Whither Audio Research

[Salectric]

I don't know if you remember, but in the late '70s (if memory serves), ARC introduced solid state "analog modules"--they were some sort of circuit all sealed up in a case that replaced tubes in certain designs. As I recall, that failed miserably at the time. But ARC makes or did make some big solid state amps, didn't they? (Sorry, I haven't kept up with the company).

That’s correct. ARC came out with the SP-4 in 1976 and it was all solid-state using black box Analog Modules in place of tubes. The ARC literature proudly proclaimed it retained all of the best qualities of their previous tube preamps but without the noise or tube replacement issues. It was very coy about what was in the Analog Modules as if they had some new proprietary technology.

ARC said the Analog Modules were so good they were no longer going to make tube preamps. Unfortunately, like so many other claims about solid state surpassing tubes, the SP-4 did not sound better than the SP-3a1. In fact, it sounded far inferior. A friend fell for the ARC claims and bought a SP-4 so we were able to compare it to other preamps in several systems. It really had little going for it. Even a DB Systems preamp sounded better.

Given the statement that ARC would no longer be making tube preamps, imagine the surprise when they came out with the SP-6 just two years later. The SP-6 was not only a return to tube circuitry it was basically a SP-3 with a far more robust power supply.

The SP-4 experience taught me ARC’s promotional claims should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[RCanelas]

It appears Valerio Cora, from Acora Acoustics will be taking the helm at Audio Research.

Best of luck!

 

[godofwealth]

Nobody likes their Class D amps. You’re not alone.

Yes the P350 was/is special. I liked the MF2550SE too.

Actually I just got a Mola Mola Kaluga, Brian Putzey’s masterpiece of a class D amplifier. Sounds a darn sight better than most class A and class A/B solid state amps I owned. No, it’s not a SET, but I think most audiophiles would be hard pressed to identify it as a class D from its sound.

 

[Elliot G.]

It appears Valerio Cora, from Acora Acoustics will be taking the helm at Audio Research.

Best of luck!

I just heard the same thing from a very reliable source

 

[Gregadd]

That’s correct. ARC came out with the SP-4 in 1976 and it was all solid-state using black box Analog Modules in place of tubes. The ARC literature proudly proclaimed it retained all of the best qualities of their previous tube preamps but without the noise or tube replacement issues. It was very coy about what was in the Analog Modules as if they had some new proprietary technology.

ARC said the Analog Modules were so good they were no longer going to make tube preamps. Unfortunately, like so many other claims about solid state surpassing tubes, the SP-4 did not sound better than the SP-3a1. In fact, it sounded far inferior. A friend fell for the ARC claims and bought a SP-4 so we were able to compare it to other preamps in several systems. It really had little going for it. Even a DB Systems preamp sounded better.

Given the statement that ARC would no longer be making tube preamps, imagine the surprise when they came out with the SP-6 just two years later. The SP-6 was not only a return to tube circuitry it was basically a SP-3 with a far more robust power supply.

The SP-4 experience ta?ught me ARC’s promotional claims should be taken with a grain of salt.?

A grain of salt? I would say more like a jagged little pill. Thank you Iannis Morrisette.
That opened the door to cj a pure and simple tube design.

 

[Another Johnson]

A grain of salt? I would say more like a jagged little pill. Thank you Iannis Morrisette.
That opened the door to cj a pure and simple tube design.

As a longstanding CJ aficionado (35+ years of ownership), Bill C and Lew J were serendipitous beneficiaries of the reappearance of quality tube suppliers.

 

[Lee]

I am hearing a lot of the news about Audio Research is wrong. This speculation of a favorite brand is understandable but I think we may be much better off waiting on the official announcement.

 

[Rt66indierock]

I am hearing a lot of the news about Audio Research is wrong. This speculation of a favorite brand is understandable but I think we may be much better off waiting on the official announcement.

Well Lee we could go on a shill hunt. Those are always fun. Or we could bash the audiophile press over their poor reporting of the Mobile Fidelity case. Equally as fun. Finally let people keep speculating about Audio Research. They seem to enjoy it and it is no different than what the financial press does.

 

[Big Dog RJ]

You should try the Ref 10 and Ref Phono 10.. Today I would still choose those first.

View attachment 109271

Ref2SE
Ref 10, Ref 3
Ref 10 PS, Ref 10 Phono PS, Ref Phono 10

Oh! Nice one mate. That's certainly an awesome spread of ARC gear at its finest! Yes, can confirm that the REF10 is in a class of its own! I've auditioned the full suite partnered with Magico's Q7's. That was something quite remarkable, including a very remarkable price tag. Leaving that aside, and considering everything else, it was truly tops!

BTW, I see a full list of preamps and their respective power supply units... what main power amps are you using and what kind of speakers?
They better be on par...
Woof! RJ

 

[Big Dog RJ]

As one interesting member asked how many tube owners are out there... yes it's a fair question, and leaving aside emotions is good advice, although I'm very very passionate about tubes and stats! If anyone was to take those two things away from me ... you wouldn't like it when I turn green.

Having been around tube gear my entire life, since my teens up till now, there are certainly times I get bloody frustrated with them. Setting bias, getting matched pairs, checking for noise, hisses, farts etc., oh man the list goes on. However, those dramas were in the good old days, of owning VTL, Manley Labs, Melos, Jadis, Lamm, Audio Note, Quad and those vintage Carver amps. The countries and locations I resided during these tube days were hopeless in reliable AC mains distribution. That was the number one issue with tube gear. SS no issues, just plug and play hope for the best!

