AR DS 450 efficiency at what sonic price?


Has anyone heard Audio Research's DS450? I am attracted to lots of power out with little consumption and resultant cool running, especially now that the local utility company has instituted two-tiered pricing designed to punish electrical use... Could I be satisfied with a more efficient amp or should I just get rid of the refrigerator and keep the tubes?
77jovian
Some people love class D amplifiers others will only listen to tubes or class A amplifiers. As usual, you must listen and decide for yourself. I generally prefer the more inefficient amplifiers.

On a side note, our so called leaders (both parties) are failing us. Their job is not to make us use less energy by jacking up the price but to work to provide us with plentiful, clean, safe, cheap energy.
Well, ARC VT100iii for example, idles at 440 watts. So if you pay $.15/kW Hr (on the high side), and run 4 hours/day every day, you'll pay $100/year for direct costs. If you have to run the AC to cool your room 1/3 of the year, make it $110.

If you run the DS450 24/7 like you probably would, it would cost $65 per year.

It might take a while for this amp to pay for itself :)