Audio Research - Forum member impressions

[Wakefield Turntables]

I've never heard any Audio Research kit and I just wondered if any of you had any opinions with regards if it's good/bad mediocre, strengths, weaknesses, etc.

[Martyn Miles]

I've never heard any Audio Research kit and I just wondered if any of you had any opinions with regards if it's good/bad mediocre, strengths, weaknesses, etc.

I was in Oxford Audio Consultants a few years ago and an AR combination was playing,
using an AR CD player, Preamp & Power amp.
Through a pair of Sonus Faber speakers.

I was VERY impressed.

Jon Harker ( the Prop.) then ran the Sonus Fabers using the AR CD player and some expensive Naim amp. combo.
With the Naim amps. the music sounded sort of 'one dimensional' and 'flat.'
With the AR amps, all encompassing and more like music.

Well, music that sounded like my interpretation of music...

No doubt someone else would prefer the Naim 'sound.'

As I have said many times before,
'Each to his Own.'

[PaulStewart]

A mate of mine had a complete pre/power system with a Garrard 401/SME V/ BPS front end and a pair of TDL Studio 1Ms, this was not the first Audio Research system I heard, or in fact the last but it was one I spent some time listening to. I was very well sorted, great depth, both of sound stage and dynamic range, with a huge amount of detail and texture.

[hifinutt]

audio research pre amps are rather special . I have had the ref5 and the ref 5se . they were quite incredible . even my normally disinterested wife was sad when I sold it . [sadly to help pay for a house !!, well they are nearly 12k !]

the sense of realism and presence with the arc pre was spookily real and I have not met much to match it

only downside was when I sent the ref5 for repair it took 2 months but I have just had my modwright done and that took a month

I would have a ref5 back any day , in fact Guildford audio have some tasty offers on s/h kit but I am staying with modwright currently as I think they are better vfm and build quality is brilliant

[walpurgis]

Not owned Audio Research amplifiers, but I have heard them many times and been impressed. Mind you, same goes for Conrad Johnson products (which I prefer the looks of).

[Wakefield Turntables]

Audio research is a marque that I have long wanted to hear and I was thinking about maybe taking a day off and seeking out a demo somewhere in the UK. Any suggestions?

[YNWaN]

I've encountered AR a whole bunch of times over the years. In essence they represent a kind of new wave old school - not all syrup and rolled off like old valves but still with a hint. So, compared to Naim and Mark Levinson they lack pace and edge - it's all a matter of relatives. In some transistor quarters olive Naim power amps are considered valve like! One word of caution, Audio Research power amps have not all had good reliability reputations.

[Frazeur1]

I have owned several ARC pieces over the years, lastly, a nice LS3 preamp and D130 amplifier. Interestingly, both solid state designs, which I thought sounded in many ways as good or better in some ways then their valved units.

Probably the one big thing I do admire is their ability to repair almost anything they have made in the last 40 years, and repairs-at least here in the US, are fairly reasonable and turnaround very decent.

[Arkless Electronics]

It's good kit that does what it says on the tin.... I've had a few in over the years but not many.... don't know if that means they are reliable or that there aren't that many around, mainly pre amps and a couple of the solid state power amps.
I also have a home made SP8 phono stage with external PSU and it sounds very good.

[montesquieu]

audio research pre amps are rather special . I have had the ref5 and the ref 5se . they were quite incredible . even my normally disinterested wife was sad when I sold it . [sadly to help pay for a house !!, well they are nearly 12k !]

the sense of realism and presence with the arc pre was spookily real and I have not met much to match it

only downside was when I sent the ref5 for repair it took 2 months but I have just had my modwright done and that took a month

I would have a ref5 back any day , in fact Guildford audio have some tasty offers on s/h kit but I am staying with modwright currently as I think they are better vfm and build quality is brilliant

Would agree with that but actually put the Modwright 36.5 a smidgeon ahead of the Ref5 personally, a tad more emotional with classical stuff.

ARC CDPs I've heard have been rather nice too.

Don't know much about the power amps, bit of a gap in my CV!

[DSJR]

I have very mixed views on ARC products so apologies in advance. I think some of their solid state preamps and phono stages? were very good and fairly honest, but offered little over cheaper stuff when new apart from the brand cachet and house styling. I owned an SP14 (FET with hybrid valve phono stage) preamp and it was very good, but there were glaring shortcomings and circuit board construction was more tractor-like than Naims of the period, with all those Wonder-Caps strewn all over the place :D The LS15 was dull and the LS25 (and I seem to remember, so was the SP10) was fruitier than an LP12 - cough...

