has anyone cmpared audionote uk vs. audionote jpn.

I have listened a fair amount to the vintage Ongaku and M7 Kondo units as well as various Audio Note UK stuff (Conquest, Conqueror, M1, M2, M5).

The Kondo stuff is better, period. Whether it is "better enough" to justify the huge prices for Kondo remains to be seen in my book as my partner and I are building tube SET and PP amps for clients that sound as good as any of this stuff and for a lot less money. If interested in learning more please contact our engineer, Alex, at 925-408-1522 (foster city, CA).

I was ready to buy a vintage Kondo Neiro and have it updated and then met Alex and heard his stuff. It was so good we decided to start a small business strictly to sell custom amps.

In order to properly comment on AN UK stuff you will need to hear an entire system as that is how it was designed to be heard. Everything from speakers to cables to cartridges etc. are made by them. This is the only company that does this in addition to making their own resistors. caps and transformers.
I have 2 complete AN UK systems.

I have had the pleasure of hearing Peter's home system while in the UK and have had the AudioNote Dac 4.1x as well as the first version of his speakers. I agree with Khaki above. Peter's entire AN system was exemplary and I was greatly moved by the music I heard there. I loved the AN Dac4.1x but thought I could do better. Similarly, I could not get the very same speakers I had heard in the UK running at all well in my home.

Every year at CES, Peter has outstanding sound even with equipment that I could not get to run at all well. His top stuff is quite expensive although his all silver system at the last CES was outstanding.

I have heard several of Kondo's pieces and know of many things he prefers in other's equipment. I have also owned his silver interconnects and speaker wires. The wires were very good, but I was less impressed with the equipment. I have never heard a room at CES with Kondo in it that sounded very good, but I have several friends who think very highly of his equipment. My sincere guess is that his equipment is highly overpriced, but may reflect his personal investment of time.