Has anybody heard the new Audio Research LS 27?

I answered the question in on of my posts. Evidently you missed it. Perhaps your question was more important than my answer?

Jafox:

"Come on, after all these years, are line stage circuit topologies or PS designs really changing all that much?"

NO

"The great designers have pretty much already muscled through all the permutations here."

TRUE

I previously owned an ARC REF 5 and was FORCED to sell it (still hurts to think about it). I finally saved up for a LS27 and it now has about 215 hours logged on it. I can tell you that it sounds absolutely fantastic and at this point it is almost as good as the REF 5. I have heard the REF 3, and as good as it was, I do not remember liking it as much as I do the LS 27. I have never heard the two side by side, but after enjoying this preamp as much as I have been, I am not even considering a REF 3 as a next step. There is a lot of breaking in to do, but if this is how good it is 1/3 the way to final break in, it goes to show how much ARC has learned from creating their REF 40 masterpiece. Before the switch to ARC I was using McIntosh (C2300 and two MC275's running in mono) and in my humble opinion, the new ARC gear is in another league in almost every area. If you are looking for a new preamp and the LS27 is in your price range - go out and get it.

I started building a system around ARC units in 1980 and have changed them over the years as Pre's, Powers, Dacs, & CD Players have been superseded.
There have been few occasions when the change has been a retro grade step in terms of musicality and overall performance.
Bad moves:
LS2B to LS7 > loss of resolution.
Classic 150 to Ref 210 > gutless.
CD2 to CD7 > loss of soundstage.

Good moves:
PH7 to Ref Phono 2.
Ref 3 to Ref 5.
Ref 210 to Ref 610T.

With respect to ARC upgrading to new models - it is just smart marketing and business.
They KNOW that the legion of ARC fans will rush out and purchase the latest model, Example - LS16 to LS16MKII to LS 17 and same for the LS25, MKII up to LS26. With the clever note: trickle down from the Ref,a baby reference, and sounds better then the former reference at 1/3 the cost.
I would bet 10 years from now the new LS28 or LS19 will not have 6H30 tube, it will have a different tube or back to a different supplier 6922 or whatever - with the note (new supplier, new circuit) and people will say Ahh ---- never liked that 6H30 anyway too dry and sterile.
I am not knocking this or being an ARC basher at all. The ARC products I have heard I liked (which is all the reference gear).