Audio Research

[hifinutt]

Audio Research voluntarily agreed to assign its assets to a receiver, Lighthouse
Management Group, Inc, on April 4th. We want you to understand what that means and
how it affects our daily operations.
Audio Research has been operating since the assignment was filed almost four weeks
ago, ten days before the AXPONA show where our VP of Sales (Allan Haggar) worked
with our dealer Quintessence Audio, which featured a statement system including Ref 10,
Ref Phono10, and Ref 160M MkII amps.
Little has changed outwardly. Audio Research remains staffed with Greg and Evan
answering questions and assisting owners via email and on the phone; the service
department continues repairing products; production is building new products and
performing updates; our parts inventory has been good and we continue to receive parts
shipments; our sales department continues to accept product orders, and our shipping
department continues shipping parts and product orders along with completed service
units.
Dave Gordon gave our Philippine distributor a tour of the facilities on April 26, where he
and his wife were able to meet everyone, see everything going on, and listen to music in
the sound room. The tour had been scheduled in March and did not need to be
cancelled or postponed.
Trent Suggs was relieved of control of Audio Research and we have been working with
individuals to purchase the company: we expect to have a new owner very soon. There
will be continuity as production, engineering, purchasing, service, and critical personnel
will remain working for Audio Research. Including Warren Gehl.
We just turned 53 in April and we look forward to continuing to provide the finest high
performance audio products, service and support to our loyal customers, dealers and
distributors.

[Macca]

I suppose they will get bought by someone, lots of value in the brand name at least.

Never been my sort of thing. The older models look good, but valves, crazy pricing, reliability concerns.

Before someone says something, yes I know they did some solid state models.

[hifinutt]

the ref 5se was the only bit of kit my wife did not want me to get rid of ... superb . i wish them all the best

[stuartm1962]

Sad that this has happened. Had a D125 and LS7 a few years ago, lovely equipment, but ridiculous prices when something needs repairing.

[hifi_dave]

We sold the first Audio Research product imported into the UK by Absolute Sounds and that was the new (then) SP8. Later we had the SP10, SP14, D75 etc on demo and being sold but problems with noise, microphony, short valve life and valves popping, taking out components was too much to cope with. That's when I discovered EAR and Croft - zero problems, sonically equal and a fraction of the cost..:rolleyes:

Nowadays prices of such equipment are mind boggling, to me anyway. Who pays £50K for an integrated amp or £80K for a pair of speakers and so on. Recently read a news item in Hi-Fi News about an 'entry level' integrated at £9000...:scratch: No wonder this hobby is struggling.

[Macca]

We sold the first Audio Research product imported into the UK by Absolute Sounds and that was the new (then) SP8. Later we had the SP10, SP14, D75 etc on demo and being sold but problems with noise, microphony, short valve life and valves popping, taking out components was too much to cope with. That's when I discovered EAR and Croft - zero problems, sonically equal and a fraction of the cost..:rolleyes:

Nowadays prices of such equipment are mind boggling, to me anyway. Who pays £50K for an integrated amp or £80K for a pair of speakers and so on. Recently read a news item in Hi-Fi News about an 'entry level' integrated at £9000...:scratch: No wonder this hobby is struggling.

HFN have always turned their noses up at 'budget' equipment. Plus half the mag was classical music reviews.

Music I don't listen to and equipment I wouldn't have bought even if I could have afforded it (except maybe some of the speakers). That's why I only have about five issues of it.

[hifi_dave]

I have been reading HFN since 1962 and still have my first copy. They did review sensible equipment years ago but it's now the ridiculously expensive gear which pays their wages I guess. Must limit the appeal of the mag though.

[Macca]

I have been reading HFN since 1962 and still have my first copy. They did review sensible equipment years ago but it's now the ridiculously expensive gear which pays their wages I guess. Must limit the appeal of the mag though.

Got to the point where I only ever read the speaker reviews so knocked mag buying on the head.

Like to read about stupid money speakers in the same way the flash cars they reviewed on 'Top Gear' were interesting even though your never planning to own them.

[Pigmy Pony]

My neighbour gives me two mags each month (What Hjfi and Hifi Choice), and it takes me about an hour to read anything of interest to me.

I would never buy a copy (apart from one at the airport to read on the plane when going on holiday), and I never save them - they go in the recycling bin as soon as Mrs. P complains about them cluttering the place.

Hifi Choice £5.75! I can buy two CDs off Music Magpie for that much.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Sad to see Audio Research go. I always fancied having a go with some of the earlier stuff.

[Macca]

Sad to see Audio Research go. I always fancied having a go with some of the earlier stuff.

That's always going to be around whether the company survives or not, but their current range is astronomical prices. Fifteen grand for a pre-amp. No-one's paying that sort of cash just out of curiosity.

[hifi_dave]

Got to the point where I only ever read the speaker reviews so knocked mag buying on the head.

Like to read about stupid money speakers in the same way the flash cars they reviewed on 'Top Gear' were interesting even though your never planning to own them.

I only read Hi-Fi mags when on the loo. Wouldn't dream of sitting in a comfy chair with a Hi-Fi magazine as there is never anything of interest for me. Anything I am interested in I can hear for myself so don't need biased write ups in mags.

[Mr. C]

That could well a serious downer for a couple clients who have units in for repair, a ref 6se and a cd. not what they wished to here