Has anybody heard the new Audio Research LS 27?


The new LS 27 is coming to the dealers now. Called the Audio Research and they said the new LS 27 sounds better than the Ref 3 and very close to Ref 5. That is the reason why the listing price of the LS 27 is changed to around $7,000 so that it won’t affect the sales of the Ref 5 too much.

Have you heard the LS 27 and how do you like it?
yxlei
Caveat emptor. Buyers decide: The Market reacts: Companies live or die

ARC has survived for the last forty years, if it's all been a gimmick it's remarkably well disguised!
Again, I have a hard time with people complaining that they use the same circuit or similar circuits year after year. As a Warranty Repair Station for ARC, I can say without question their circuits change as do the parts they use. If people need to complain about this they can build their own line stages. It is not an easy task. Some people sure know how to beat a dead horse.
I have done a bit of research on the differences between the LS26 and LS27, trying to read between the lines but I really couldn't determine anything substantially different other than a beefier power supply and different parts. It seems the chassis is a little deeper as well but the circuit is basically the same. The LS27 also weighs less. As the owner of a 10 lb amp I don't hold much weight that weight matters but power supplies and filter capcitance sure do which usually add some weight. All accounts seem to attest that the LS27 is a step above the LS26 in listening impressions.

My question to Hifigeek1 as you seem to be quite familiar with the circuit designs of ARC products in general. Is there a REAL difference in the circuits between the LS26 and LS27 or just modest changes in parts and power supply? Your comments about the 6H30 tube and an improvement over the 6922, greater transconductance I presume which surely would benefit the sonics subjectively. I can only imagine if this tube were implemented in an SP-10 with its tube regulation and quite large power supply. This is MY point and Onhwy61's as well. I don't want to come across as bashing ARC, I'm not. A healthy ARC is a good thing for the audio industry but the point is that there really doesn't seem to me to be anything revolutionary over the past 25 years in the design of their products although there is little doubt that there have been incremental improvements based on refinements more than radical new approaches, outside the box thinking, if you will. Just curious on your thoughts.

It does seem automotive technology has changed dramatically over the past 40 years, not so with linestage circuit designs. For those with money to spare, getting the lastest ARC then flipping it 3 years later for the latest ARC is fine -why not, does no harm and they are excellent linestages. But if money was an issue and you wanted to have a wonderful linestage you could easily buy a 20 year-old ARC preamp and be very much in the company of what any ARC preamp has to offer - a good sounding linestage - there simply has not been that much improvement or new knowledge of how to design a linestage - better part always helped, then and now.
I currently have a ARC line stage that I bought in 2000. I have never heard any of the newer line stages. Now I'm curious to take my line stage to an ARC dealer and compare it with the newer models.