Audio Research 40th Anniversary Edition Reference Preamplifier from avguide.com

[Ritmo]

sweeeeeeeet!

[Ritmo]

Just realized I just hit 100 posts in AA!

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by Ritmo

Just realized I just 100 posts in AA!

Congrats Mike

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by tima

The end of the one year of availability for the Anniversary Ref is fast approaching. I believe ARC stops selling 'em at the end of April 2011. Tick ... tick ... tick ...

I can't imagine they would stop making a preamp as good as this one is supposed to be (I have not heard one yet) and not replace it with something else. Customer: I want your best preamp from Audio Research. Dealer: They no longer make it , but you can buy this one instead. Customer: What else do you have ? ....

Doesn't make sense to me.

What's next, a REF6 or REF7?

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by joeinid

From some reviews I've read, they say it can take 600-1000 hrs to break in. That's a long time ....

.

Sounds like the break-in time on a C-J CT-5!

[Tonepub]

Originally Posted by joeinid

I can't imagine they would stop making a preamp as good as this one is supposed to be (I have not heard one yet) and not replace it with something else. Customer: I want your best preamp from Audio Research. Dealer: They no longer make it , but you can buy this one instead. Customer: What else do you have ? ....

Doesn't make sense to me.

What's next, a REF6 or REF7?

Hmmmm.

I wouldn't be suprised. ARC has been tight lipped, but again two years ago they said their wouldn't be another REF Phono stage and here we are. I'm sure they will surprise us with something else.

If they said that they were only going to produce the 40th Anniv. REF preamp for one year, they have to stick to it, so the people that ponied up for this model retain their exclusivity.

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by joeinid

I can't imagine they would stop making a preamp as good as this one is supposed to be (I have not heard one yet) and not replace it with something else. Customer: I want your best preamp from Audio Research. Dealer: They no longer make it , but you can buy this one instead. Customer: What else do you have ? ....

Doesn't make sense to me.

What's next, a REF6 or REF7?

Joe...the 40th Anniversary Edition Reference preamp is essentially a supercharged Ref 5. Circuit design is similar. The main difference is separate power supply and upgraded caps and dual mono design. So you can think of the Ref 5 as being the trickle down of the 40th Anniversary Reference preamp eventhough it came out before it. Actually the more accurate way to think about is that the 40th Anniv preamp is a trickle-up design from the Ref 5 If I were to guess the Ref 5 and Ref Phono 2 are here for a while and the Anniv preamp as Jeff said will shortly be retired once the one year is up.

What ARC is working on right now is updates to the Reference amplifiers. There is a prototype Ref 150 amp which will replace my beloved Ref 110s coming out soon. If you go to the Wilson Audio forum and look at Deb's latest post on Wilson You Tube videos, you will see a Ref 150 prototype that was revealed at Definitive Audio's Music Matters event: YouTube - Music Matters at Definitive Audio, February 9, 2011

My guess is there will be a Reference 150 amp, Ref 250 and Ref 650 Monos coming out soon. The Power tube of choice - the KT120s.

That would be my read on the situation at ARC in terms of new product development since all the preamps (both linestage and phono) across the price spectrum have been overhauled recently.

[Puma Cat]

Both the TOTL C-J amp and preamp are stricty limited edition. Once they build 'em, they won't be building any more. The ART monoblock amp is limited to 125 pairs, and the GAT preamp to 250 units. My guess, judging from the seller of my CT-5 is that the GATs may be "built-to-order", in others word, they don't build 'em until an order is placed.

[Tonepub]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Both the TOTL C-J amp and preamp are stricty limited edition. Once they build 'em, they won't be building any more. The ART monoblock amp is limited to 125 pairs, and the GAT preamp to 250 units. My guess, judging from the seller of my CT-5 is that the GATs may be "built-to-order", in others word, they don't build 'em until an order is placed.

Nope, they build them in small batches and like most other mfrs. that build this way, concentrate on a batch of one or two items and then move on to something else. The GAT has been selling briskly so far.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by tonepub

The GAT has been selling briskly so far.

That's good to hear. I'd love to read a review of the GAT sometime. I don't know anyone that's done a formal review yet.