Tube Preamp Reviews

Audio Research LS5 preamplifier & BL2 input controller Robert Harley's System

Sidebar 1: Robert Harley's System

The LS5 Mk.II has been part of my reference system for the past few months. I also had on hand an original LS5 for side-by-side comparisons at matched levels, to refresh my memory, as well as a Sonic Frontiers SFL-2. The associated components I used to evaluate the LS5 Mk.II included Audio Research's VT150 tubed monoblocks—the best power amplifiers I've heard in my system. While I had some criticisms of the original LS5, I had absolutely no reservations about the VT150's wonderful musicality. Loudpeakers were Thiel CS3.6es—a moderately difficult load, and a loudspeaker that tends to be amplifier-sensitive—and Genesis II.5 loudspeakers, helped in the bass by the II.5's bass servo amplifier. Loudspeaker cable was primarily AudioQuest Sterling. Interconnects were Expressive Technologies IC-1 or AudioQuest Lapis.

Source components included a variety of digital processors and transports, but most of the critical evaluation of the LS5 was done with a Sonic Frontiers SFD-2 driven by Theta Data Basic or Mark Levinson Reference No.31 CD transports via AES/EBU interface (the excellent Wonder Link). The Mark Levinson No.31 also drove a Mark Levinson No.30.5 Reference digital processor via the Audio Alchemy DTI Pro. Interconnects between the SFD-2 and LS5 were AudioQuest Diamond. Because the SFD-2 is balanced in the digital domain, the LS5 is fully balanced internally, and the VT-150 has balanced topology, the signal is processed from before the DACs all the way to the loudspeaker as a fully differential signal. From the SFD-2's output stage, the signal path was also pure tube.

The analog front end was a Well-Tempered Turntable fitted with Lary Pederson's new reworked Well-Tempered Arm and an AudioQuest AQ7000nsx moving-coil cartridge. The phono stage was the Vendetta Research SCP2B, whose single-ended output was converted to balanced by the BL2 before driving the LS5. Alternately, I used ARC's PH2 phono stage. The analog front end sat on a Merrill Stable Table.—Robert Harley

COMPANY INFO
Audio Research Corporation
6655 Wedgwood Road N., Suite 115
Maple Grove, MN 55311
(763) 577-9700
www.audioresearch.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
JRT's picture
Submitted by JRT on January 9, 2020 - 6:56pm

(edited to clarify)

More properly noise sums as RMS sums of the contributions of the various sources of noise.

Random noise separately generated on different signal paths does not correlate in a downstream difference sum, so does not cancel.

Within an amplifier you get linear distortion and nonlinear distortion and inherent noise (also a nonlinearity), and in the many ways that these are modulated and shaped and combined.

This inherent noise is the noise that I am referring to. I am not referring to external interference.

Jim Austin's picture
Submitted by Jim Austin on January 9, 2020 - 4:19pm

Is your argument semantic? Are you questioning the use of the word "noise?" Whatever you want to call it, noise or something else, if an unwanted signal is induced--eg, due to changing e/m fields in the vicinity of a cable--is the same or very similar in the two wires, then the noise--or the portion of it that is the same--will cancel.

This is a well-established, widely accepted advantage of balanced connections. It is why balanced connections and circuits are ubiquitous in the pro-audio world, where longer interconnections are often needed.

Jim Austin, Editor
Stereophile

JRT's picture
Submitted by JRT on January 9, 2020 - 7:16pm

To contend with EMI... Using balanced interconnection, a differential pair of conductors with impedance balanced (very similar) with respect to ground is designed such that the varying electromagnetic field through which the interconnection cable passes will induce similar currents on the pair, and those currents passing through those two similar impedances will cause similar change in signal voltage on the pair. In this case, being similar is a combination of one fraction of that change in signal being exactly the same on both conductors, and the remaining fraction of the change in signal being different on both conductors. The fraction of the similar change that is exactly the same is in the common mode and the remaining fraction is in the differential mode. The balanced interconnection terminates downstream into a differential input, which largely cancels the common mode, rejecting it, and passes the differential mode though the input of the amplifier.

