Audio Research I/50

I heard the i50 at the Florida Audio Expo last month and I knocked out by the sound. I was ready purchase the amplifier until I found out that amplifier’s balanced inputs are not compatible with a signal beyond 2 volts. Most every DAC that has a fully balanced design, sounds best from its balanced output and nearly all normally output voltages well over 3volts. According to ARC, normal balanced voltages will over drive its input stage. The i50 is not even compatible with Audio Research’s own DAC9 if balanced connections are employed. It was likely a design oversight to incorporate balanced inputs on the i50. This was disappointing news.