Audio Research in Receivership.

Going all- in with KT150’s was a mistake? 

Yes. Have you tried to source reliable KT150's over the last three years? Evidently not. 

I own and love ARC but as I have said before, their decision to go all-in with the KT-150 was a mistake. Likely only one of fifty or more but still a mistake. The labor-intensive hand assembly of every circuit board and component here in the US did not help. Reported reliability issues had to hurt. As just one example, my Ref 150 SE which I purchased new in 2017 has a design problem with in-rush current on start-up. It is not a question of if, but when, as to the input fuse blowing and taking the board out with it. The successor 160M, 160S, and 80S implemented a relay-circuit with soft-start. A bit too late imho. It is my understanding they were tough on dealers with all types of rules and restrictions and their dealer network eroded as a result. It will be interesting to see that else gets revealed but as I said, I am sure it a widespread litany of problems. 

Jim McShane wrote me before the Russia-Ukraine war started that he could not and would not sell KT150's because he had to buy hundred to find five or ten decent tubes. If you look at his website now, he cites to advancing age and refusing to support Russia for his decision to stop selling tubes (which does not make total sense since the New Sensor factory is American owned). But all that said, yes, you can find good ones from Upscale. Everything after Kevin Deal is tough. TC Tubes used to be a reliable source of tubes for me and they no longer sell KT150's. 

I do find it surprising that ARC, facing such financial trouble, would be shelling out $50,000 or more to attend Axpona. I realize they shared expenses with Wadax but after you pay for shipping gear, hotel rooms, entertainment expense, I bet it was 50K easy. Gear does not get sold at Axpona, particularly when you are not showing new product.