ARC Galileo Range

[Toobs]

Sorry doesn't do it for me

[ariess]

I also don't think it will be positioned at or above Reference in terms of performance. As Toga said, the bundling of multiple functions (DAC, phono stage) has never been conducive to best performance. (ARC usually goes the other way, spreading a pre-amp or phono stage from 1 into 2 boxes). They have also never made a Reference line integrated but there is one in this Galileo line. The interesting question to me is who is the target audience? And what will these cost?

[Quin]

Article in Audio Beat- includes prices http://www.theaudiobeat.com/highend2...nd2014_arc.htm

[cmalak]

If you look at video in the Mono and Stereo link or at ARC website, the inspirations for the industrial design of the pieces for the pre is the SP-1, for the power amp it's the D-79 and I think they just melded the two concepts for the integrated. There is no Reference designation on the faceplates so my guess is the Galileo line may be the successor to the current V-series (power and integrated amp) and LS- series (for the pre) or maybe in between the Reference and the V- and LS- series in terms of pricing. The amps are based on the KT-150 tubes and the stereo amp puts out 150wpc which means the KT-150s are being used very conservatively and the integrated puts out 75wpc.

Not sure about the target market but the melding of the old-school look with modern lines and materials suggests an updating of the Audio Research look going forward. Clearly the industrial design capabilities of Sonus Faber via Livio Cucuzza who is now heading up industrial design for the Fine Sounds Group are being leveraged across the companies as he has clearly started to make his mark with the new look of the Wadia Intuition integrated/DAC, the 321 DAC, the ARC SP-20 pre and now the Galielo line of ARC products. It will be interesting to see if any updating to the McIntosh aesthetic is coming down the road with the introduction of new products there.

[ariess]

Those prices are pretty jaw dropping. If the amp is based on the Ref150, it's nearly double the price at $25,000! And if the Integrated GSi75 is based on the VSi75, going from $8000 to $19,000 is hard to understand. Apparently the "Italian styling" doesn't come cheap! I think there is something to be said for the look of the pieces, but double the price is rather off putting. But if the market is for the upper 1% of the 1%, maybe it will be profitable. For me, I'd rather buy the Ref 75 and Ref 5SE...

[cmalak]

ariess...where did you see the prices? thx

[Kingsrule]

I think Cucuzza blew it looking at the SP-1 for inspiration rather than the SP-3 which is THE iconic ARC look and reference, along with the D76......

[ariess]

Originally Posted by cmalak

ariess...where did you see the prices? thx

At the end of the Audio Beat article that Quin linked to a few responses up.

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by ariess

At the end of the Audio Beat article that Quin linked to a few responses up.

Thx. I agree. I would not pay up those prices for redesigned (and I am not sure I like the new styling) faceplates and circuits based on new KT-150 tube which I presume will likely make it's way into the successor of the current line of amps (just as they did when they transitioned from the 6550 to the KT-120 tubes in their amps).

Will see what their marketing push will be but I think they got the pricing wrong on these in a big way!

[TOGA]

Heart breaking expensive.
Cost of Pre approaching my Ref40's
Power costs same as Ref250
And INT probably is one of the most expensive INT amp around. Sigh....
Ok I understand, previously all ARC components had reasonable price because they used cheap
And simple chassis/faceplate/display designs, we never have to pay for that before, but now with G Series,
We do have to pay for pro designs.
Toga