Key in that balanced interconnection is in managing the unwanted change by getting most of it into the common mode, equal, same, so that the differential input can reject most of that common mode. The balanced interconnection most usually utilizes STP, shielded twisted pair. That is a pair of insulated wires twisted and wrapped with a shield covered by an outer jacket. The grounded shield reduces the EMI entering the pair of wires. The The EMF carrying the EMI induces current on the pair of wires, and the twist and the balanced impedance causes the induced currents to be more nearly equal. That EMI current through the balanced impedance causes the related change in signal voltages to be nearly equal on both wires, places most of the unwanted change in the common mode. The differential input passes the difference and blocks most of the common mode.

That described above is not the largely random inherent noise that I was referring to.

The inherent noise generated within the amplifier is largely a random nonlinearity. A differential pair of paths through a bridged dual mono pair of amplifiers will generate different random noise on each of the pair. Take the difference at the output and the random noise does not cancel, because it is random, without coherent phase, uncorrelated in the difference sum.

It is very much more complicated than this gross simplification. There are a lot of different types of noise, and any of it can be further modulated and shaped and combined. It is a big subject suitable for graduate level coursework, and I am not suitably qualified to author those textbooks.

Somebody more like Bruno Putzeys could teach all of us much.

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 9, 2020 - 7:45pm

Speaking about Bruno Putzeys ....... The new NAD M33 integrated amp being shown in CES 2020, uses the new Purifi's 'Ultraquiet Amplification Technology' ....... M33 is scheduled to be available this spring 2020 ......... Jim Austin could review it :-) ......

John Atkinson's picture
Submitted by John Atkinson on January 10, 2020 - 4:29am
JRT wrote:
A differential pair of paths through a bridged dual mono pair of amplifiers will generate different random noise on each of the pair. Take the difference at the output and the random noise does not cancel, because it is random, without coherent phase, uncorrelated in the difference sum.

If the noise in the two signal paths is uncorrelated but truly random, you still get some noise reduction in the differential output signal. This is because the sum of the uncorrelated random noise is 3dB greater than the individual noise signals compared with the 6dB increase in the audio signal level. In effect, therefore, you get a 3dB reduction in the noise level.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

Jim Austin's picture
Submitted by Jim Austin on January 10, 2020 - 7:37am
that you were disagreeing with something Harley wrote in the review. As far as I can tell, what you and Harley wrote are consistent. Jim Austin, Editor Stereophile
JRT's picture
Submitted by JRT on January 10, 2020 - 12:00pm
Jim_Austin wrote:

I assumed that you were disagreeing with something Harley wrote in the review. As far as I can tell, what you and Harley wrote are consistent.

I took issue with something Harley had included in that article, which I thought was unintentionally misleading, and was feeding what I perceive to be a common misperception.

A dual mono system bridged to differential will cancel what is shared in common, but that will be mostly some of the 2nd order harmonic distortion, and almost none of the inherent noise generated within those separate gain stages. In reaction to his comment quoted below, I was only trying to point out that the inherent noise is not shared similarly in common, so does not really cancel.

Robert_Harley wrote:

The advantages of a preamplifier being truly balanced are the elimination of two active stages (the differential amplifier at the input and the phase splitter at the output) and the fact that any noise or distortion common to both phases of the balanced signal will cancel when combined.

It is true what he said that any noise shared in common will cancel, but it is also misleading because the vast majority of the inherent noise is not shared in common, not enough to matter much, because those two sets of inherent noise are randomly generated inside two separated amplifier functions prior to the differential sum at the end.

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 10, 2020 - 11:23am

According to Benchmark blog (see, balance connections), common mode noise is 3rd harmonic (odd-order) :-) .......

JRT's picture
Submitted by JRT on January 10, 2020 - 12:01pm
Bogolu_Haranath wrote:

According to Benchmark blog (see, balance connections), common mode noise is 3rd harmonic (odd-order)

Do you have a link to that reference? I would like to read it.

