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Both preamps are nicely styled and have good basic features. The Audio Research SP-10, however, wins hands-down on ergonomics. You have switchable gain, a choice between two turntable inputs or Mute at the phono stage, and switchable cartridge loading. For most high-end audiophiles these are useful controls. The Conrad-Johnson combination has a slight advantage because its balance control is infinitely variable while the Audio Research control is stepped-and yes, dammit, there are times when the ARC's balance switch won't "lock in" at just the right place.
Anthony H. Cordesman followed-up his SP-10 review in December 1984 (Vol.7 No.7):
Audio Research hasn't formally changed the model designation on one of high-end audio's greatest status symbols, nor have they raised the price. They have "only" improved the phono section of each channel, improving that already-superb preamp so much that I felt justified in adding my own "II" to the model number. And you can convert your existing SP-10 for a quite reasonable $100–$150.
Now, let me whet your appetite: the improved phono stage of the SP-10 is superb. I won't go quite as far as…
Anthony H. Cordesman wrote again about the SP-10 in November 1986 (Vol.9 No.7):
The sound of the Convergent Audio SL-1 is very good indeed (as it should be at $3495)—good enough that it can probably be best reviewed by comparing it to its top competition. The Audio Research SP-11 and SP-10 are obvious standards of reference in tube design, and the original and revised Motif MC-7 are good transistor standards of comparison.
Bass: The original Motif MC-7 had excellent bass and lower midrange, with an emphasis on control rather than sheer bass power and dynamics, and the revised MC…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Tube preamplifer with separate power supply. Individual input for two phono sources, auxiliary inputs for tuner, aux, 2 tape loops. Full switching amongst left, right, stereo reverse, and mono. Mute switch. Switch to remove 12dB of gain. Switch to connect phono directly to volume control, bypassing all extraneous circuitry and switching.
Serial numbers: 92426032 and 92427030, 6312700S and 63126004 (both power supply and control unit have individual serial numbers).
Price: $3700 (1984); no longer available (2009).
Manufacturer: Audio Research…
My reviews always begin in bizarre ways. Take David Manley...please! (Just kidding.) On the last day of Winter CES 1995, I found myself towing a tuckered-out JA to a few final rooms. (This was just after the January '95 David Manley/Dick Olsher tube-rolling brouhaha, footnote 1, regarding who should do what to whom, and with which particular tube.) So as we passed Manley's room, John Atkinson thought to stick his head in (the noose) and say hello.
Of course, David Manley had plenty to say, but as we spoke I didn't realize I was standing in one of his ManleyClan® Audio Traps. You…
Output tubes are 10 "Russian uprated 6550s" per side, with no further details of their origin to be found in the manual. "We strongly emphasize that only the Russian 6550s should be used in this amplifier...they have been thoroughly optimized around this tube. Use of unapproved tube types can and will void your warranty." You've been warmed...(tube joke). I reviewed with the tubes supplied, with nary a thought of replacing them. Really.
The input of each 440 consists of a single 12AT7 dual-triode, with the driver stage made up of a pair of 6414s (an American military version of the…
The 1 2 3 speaker cable, so named because it's configurable for single, bi-, or tri-wired setup, is multistrand, uncoated, oxygen-free copper as well. The wire has a polyethylene dielectric, and it's wrapped around a hollow polyethylene tube, then PVC-jacketed. They're unshielded because, according to Joe, "the signal is pretty strong at that point, and we find that even in 45' runs some of our customers use in New York City, there's no RFI." The cables are $320 for an 8' pair, and bi- and tri-wired sets cost the same, with no additional cost for termination. A Signature speaker cable will…
Well, they're fun, they sound great, but they ain't exactly neutral, see? They aren't particularly [sniff] refined, my good man. Especially in Tetrode mode, where the sound is a bit grainy and where they possess more power, slam, and headroom than should be legal. Let's put it this way: the customer for a pair of Jadis JA 200s is most emphatically not the same person who'll want these rock'em, sock'em, kick-yer-butt-into-next-Tuesday amps. But so what? Aren't we supposed to be enjoying ourselves? Isn't it about the music? Believe me, then: enjoying music through these things was a piece of…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: All-tube monoblock power amplifier with class-AB1, push-pull output stage, user-adjustable bias. Output power: 540Wpc at 1.5% THD, 5 ohm load in Tetrode mode (25.3dBW); 168Wpc at 1.5% THD, 5 ohm load in Triode mode (20.2dBW). Power consumption: 1329W full power at 1.5% THD, 30W in Standby. Input impedance: 100k ohms. Load impedance: Factory-set for 5 ohms. RCA and XLR inputs.
Dimensions: 19" W by 13" D by 11" H. Weight: 82 lbs shipping.
Serial numbers of units tested: MANR440889/90.
Price: $10,000/pair. Approximate number of dealers:…
Sidebar 2: In the mix
The front-end was basically the same kit I'd listened to with the Symphonic Line Kraft 400s. Digits were handled by the Forsell Air Reference D/A converter and its companion Mk.II CD transport (air in the transport, none in the D/A, thank you, footnote 1). Digital datalinks were mostly Kimber AGDL, the new Illuminati Studio Dataflex, XLO, and the Marigo Apparition Reference (everything Cable-Jacketed), plus a Shakti Stone on the transport roof during play.
I also auditioned the 440s with an updated Jadis JS1 Symmetrical Converter driven by the elegant and…