Should I consider the newer Audio Research pre & power amps, when I play records not CD's


I worked in and owned upper end audio stores back in the 1970's. (McIntosh B&O Magnepan, etc) I have been pretty much out of audio for the past 30 years. In my old age, I want to play the records I have saved (many MFSL & Japanese virgin vinyl) I kept my B&O linear 4002 W/mmc20CL cart. and it still works and I have newer B&W 804 speakers. I am going to get a new table of better quality. I have always wanted an Audio Research tube amp and Preamp. I am considering the LS 26 or LS17SE Preamp and older D90/115 or newer VS 115 or the Ref 75SE. I am in my 60's and my hearing is not as good as it was, plus I am lost with all the digital technology. (just started using a smart phone) I just wanted to get opinions spending $4000 on older ARC or bite the bullet and spend in the $7000 up. Is it worth spending the money for the new equipment when I am only playing records. 
128x128juke4u
" The use of a DAC is confusing."

A CD player has 2 main parts; the transport and the DAC. You put the CD into the tray and the laser reads the info off the disk. Thats a transport. The digital signal is then sent to the dac (digital to analog converter). The dac's job is to convert the signal from digital to analog. You can't listen to music while its digital (its just a bunch of 1's and 0's). Once its analog, the signal gets sent to the preamp just like any other component (tape player, reel to reel, radio, etc), and you listen to it.

Instead of having a dac built in as part of a CD player, you can also buy them as stand alone components. Currently, the main reason you buy a stand alone dac, is so you can plug a computer into it. This allows you to use a computer as a source for playing music.

That's just the basics as to what a dac does, but like everything in audio, there are differences. Price, parts quality, design theory, .... and the list goes on.

" Probably a dumb question but can a regular CD player be plugged into a Line Stage preamp without a DAC."

Yes. But remember, you must have a dac in order to listen to any kind of digital source. In this case, you would use the dac inside the CD player. A line stage is a preamp that doesn't have a phono input. You can only plug line level sources into it. In reality, every type of component other than a turntable is a line level source. For phono, if you don't have it as an input on your preamp, you use an external phono stage. The phono stage itself is a line level component. 

Here's a link to a very useful resource. Its a journal that's broken up into several issues. I can't think of any other reference that comes close to matching it. They also review several ARC components. I believe the VT-100's in it. Just start with issue one.

http://vandersteen.com/audio-perfectionist-journal
I don’t own, but have always admired, Audio Research equipment. I have read many passionate reviews about the virtues of ARC, so I tend to believe them. Their vintage gear is pricey, but easier to liquidate when the upgrade bug hits. I see an ARC SP-11 here on Audiogon that has been sitting for some time now. The seller has feedback so that can’t be it. These used to sell the first day. Considering the price of the newer "Reference" series preamps, any idea why this hasn’t sold? Is it considered a gamble to buy used tube equipment, even ARC? I'm just curious and no, I’m not the seller!
" Considering the price of the newer "Reference" series preamps, any idea why this hasn’t sold? Is it considered a gamble to buy used tube equipment, even ARC?"

That preamp sounds so different from the Ref series, it might as well be a different brand. Also, its not balanced like most ARC gear, and vintage peramps aren't as desirable as vintage amps. (From a SQ POV, not as a collector)

 I have seen Ref 110 amps going for just over $3500 to a little over $4000. $5000. is high. Browse HiFishark.com. I have owned both a VT100 and VT100 mk3. as well as the Ref 110.  Both are OK amps but not exceptional. The Ref 110 is exceptional. It is also much easier to bias, has a tube hours meter and can run KT 120 tubes. KT 120 tubes will last much longer than 6550s in the Ref 110.  I have owned a lot of Audio Research equipment. If I were looking for an exceptional used ARC amp, my favorites are a Classic 60, a V70, basically a balanced Classic 60. And the Ref 110.  But biasing the Classic 60 / V70 is a pain. Also if you get something too old, you have to think about replacing caps and may need it gone through.


 I really love the LS 25 mk2. I have compared it head to head with an LS27. I was no impressed with the LS27 and thought it not worth the upgrade. It took a Ref 5se to convince me that I needed to upgrade. Both the Ref 2 mk2 and Ref 3 are also much better than the LS25 mk2. Keep in mind that mk2 is very important as they use 6H30 tubes. I really like the Ref preamps because they use tubes in the power supply. I think this makes a big difference.  

 You may also want to consider a Fosgate Signature phono stage A very nice sounding phono stage. All tube and highly configurable for both MM and MC. They go for around 1200 used but can sometimes be hard to find.