I suspect that Benchmark, in referring to "3rd order" or "odd order", likely used the word "distortion" and did not use the word "noise", as nonlinear distortion and noise are two different categories of nonlinearities, and they very well understand that. Nonlinear distortion can also ride the common mode, not just noise.

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 10, 2020 - 11:52am

Jim Austin posted a link to Benchmark's blog in one of his replies on Benchmark LA4 pre-amp review web page :-) .......

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 10, 2020 - 11:28am

According to many audiophiles 2nd order harmonic distortion is quite pleasing to the ear :-) .......

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 9, 2020 - 5:21pm

If you are talking about 'active noise cancellation' (ANC) technology used in some headphones ....... they use small microphones to pick up noise and send a 180 degree opposite phase signal to cancel the noise :-) .......

JRT's picture
Submitted by JRT on January 9, 2020 - 8:50pm

in this.

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 9, 2020 - 7:09pm

Your initial comment did not clearly specify ...... So, I posted my comments about ANC in headphones :-) .......

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 9, 2020 - 7:28pm

BTW, as an additional note ..... Some automobiles are also using somewhat similar ANC technology to cancel the noise :-) .......

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 10, 2020 - 7:31am

Most of the headphone audiophiles don't like potential ANC interference for the FR of music anyway .......... They prefer 'passive noise isolation' instead, if needed :-) .......

tonykaz's picture
Submitted by tonykaz on January 9, 2020 - 10:27pm

Hmm, I wonder.

If this thing is as good as the reviewer's adjectives it'll still be in his music system today. Is it?

Or

does ARC gear go off as easily and quickly as it's tubes performance.

Reading stuff like this has me pondering who wrote it, probably an aspiring Marketing Exec.

I've taken in a wide range of ARC gear in Trade, none of it was anywhere near as good as the Product Reviewer's claims.

ARC is nice gear, I could easily live with an SP6 B thru E. but it's not as lovely as an Audible Illusion Modulus.

Tony heading for Home and a nice 83F swim in the pool.

ps. even so, I wish that William Z was still around.

spivechild's picture
Submitted by spivechild on January 10, 2020 - 8:01am

THE DIGITAL APP OF STEREOPHILE CURRENTLY AND IN THE PAST HAS BEEN A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE IN EVERY REGARD. THE FACT THAT YOU ACCEPT MONEY FOR A DIGITAL SERVICE AND PROVIDE ZERO EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS....FILL IN BLACK.

JRT's picture
Submitted by JRT on January 10, 2020 - 12:15pm

I find that the print editions of magazines are very compatible with the system that I use for reading those, which is me. I prefer to read and turn real pages rather than virtual pages. And if I hang onto some print magazines for a few decades, I don't have to be concerned about future incompatibility with reader software and future operating systems, only the space claim of the print magazines (which for me is admittedly considerable). If I cannot read the print edition, then I probably cannot read the computer screen.

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 10, 2020 - 12:31pm

Is your computer screen 8k ultra, ultra hi-res, Dolby vision, IMAX enhanced? ....... Just kidding :-) ........

spivechild's picture
Submitted by spivechild on January 10, 2020 - 1:06pm

Says the guy responding in the comment section on a webpage.

New decade, new Stereophile. Let’s concentrate on.....print media! The only way to make sure Stereophile is flat line once all the baby boomers are dead or have cataracts which shouldn’t be long.

Jim Austin's picture
Submitted by Jim Austin on January 10, 2020 - 2:00pm
Your message has been received, loud and clear, by the editor and the publisher of the magazine--mainly because of the email you sent. The rest is spam, so please refrain from multiple postings in future. Jim Austin, Editor Stereophile
Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on January 10, 2020 - 12:58pm

... truly necessary, in that same era alternatively one could have purchased the $1200 Onkyo P-388F.
http://www.thevintageknob.org/onkyo-P-388.html
The P-388F also had unbalanced inputs (and outputs) - without the need for a separate box - as well as separate phono sections for MM and MC cartridges. For the price of the ARC unit, one could have afforded to include the M-388F power amp plus the DX-788F CD player.

