Audio Research reference amplifiers used with RCA IC`s and unbalanced preamplifiers

@newbee 

With the 25’ balanced / unbalanced comparison. Where they identical interconnects that were fully broken in?

I have all ARC stuff. I had high end single ended interconnects when I got my ARC amps. Audio Research recommends using balanced (preamps and amps are internally of balanced design). So I got an identical balanced interconnect and tried it. I could not tell the difference. I did not carefully listen for weeks… so there was probably a small difference… that I would have heard over time. I still swapped them all for balanced. Getting the absolute most out of a system is the sum of small differences… so some of us never let anything go at less than perfect.

So, applying this to your situation. The sonic difference in using converted interconnects is likely to be very small.

The fact that you own three preamps and are conserved with cable costs suggests you like experiencing different sound types as opposed to achieving the ultimate sound quality you can. So, I would go ahead. You are going to get the Audio Research sound from these components. Then if you get hooked on the sound you invest in balanced to get the utmost out of them.

@newbee 

Thanks. I have to agree, quality probably more important than type in this case.

The triode setting would be 35 wpc. I own Ref 160’s.

I run my REF 160’s in triode mode (so 70wpc instead of 140wpc). There seems to be little difference in sound levels… only in the triad mode there is a bit more naturalness to the sound.

I periodically switch back to ultra linear and immediately back to triode. Having come from 350wpc Pass amp… where more power is better… not true in the ARC tube world.

The contemporary ARC Reference amps are incredible. Highly recommended.

I typically listen at the 65 to 75 db area. But I occasionally crank it into the 80db area, it sounds great.

If you are listening at an average spl of 85 that is very loud. If you are talking about occasionally peaks touching 85… that is just loud.

I had some kids come over and crank it to…. Loud… I didn’t want to go in to measure the spl, it was too loud. No evidence of running out of power.

I found when I switched over to the ARC amp from a Pass 350 (Wpc). I actually listened at lower volumes because the music was more satisfying at lower volumes.

I pulled out my sound meter right after my last post. I think the average was 66db  with peaks to 71db. It was at a completely satisfying level. I found the better my system got the less the need was for volume.