehensive researches from the input position of audio signal up to the sound output, without a bit of compromise.
The charm of silver wires was brought up by his hands.
The sound of silver is warm yet vivid; it can fully express the vitality of music.
With bold but prudent idea to get the highest sound quality through using silver, an expensive metal which had never been used in audio design before, the sound character of Audio Note then was created. Audio Note silver wire is a product of audio passion with careful attentions on material handlings. And the products that applied Audio Note silver wire deliver sound qualities that reached and beyond the highest worldwide standard.
The products of Audio Note are made for and bond with audiophile’s heart. They seamlessly blend audio into music, with the ability of playback music with the best audio performances.
KONDO Audionote
Founder KONDO
Audio Note founder is Mr. Hiroyasu Kondo; Mr. Hiroyasu Kondo is Audio Note.
An idea flashed across Mr. Kondo's mind at his teenage time. He wrote it down and the name Audio Note was created.
Our company was named with "Note".
"Note" is the basic element of music, they link to become a piece of guitar solo, an opera or a big scale orchestra. Man is just another link, transforming audio into an art of music playback.
Handcrafting products set by set demand more time and efforts, undoubtedly it is the only way to get the highest quality.
The name reminds us about this law since only pages of note filled with hearts can made a good book.
Mr. Kondo passed away at 8th Jan 2006 when attending CES at Las Vegas.
Even though leaving a lot of ideas unfinished, Mr. Kondo lived a life of an audio legend until the end at age 64.
Mr. Kondo loved audio and electrical engineering from his children time.
After graduated from university, he entered TEAC and engaged in the development of the data recorder.
Then he joined CBS SONY as a record production engineer where he became familiar with different professional studio equipments.
It was a time when the evolution of the design of studio amplifier took place.
Differential amplifier which transmit signal in the balanced mode become the mainstream for mixer applications.
There was a call for high performance signal transformer.
Although electrical performances and figures were highly improved by sophisticated electronic designs, Mr. Kondo doubted about their influences to sound quality.
Rather than using electronic circuit approaches, he believed using signal transformer made of the best materials and processes was a more possible way to get the highest sound quality.
This idea had been proven with time.
At 1976, Mr. Kondo left CBS SONY and started Audio Note. With and for his love of music and audio.
Then Audio Note's first product MC step up transformer was developed.
Mr. Kondo realized lowest resistance conductor could deliver highest sound quality.
With enamel coatings and other cable making processes to the silver purchased from metal engraving shops, he made the Audio Note silver wire.
Using low resistance silver wires in the MC step up transformer did not only improve the sound quality, it also changed the image of transformer to audiophile.
When silver is associated with audio, people think about Audio Note.
Right after the release of silver wire at 1977, good comments about the sound quality of silver speaker cable's raised Audio Note reputation rapidly.
Then the use of Alnico magnet core with silver wire in MC cartridge won the appreciations of audiophile again with its sharp details yet rich and lifelike presentations.
The legendary 211 triode amplifier "ONGAKU" was born at 1989.
Using over 4 kg of sterling silver wire at each output transformer, the magical combination of high quality materials and good design let "ONGAKU" surpassed the performances of conventional amplifiers easily.
The name "ONGAKU" was given by Mr. Shibasaki. With his company Sibatech Co. Ltd., Mr. Shibasaki was our coordinator and oversea market developer at the beginning of our business. He is a great helper and good friend of Audio Note.
At 1981, we acquired the famous horn and driver unit maker YL acoustic. Audio Note added a new mission of building good horn speaker systems.
The Pioneer of silver audio - Kondo - Audio Note
The legend continues
After founder Mr. Kondo pass away, there is no change in Audio Note.
The philosophy of handmaking product set by set have no change.
The use of pure silver wires have no change.
Making transformer by the most skillful technician, making original silver capacitors, using direct wiring on all products.
All for the making of good sound quality.
Everyone has own taste of good and bad sound. However, there is good sound beyond them.
True good sound is something that you will never get tired of when listening. The sound that appeal to the deepest emotions of human.
To play this sound, Audio Note use the best materials and make products by hearts.
Never go mass-production! Audio Note always proud of her own products, every piece is a creation.
To fulfill audiophile dreams. To be original. To make products reaching the realm of art.
It is the policy of Audio Note.
Chronology
| 1976 | Audio Note started |
|---|---|
| 1976 | Silver winding step up transformer debuted |
| 1976 | MOSFET Preamplifier Meister-7 debuted MOSFET Preamplifier M7 debuted |
| 1977 | Silver interconnect, speaker cable debuted |
| 1979 | Organization changed (Capital JPY6,000,000) |
| 1979 | MC cartridge「IO」debuted |
| 1981 | Acquired YL acoustic, starting development of horn speaker system |
| 1982 | 211 Push-Pull amplifier released |
| 1983 | Exciter type MC cartridge「IO-Limted」debuted |
| 1986 | 20cm cone driver unit「2001-20SP」debuted 38cm cone driver unit「2001-38W」debuted |
| 1987 | Capital increased to JPY16,000,000. |
| 1987 | Automotive used speaker debuted |
| 1989 | Silver foil condenser, Silver windings OPT debuted. 211Single-ended power amplifier「ONGAKU」debuted |
| 1990 | UK audio magazine reviewed Audio Note and products. Worldwide sales started. |
| 1990 | AUDIO NOTE UK started as a base for overseas marketing activities (AUDIO NOTE UK has no relationship with Audio Note now) |
| 1997 | Business activities and relationship with AUDIO NOTE UK ended |
| 2003 | ANJ International started, taking position of overseas marketing base |
| 2007 | Moved to current factory site at Kawasaki |
| 2009 | Japan domestic sales started |
| 2010 | Audio Note International started |
