Audio Research factory tour 2023


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The place has the smell of death about it. The downsizing, the empty expressionless faces, the slow movement, the eerie quietness is all familiar- I've toured such businesses that were for sale and the signs are all there. Absent a massive dose of cash and energy this is going to end badly. 

I'm also struck by how inexpensively the gear is made. Apparently the overhead is in administration, marketing and support. 

This bums me out. I have loved ARC since 1977 when I was first introduced to the D class amps. I heard them driving a set of maggies and it was transformative. I still love my SP-15 and it's magnificent phono stage. My best wishes are with these guys- momentum is hard to recover and ARC has made the audio world and my life better.