OTOH, if you needed to spend the entire amount on a line stage with balanced inputs and outputs, then there was the Accuphase C-250.
http://www.accuphase.com/historys/c-250_e.htm

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 10, 2020 - 1:46pm

LS5 has just a touch of 3rd harmonic distortion ........ See, Fig.7, measurements ....... Do the Onkyo and Accuphase have that? :-) ........

Jason Victor Serinus's picture
Submitted by Jason Victor Serinus on January 10, 2020 - 3:31pm

Is everyone aware that this review is 26 years old?

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 10, 2020 - 4:14pm

"The more things change, the more they remain the same" ........ Alphonse Karr :-) ........

JHL's picture
Submitted by JHL on January 11, 2020 - 5:57pm

Surely everybody knows that musical pleasure derives directly from beating digital Stereophile about the head, neck, shoulders, head, face, and neck; that Bogu never, ever logs out; and that pedantry itself was invented in these comments threads.

Whatever joy an Audio Research component gave 26 years ago is completely irrelevant to the world in general, my good man.

Why, just ask us.

Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on January 12, 2020 - 10:18am

.. joy?
Having owned the ARC preamp for the past quarter century or having opted for the far less expensive Onkyo unit and having invested the $5K price difference in an S&P 500 index fund, where that $5K would have grown to about $25K today?

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 12, 2020 - 10:28am

Money alone can't always bring happiness ....... OTOH, that $25K could buy the new ARC Ref. 160S ..... Not a bad idea :-) ........

JHL's picture
Submitted by JHL on January 12, 2020 - 10:33am

speculating on hindsight beats hifi hands down. Vaguely reminds me of the guy hectoring others with the wholly superior sound of the loudspeaker he's never built, the rubes.

Never change, digital S'phile commentariat, never change.

Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on January 12, 2020 - 12:52pm

... none of the above.

The stereotypical audiophile would never be satisfied with the less expensive piece of equipment (and letting the excess funds accrue interest in some account), nor would they have kept the ARC unit(s) for several decades.

Instead, they would have continually failed to summon up the courage to step off the perpetual trade-in/trade-up merry-go-round for fear of possibly missing out on something better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJIveG6UjWA

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on January 12, 2020 - 1:06pm

If we humans stopped looking (and making) for 'something better', we would still be living in caves (not wine caves) :-) ......

JHL's picture
Submitted by JHL on January 12, 2020 - 1:21pm

As if it's still somehow not clear, digital S'phile commentariat are the only thing standing between order in the universe *and people doing what they want with their money*.

Oh the humanity.

Jim Austin's picture
Submitted by Jim Austin on January 13, 2020 - 6:29am

>>As if it's still somehow not clear, digital S'phile commentariat are the only thing standing between order in the universe *and people doing what they want with their money.

So you think that if it were not for the commentariat, people would not do what they want with their money?

Jim Austin, Editor
Stereophile

JHL's picture
Submitted by JHL on January 13, 2020 - 6:51am

I doubt the chronic second-guessing contingent sees far enough past its black and white preoccupation with perceived sins and ills to realize normal people aren't listening. To it, I mean.

Glotz's picture
Submitted by Glotz on January 10, 2020 - 4:21pm

They still rock!

I've heard these ARC power amps several times, and they are completely musical and throw a pretty convincing illusion. They may have possessed a slightly whitish character with some noticeable noise vs. more modern equipment, but they are testament to the ARC lineage and it seems like splitting hairs for arguments' sake.

They were fantastic for it's time, even more so with the Ref600's! I heard this alongside the MP-1 prototype around the same time (the no display/switch-only version in '95/'96). I can't remember the exact name of it, but I think JGH reviewed it? (Searching for that is a 'pita', btw.)

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