According to my rough calculations, 35 hifi years is the equivalent of 350 human years.
I like products that stick around as you can tell from looking at the things I own and I’ve been eyeing Audio Note’s Oto integrated for about 35 years.
Oto’s output runs on either a quad of EL84s in the Single-Ended version (SE) generating 8 Watts of output power while the Push Pull model utilizes four 6005s for 9W.
What’s new for Oto 35? From Chief Designer Andy Grove:
Just like the Meishu, the refreshed Oto SE has a new output transformer design, although not quite as chunky as that one. It’s specifically designed for the Oto SE and wound in-house. The main PSU has been redesigned, now including a choke (also in-house designed and made), with optimised time constants, and there have been a few tweaks to the power amp board. Together, these mods give the Oto SE a realistic bass kick, and not that dimensionless, flat, overdamped “transistor” bass, I mean something that sounds and feels like a kick drum, bass guitar, etc.
The phono stage has also been made over, increasing its sensitivity, and, together with the new power board, it means we can get rid of the line stage that was necessary in the old Phono version. This retains phase integrity and reduces noise.
We also revised the wiring loom and internal shielding, which, together with the new PSU, has yielded significant improvements. Plus, the new in-house designed and made mains transformer helps just about everywhere.
As you’s expect if you’re familiar with Audio Note’s product lines, the Oto 35 comes in a variety of flavors that add things like a phono stage and improved parts as you travel up the line:
OTO Line SE
P1SE (power amp version)
OTO Line SE Signature
P1SE Signature
OTO Line SE Silver Signature
OTO Phono SE
OTO Phono SE Signature
OTO Phono SE Silver Signature
The Oto SE 35 integrated amplifier and the P1SE 35 stereo power amplifier are available now from authorized Audio Note (UK) dealers. Prices start from $5,950 for the OTO SE 35 and $4,830 for the P1 SE 35.
Here’s the press release:
Audio Note (UK) Marks 35 Years of the Oto Integrated Amplifier with Anniversary Edition
The legendary Oto SE receives its first major technical revision in decades, featuring bespoke in-house components and a redesigned power supply
WEST SUSSEX, UK — Audio Note (UK) is pleased to announce the release of the Oto SE 35, a significant update to one of the most enduring integrated amplifiers in high-end audio. The release marks 35 years of continuous production for the Oto, which has been a cornerstone of the Audio Note (UK) range since its debut in 1991.
Originally conceived by Audio Note (UK) founder Peter Qvortrup and designed by Andy Grove, the Oto was the first amplifier to be fully developed and manufactured by Audio Note (UK). While the Audio Note name was already well known, thanks to the legendary Ongaku integrated amplifier, the Oto proved that the company’s philosophy of musicality and vacuum tube refinement could be successfully applied at more accessible price levels.
Peter Qvortrup explains, “When I set Andy the challenge to design a single-ended [SE] pentode version of the Oto in the early 90s, single-ended amps were a big outlier. The Oto and now the Oto SE 35 stand as a testament to our philosophy on timeless quality audio design. We still maintain and service our customers’ Oto’s, making sure they’re good for years to come. This is what true longevity looks like, and that will never change.”
“Over the last three decades, the design of the Oto has undergone various evolutions,” says Chief Designer Andy Grove. “I decided it was time to give the Oto SE a complete makeover. The result is an amplifier with a more realistic ‘bass kick’, the kind of physical presence you feel when you are in the room with a kick drum or a bass guitar. It remains an all-round musical, fun-to-live-with amplifier, but it can now summon a serious amount of attitude when the recording demands it.”
The Oto SE 35 integrated amplifier (and the P1SE 35, the stereo power amplifier version of the OtoSE) are available to order now through all authorised Audio Note (UK) specialists dealers. Prices start from $5,950.00 for the OTO SE 35 and $4,830.00 for the P1 SE 35.
About Audio Note (UK): Based in Sussex, England, Audio Note (UK) is Europe’s largest manufacturer of ultra-performance vacuum tube-based audio equipment. The company is world-renowned for its “complete system” approach to high fidelity, manufacturing everything from cartridges and turntables to cables and loudspeakers and the internal components.
Website: audionote.co.uk