![]() Qvortrup explained he had to spend a pretty penny to develop various “formulas” for constructing tantalum resistors. The rare metal has been a significant feature of the components Audio Note has developed and manufactured. For Qvortrup, his engineers, and his technicians, the gems, some of which were nearly 100 years old, have actually served, by contrast, as analysis devices: What was already great back then? And what could be improved through, for example, the targeted use of modern materials and manufacturing techniques so the sound quality could audibly benefit as a result? Tantalum plays an important role, indicated Qvortrup. Many a collector or tube fan would’ve no doubt developed sweaty palms and gotten all misty-eyed at the sight of the brand-new-looking 1920s triodes. On the table before us, in any case, was the finest new old stock. Just how enormous was a fact we would discover only bit by bit. To warm up our tour a bit, Audio Note’s charismatic head honcho placed a couple of tubes on the conference room table. The sightseeing tour turned into a virtual roller-coaster ride into the complex audio universe of Qvortrup, a world where truly astonishing manufacturing techniques are deployed by a handful of exceptionally remarkable individuals with immense knowledge and expertise. Then, instead of providing a simple response, he invited us to take a tour of the new consolidated site, which is around three times the size of the previously decentralized premises. Why does this equipment sound better than the cheap Chinese tube devices that have now flooded the market and can be bought for a few euros on certain online portals? Upon hearing that question, Qvortrup just smiled and bit into his coronation chicken sandwich. In addition, his company’s product portfolio follows a clear-cut course: Audio Note UK systematically deploys tube technology - and not just in its amplifiers but also in the output stages of its CD players and in its phono transformers, for example. That gives you a good idea about the kind of entrepreneur he is: one that combines great instinct and ingenuity with solid knowledge in equal measure. A dyed-in-the-wool economics nerd, Qvortrup consumes business and finance literature the way that most people read the daily newspaper. Cutting the umbilical cord from the original Japanese company was one such challenging feat. That Qvortrup had articulated thoughts about relocating parts of the company’s production to EU member states (most Audio Note product components have been manufactured in-house at British company headquarters and so only a handful have had to be procured) revealed the pragmatic nature of a company head who has already weathered many a storm with his business. Peter Qvortrup is actually from Denmark but has been living on the island for several decades and, despite the UK’s looming exit from the European Union, he has remained decidedly calm about it all. ![]() The thoroughly innovative company is chock full of creative lateral thinkers, starting with its boss. ![]() Parked all around, the Mercedes modern classics, which Audio Note provides to get its employees from A to B, served as the only clue that one of Britain’s top dogs in high-quality music playback is located here. An unimposing company logo attached to a door identified the main entrance. As we drove through a small industrial park and rolled up to the premises, we were struck with the surprisingly unspectacular look of the comparatively low-rise ensemble of brick buildings. And that’s by no means the only thing that sets the high-end manufacturer apart from many of its competitors.Īfter years of decentralization involving various sites strewn far and wide, the company relocated not so long ago, setting up its modest headquarters in Partridge Green, a town located near the seaside resort of Brighton and about an hour’s drive away from the sprawling metropolis of London. At Audio Note UK though, vehicle is seen and used as a low-tax company car. Schulz and yours truly from London Gatwick Airport in a Mercedes S-Class that would have long ago earned its retirement and received a special classic-car license plate in Germany. This was then joined by a sunny smile delivered by Audio Note UK boss Peter Qvortrup, who picked up Mr. England greeted the FIDELITY team with uncharacteristically brilliant sunshine. The early-morning flight arrived right on time.
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