Now that the Audio Research D-150 has been officially retired, and ARC President William Z. Johnson has burned his tube bridges behind him, that amplifier is already well on its way to becoming a classic within little more than a year after it went into (limited) production.
Its closest sonic competitor, in terms of those things that musically-oriented listeners have liked about the best tubed stuff, is the Luxman 3045. Unfortunately, Lux's custom-made out-put tubes for that amplifier have a tendency to go sour after anywheres from a week to a month of use, and a set of replacements ain't cheap. Lux is now recommending that owners convert to KT-88 output tubes, and are supplying instructions for the change.
But they admit that the amplifier will not sound as good with those. As of now, the D-150 stands as the best tubed-type power amplifier ever to have been commercially available with nationwide distribution. (We qualify it in that manner only because we have no way of knowing what may have been emerging, a unit per week, from some obscure genius's basement workshop.)
If you like the liquid transparency and high-end smoothness of the best tubed equipment, our advice is to hang onto your D-150 if you already own one, or try to obtain one if you don't. It may be a long time before those qualities can be bought in a solid-state power amplifier, and there may never be a day when they can be bettered by tubes.—J. Gordon Holt
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COMMENTS
"a certain manic quality that is creeping into this pursuit of sonic perfection."
Wonder what ole JGH would think now?
Sure glad the manic quality creeping into sonic perfection is now over and sanity and level headed decisions rule the day.
Wish I was part of the solution instead of part of the problem. I would still love to listen to this beast.
... ARC considered its competitors to be the V-FET transistor amps from Sony and Yamaha. ARC characterized these two amps as sounding "musical", as opposed to other (unnamed) amps that just supplied "cheap power."
The Sony and Yamaha amps were also rated at 150W/ch and sold for $1300-1600.
For reference, the 300W/ch Tim de Paravinci designed Luxman M-6000 (bipolar junction) transistor power amp, which the speaker company Acoustic Research used as part of the system for its live-vs-recorded demos, was priced at $3K.
http://www.thevintageknob.org/VFET/TAN8550/TAN8550.html
http://www.thevintageknob.org/yamaha-B-1.html
http://www.thevintageknob.org/luxman-M-6000.html
The $2685 price of the D-150 in 1976 translates to about $12,500 today. Compare that to the prices for most of the Class A rated amps in the current Recommended Components list. Used models seem to go for about $5K-6K. Add another $1K-2K for a complete set of new tubes and to replace about two dozen electrolytic capacitors.
If you're a tube amp fan who wants 150W/ch+ and has a budget in the range of $5K-8K, would you rather have an old D-150 or instead a new pair of Rogue Audio M-180 amps - or maybe something else?
https://www.stereophile.com/tubepoweramps/rogue_audio_m-180_monoblock_power_amplifier/index.html
Audio Research still provides "Factory Service" and these Amps can be purchased on eBay for attractive prices.
I'd say it's the buy of the year if it didn't run 6550s.
I've owned a few Audio Research Amps and Pre-amps. I don't miss any of them but...
... Nothing says: "I'm an Audiophile" like an attractive rack of ARC gear.
So, I'm say'n owning ARC is all about keeping up appearances and peer approval.
Tony back in the freezing colds.
ps. seeing a robust ARC piece and reading about the D76 ( that I owned ) has me pining for the "good old days". Thanks for the memories.
I'd say it's the buy of the year if it didn't run 6550s.
Example of current pricing...
NOS Winged C (SED) 6550C for $440 per matched quad. Not horrible if as claimed, but "as claimed" might be a big "if" on NOS tubes.
http://www.theaudiotubes.com/6550-winged-c-matched-quad-great-sound-quality.html
JA1 owned an Audio Research pre-amp (SP-10, I believe) at one time ....... So, that makes him a genuine audiophile :-) .........
I'd guess that William Z. Johnson "loaned" JA an SP10 on a "long term loan" basis. ( just like I would do in a NY,NY heart beat )
And,,,, of course...
Being the Editor in Chief should mandate having the highest authority gear.
and...
Being a Brit, living in NY,NY as Editor of the Leading Audio Magazines and still being quite young would seem like winning life's lottery. Manufacturers were probably lined up to have JA listening to their gears.
Tony in Venice
I'd guess that William Z. Johnson "loaned" JA an SP10 on a "long term loan" basis.
I bought the SP-10 after reviewing it for Hi-Fi News magazine in 1984. Brought it with me when I joined Stereophile and still have it. Haven't used it for many years, however.
John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile
Thanks for writing.
Of course, I was being a wee bit silly about all this but we at General Motors would certainly have David E Davis ( Car & Driver ) driving "Loaner" cars 4Evah and ever if given any sort of chance.
A sequential history of your gear ownership would make for a fascinating Story. ( I'd pay to read it )
If you Autographed that piece, it would be a remarkable "capture" for some lucky collector buying on eBay. ( all original, celebrity owned, great provenance with original ARC boxes )
"New" money in Asia would pay well over the top . Phew, talk about "Higher Authority" gear!!!
Tony in Venice
If JA1 autographs that SP-10, it deserves to be exhibited in a museum ........ Don't sell it :-) ........
JA1 could also autograph his Krell KSA-50, his Linn LP-12 and his Mark Levinson No.33H amps ....... They are also worthy of exhibiting in a museum as classics :-) ........
... a favorite non-Marantz product of (the late) Ken Ishiwata.
Perhaps JA1 should renew his acquaintance with it (and write about it).
Better yet if a pair of Mark Levinson No. 20.5 (with the AP-5 upgrade) power amps could be found to use along with it.
https://www.whathifi.com/us/features/ken-ishiwata-forty-years-of-preserving-the-marantz-sound
The Audio Research SP-10 preamp was a favorite non-Marantz product of (the late) Ken Ishiwata. Perhaps JA1 should renew his acquaintance with it (and write about it).
That's an interesting suggestion.
Better yet if a pair of Mark Levinson No. 20.5 (with the AP-5 upgrade) power amps could be found to use along with it.
The magazine bought a pair of Mark Levinson No.20s at the end of the 1980s and had them upgraded first to No.20.5 status, then to No.20.6s. These amplifiers are currently at reviewer Brian Damkroger's place.
John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile
JA1 has even more longer lines of manufacturers in front of his house than Apple stores when a new iPhone is released :-) .........
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