Killahertz the Classic Series are really fantastic amps . Had a Classic 150 monoblocks from 2005 to 2016 and really love them . I should’nt have sold it . Some reliability issues during my early ownership but w/ the help of ARC factory they help my tech sort them out .

You know, this is the benefit of high end audio equipment... either upgrading incessantly or keeping it for a couple decades brings tremendous rewards. I remember buying a top rated (wildly pronounced outstanding and “high end”) Onkyo cassette tape deck around 1980 and then taking home an old first generation Nakamichi cassette deck... 6 or 7 years old. The Nakamichi simply blew the socks off the Onkyo... in comparison the old high end deck made the Onkyo sounded like a cheap plastic transistor radio. Absolutely no comparison. So began my journey into high end audio.

A used Audio Research LS5 was the center of my system for ten or fifteen years. What a wonderful journey it has been. I’m starting to dream about a pair of Audio Research 160M amps for my system.

I have an SP-3a on the shelf. I need to update the caps in that one. It could probably use a new set of resistors and coupling caps. I put Clarity caps in one for a friend and really liked the improvement. The carbon comp resistors have to be long in tooth by now and many may have drifted. I don't know if I'm like those musicians that need to have new cc resistors replace the old ones of if metal film will work. I think more of the sonics of that preamp are from the design, not the old resistors.

Love the older gear--=

I use Pioneer Exlusive 10, searched for a long time and bought on Ebay for $ 2000
https://audio-database.com/PIONEER-E...amp/c10-e.html Here are the characteristics.

My very first piece of high end gear was the mighty VT-130SE, it gave me years of musical enjoyment :music:

I maintain that the best bang for the buck component of any type that I have ever owned was the ARC Ref 150. A spectacular amp.

Used to own and love an ARC D70Mk2. This amp was incredible sounding, and IMO could still hold its own with just about anything out there today! I sold it to move on to new tube mono blocks, and because the biasing scheme of the ARC was criminal...but I do miss her still! ( Yes, I know she is still in my signature line, haven't figured out how to change that, :0( )

Not terribly old compared to some, but?

Have an ARC LS3b sitting on my desk. If it weren't for the fact that I was offered a deal I couldn't refuse on a Parasound JC2, it would still be in my system. GREAT piece of gear, especially for the price of a used one!

Hi guys ,

I was able to compare my newly recapped D79B w/ KT88's and Telefunken 12ax7 input tubes to a REF75 in my system consisting of the VPI HR-X w/ Fatboy unipivot 12", Benz Micro Gullwing SLR ,ARC REF Phono 2 SE and REF 40 Anniv line stage & Duntech C5000 Princess. Although the REF 75 gave more musical information and were more extended in the high frequency the D79B had more meat in the bone in the mids ,had a more powerful midbass and was more powerful /robust sounding probably because of the immense power supply and large power transformer . Both amps had tight bass. The mids of both amps were to die for .Now the question is will I sell my D79B to get a REF 75 since the price of both amps when preowned are similar (here in our country), I think I wont . hoping I can post a picture but I dont know how.

tdh888