Monoblocks
well above typical
Among the 25 monoblockss in the catalogue, this one is well above typical.
A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.
NEW ENTRY (2026-05-12) per Tier 1 currency audit. Audio Note (UK) Ginrei — Level 4 parallel-211 directly heated triode mono power amplifier pair. Per AN UK official: "They use a similar circuit design and topology to the legendary Audio Note (UK) GAKU-ON amplifiers. However, where the GAKU-ON power amplifiers use silver wherever possible, such as for all transformer windings, the GINREI instead use copper for the primary windings and silver for the secondary windings." Hand-built Hove, East Sussex.
Valve complement: 4× 5R4WGB rectifier (2 per chassis), 4× 211 DHT output (2 per chassis), 2× 6V6GT driver (1 per chassis). The 211 is a high-voltage directly-heated triode developed for transmitter use, with notably more headroom and resolution than 300B at higher output. Audio Note positions Ginrei as the entry into "the simplest circuit and purest musicality... at Audio Note Performance Levels Three, Four and Five" (P4 BT = Level 3; Ginrei = Level 4; Baransu Balanced / Kageki Balanced / Kegon Balanced = Level 5).
INPUT COMPATIBILITY: Same 2.4kΩ balanced input as P4 BT — requires preamp capable of driving low impedance balanced load. Naim NAC 332, Audio Note M-series with XLR outputs, top-tier XLR-output preamps recommended.
ELECTRICAL FIT: 45W parallel-211 output represents the most comfortable Audio Note system for typical 88-90dB-sensitivity speakers. Reaches reference-level SPL with AN-E/SPe HE (98dB), AN-J (94dB), and even Harbeth SHL5plus (86dB) at moderate listening levels in mid-sized rooms. The architectural Audio-Note-system tension with cavity speakers still applies: no cavity-eligible speaker reaches 90dB sensitivity. For free-placement systems, Ginrei opens the system-build envelope considerably vs Conqueror / Conquest / P4 BT (which all top out at 18W).
Assessed against 6 rivals across the sixty systems: 2 head-to-heads won, 20 lost.
The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.
12 lost · Anchored, Artisan, Characterful, PRaT, Reference, Romantic
Against the Anchored brief, the Longdog Audio P6100M Biamp 2x2 (4 units) keeps the slot decisively.
With the Emmae Reginae (custom), the pairing gives up most on bass control.
With the Audiolab 9000Q, the pairing gains most on depth of bass.
On its own merits the Audio Note Ginrei (pair) is the weaker pair of monoblocks for that brief.
natural harmonicsPROXY: Audio Note SET house
3 lost · BBC Sound, Vocals-First
No completion of this shape fits that slot's budget.
2 lost · Intimate
Against the Intimate brief, the EAR Yoshino 890 keeps the slot decisively.
With the EAR Yoshino 868L (Line), the pairing gives up most on midrange truth.
On its own merits the Audio Note Ginrei (pair) is the weaker pair of monoblocks for that brief.
natural harmonicsPROXY: Audio Note SET house
2 lost · Twin Arms
No completion of this shape fits that slot's budget.
1 lost · Vocals-First
No completion of this shape fits that slot's budget.
0 lost· 2 won · Silent Path
Against the Silent Path brief, the Audio Note Ginrei (pair) takes the slot clearly.
With the Music First Audio Baby Reference V2, the pairing gains most on quietness at rest.
On its own merits the Audio Note Ginrei (pair) is the weaker pair of monoblocks — yet it wins here on fit: the pairing with the Music First Audio Baby Reference V2 gains quietness at rest under the Silent Path weighting.
rich, warm body PROXY: Audio Note SET house (P1 SE/Conqueror/Meishu)· Tonal body
natural harmonics PROXY: Audio Note SET house· Harmonic texture
SET: limited slam PROXY: Audio Note SET house· Physical impact
| is monoblock | True |
|---|---|
| is balanced internal | True |
| is dual mono | False |
| power class | A |
| power 8ohm w | 45.0 |
| power 4ohm w | 45.0 |
| damping factor | 8.0 |
| accepts rca | False |
| accepts xlr | True |
| accepts din | False |
| input impedance xlr kohm | 2.4 |
| input sensitivity xlr mv | 1600.0 |
| speaker terminal type | binding post |
| speaker terminal count | 1 |
| gain db | 22.0 |
| snr db | 88.0 |
| thd pct | 0.5 |
| frequency response hz | 15/35000 |
| dimensions mm | 305/305/640 |
| weight kg | 27.5 |
| sold as pair | True |
| notes |