It's the valve stuff I really have a downer on. NONE of their older valve preamps had to me an honest or tonally neutral sound presentation. The sonics had a definite added 'flavour' which is nice and was used to sweeten up some hard-toned Krells in the early 90's, but in reality to my ears, and in true 'High Fidelity' terms, what they gained in clarity and soundstage presentation they gave away in a lush but false, warm 'tone.' Some truly reference grade preamps were dismissed back then in favour of this coloured warm presentation - CJ products did similar back then I remember, as did early Croft amps. These days, ARC have their umpteenth 'Reference' preamp. I read an article where it was admitted to bringing a new model to market and eighteen months later, when sales are falling, out comes an 'SE' upgrade at £1500 or so to bolster sales until the next 'version' appears.

So in my personal view, ARC look great and certain of their vintage amps can do the 'domestic' business very well, adding subtle processing to the music signal in addition to that in the recording already. You have to suck it and see I'm afraid as to which combination is best. At the time, EAR was cheaper in the UK and comprehensively better in every way, but price hikes have spoiled it for cash strapped UK music lovers. You know, I think I'd sooner look at Manley - don't know why, but I just have this vibe with their valve gear and some of it is used in the recording and mastering industry too I believe...

[Arkless Electronics]

I have very mixed views on ARC products so apologies in advance. I think some of their solid state preamps and phono stages? were very good and fairly honest, but offered little over cheaper stuff when new apart from the brand cachet and house styling. I owned an SP14 (FET with hybrid valve phono stage) preamp and it was very good, but there were glaring shortcomings and circuit board construction was more tractor-like than Naims of the period, with all those Wonder-Caps strewn all over the place :D The LS15 was dull and the LS25 (and I seem to remember, so was the SP10) was fruitier than an LP12 - cough...

It's the valve stuff I really have a downer on. NONE of their older valve preamps had to me an honest or tonally neutral sound presentation. The sonics had a definite added 'flavour' which is nice and was used to sweeten up some hard-toned Krells in the early 90's, but in reality to my ears, and in true 'High Fidelity' terms, what they gained in clarity and soundstage presentation they gave away in a lush but false, warm 'tone.' Some truly reference grade preamps were dismissed back then in favour of this coloured warm presentation - CJ products did similar back then I remember, as did early Croft amps. These days, ARC have their umpteenth 'Reference' preamp. I read an article where it was admitted to bringing a new model to market and eighteen months later, when sales are falling, out comes an 'SE' upgrade at £1500 or so to bolster sales until the next 'version' appears.

So in my personal view, ARC look great and certain of their vintage amps can do the 'domestic' business very well, adding subtle processing to the music signal in addition to that in the recording already. You have to suck it and see I'm afraid as to which combination is best. At the time, EAR was cheaper in the UK and comprehensively better in every way, but price hikes have spoiled it for cash strapped UK music lovers. You know, I think I'd sooner look at Manley - don't know why, but I just have this vibe with their valve gear and some of it is used in the recording and mastering industry too I believe...

I wouldn't say any of the AR gear I've heard was particularly "lush but false, warm 'tone'" in nature.... Not beyond a very slight degree anyway.
As I said I have an SP8 phono stage section which I built many years ago (AR conveniently publish full circuit diagrams and parts lists in the instruction manuals!) but power from a considerably better PSU than the original SP8 and this sounds very good I must say. Most of the AR phono stages of this era were very similar and the SP3 and 6 use similar basic topology for the actual RIAA section... as do many other valve phono stages from a variety of makers.

[User211]

First heard some brand new Martin Logan Requests with some ARC V140 monos. 8 KT90s and some FETs.

I was totally fucked up by it. Never heard anything as good before. Source was a Micro mega CD-R, which was playing back recordings made from vinyl. Elvis never sounded so real. Soundstage was superb.

Long time ago - all that kit was contemporary. I ordered a pair if ML Aerius afterwards. They kept me happy for a good few years.

I wonder what I'd think of it now. Be very curious to hear those V140s again.

[daytona600]

Owned & still do have some AR kit
fantastic resale value & they sell very quickly as very sought after
had a 20year old pre-amp & sold same day for more than i paid for it
top of the line Ref ranges are world class if you can afford them

factory tour

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a58bDqQQ-xY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvL9FNuPwkE

http://snvinyl.co.uk/WebRoot/Daily/Shops/eshop943300/571C/E5C7/C145/B0F3/49B4/0A0C/05BE/B704/Audio_Research_Reference_Phono_10.jpg.648x460_q85. jpg

[hifinutt]

really enjoyed that tour , thanks . certainly my next upgrade with be a arc ref 5se again or a modwright 36.5dm [2 box version]
great to see the detail and hand soldering

[smithy]

My Audio Research CD1 has decided to work again (doesn't like travelling)it does sound rather good.