Now, having lived down unda, for my lucky luck, our Oz AC mains is steady! Very reliable and hardly swings. On top of that, we've got full solar power operating throughout and this is even more stable. Plus, I've found an extremely reliable techie, who did all the Class A mods on my CJ tube gear, and it sounds fabulous!

So, overall no issues now other than a few hiccups with supply and logistics, thanks to looney Putin. Apart from that as Eve Anne Manley always says "tubes rule!"

Cheers to tooobs, keep them glowing.
Woof! RJ

 

[Lee]

As one interesting member asked how many tube owners are out there... yes it's a fair question, and leaving aside emotions is good advice, although I'm very very passionate about tubes and stats! If anyone was to take those two things away from me ... you wouldn't like it when I turn green.

Having been around tube gear my entire life, since my teens up till now, there are certainly times I get bloody frustrated with them. Setting bias, getting matched pairs, checking for noise, hisses, farts etc., oh man the list goes on. However, those dramas were in the good old days, of owning VTL, Manley Labs, Melos, Jadis, Lamm, Audio Note, Quad and those vintage Carver amps. The countries and locations I resided during these tube days were hopeless in reliable AC mains distribution. That was the number one issue with tube gear. SS no issues, just plug and play hope for the best!

Now, having lived down unda, for my lucky luck, our Oz AC mains is steady! Very reliable and hardly swings. On top of that, we've got full solar power operating throughout and this is even more stable. Plus, I've found an extremely reliable techie, who did all the Class A mods on my CJ tube gear, and it sounds fabulous!

So, overall no issues now other than a few hiccups with supply and logistics, thanks to looney Putin. Apart from that as Eve Anne Manley always says "tubes rule!"

Cheers to tooobs, keep them glowing.
Woof! RJ

I believe the big breakthrough from Audio Research has been to have an auto-biasing feature. For years they resisted this claiming that it hurt sound quality a bit. Now that they seem to have that worked out, it certainly has made tube ownership much easier.

 

[Another Johnson]

The best bias system is CJ’s. Every tube has independent adjustment and no meters or plug in are required. The next best, in my opinion, is the system on the REF 75/75SE. Each tube has its own adjustment.

Systems where you set bias for one tube and cross your fingers in hope that one or more others will turn out OK is lousy. It is the reason we have to have matched sets in many ARC amps.

The new auto bias system still has the flaw that more than one tube is being biased. Auto bias is always a compromise.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Auto bias is always a compromise.

It is a small sonic compromise that I gladly will accept for the peace of mind that the inevitable power tube melt-down in a no-protection circuit high-power tube amp which takes out maybe a resistor, maybe a capacitor, maybe melts a fuse holder, etc., does not turn a 200 pound amplifier into a boat anchor.

Have you ever owned an ARC 610 or 750 that blew a tube which did collateral damage and had to be moved, crated and shipped back to the ARC factory?

As Marty once reported blowing a power tube in his VTL Siegfried II with auto-bias and auto-protection was literally (not sarcastically) one of the best high-end audio experiences he ever had:

1) LED indicates which tube needs replacing,

2) press mute button,

3) replace bad tube,

4) press re-set button

-- back in business in about 4 minutes.

 

[microstrip]

The best bias system is CJ’s. Every tube has independent adjustment and no meters or plug in are required. The next best, in my opinion, is the system on the REF 75/75SE. Each tube has its own adjustment.

cj bias system is comfortable to use and probably good enough for the purpose, but it is not very accurate.

Systems where you set bias for one tube and cross your fingers in hope that one or more others will turn out OK is lousy. It is the reason we have to have matched sets in many ARC amps.

No it is not lousy. ARC are very clear on it - according to their views ans sound objectives using non closely matched tubes in the output stage degrades performance.

The new auto bias system still has the flaw that more than one tube is being biased. Auto bias is always a compromise.

I see you are just addressing ARC, I do not have details of their new autobias system. However I do not consider the VTL Siegfried II auto bias a compromise. It is a very clever non invasive system, like the TechDas AF1P speed control system. Why do audiophiles feel tempted to say that anything that is convenient should be a sound quality compromise?

 

[mulveling]

With VAC’s tube amplifiers the newer auto bias models have a significant sound quality advantage over prior models. Modern auto bias modules should be very sophisticated in constantly monitoring and adjusting bias for a perfect push/pull match. Also failure / catastrophe prevention should be superior. I would expect ARC now uses something similar.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Why do audiophiles feel tempted to say that anything that is convenient should be a sound quality compromise?

For some audiophilia is may be almost like a religion .
And as we all know the only way to reach heaven (usually) is through struggle

 

[Another Johnson]

You guys really are hilarious.
I presently accept the ARC bias with my ARC amps. I prefer the simplicity of the CJ amps … I’ve owned many.
Yes, I hate to send big amps back for work. Yet I’ve had to do it many times. Putting auto bias on the new amps does not change the status of the old amps, including the 600 … 750 series.
I said it was lousy as a happy owner, not as a sniper.

 

[Another Johnson]

For some audiophilia is may be almost like a religion .
And as we all know the only way to reach heaven (usually) is through struggle

It’s not like a religion. It is a religion, complete with alter, icons, and sacrifices.

It is a serious mental health problem for many.

 

[andromedaaudio]

It’s not like a religion. It is a religion, complete with alter, icons, and sacrifices.

It is a serious mental health problem for many.

Lol , turning prayer wheels is like swapping gear .
You gotto keep doing it to secure your place in audiophile heaven

 

[Ron Resnick]

Respectfully, Another Johnson, I am puzzled why you seem to be a bit cranky. I and others responded honestly and in good faith to your declaration that "Auto bias is always a compromise."

What do you find to be "hilarious"?