Need to learn about Audio Research
Still exploring amps and preamps to go with my Magnepan 3.7i.
I've always heard about Audio Research being a great match, but I'm not familiar with the brand at all.
I'll need to shop the used market since the new gear is way out of my price range.
I am looking for a high power (100wpc +) amp and a preamp that has remote control. I'd like the preamp to be tube, and the amp could be either solid state or tube.
I don't know at what point in the model lineup remote control was added, but it appears most of the older gear did not have a remote.
Any AR experts here?
Check on hifishark search the unit, click on sold/expired and that will tell you the prices others have listed it for. The fellow from this ad likes to look at his Jeff Rowland gear so much he had to have it in the background in every picture https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649765369-extremely-rare-infinity-fet-preamp/ |
I have rebuilt Maggie 3.3rs and have used lots of different amps on them, including Rogue Magnum 120s - pretty powerful tube amps. Maggies really like to slurp good quality high power. Ultimately they are at their best actively biamped with 200-250 wpc (8 ohms) amps that double into 4 ohms. But you can't easily biamp the 3.7i, so I would look to an amp at least 200/250 wpc into 8 ohms that doubles wattage into 4. Parasound A21 is pretty beastly and does that. I would also consider supplementing with multiple subwoofers set very low in gain. |
I've gotten good results in driving all my speakers, including Maggies with an ARC Ref 5se preamp driving a Hegel H590 amp, or a Class D Audio 470C amp. The ARC preamp adds some tube sound (air, soundstage, detail resolution, etc.) - which sounds great with a range of speakers, which seems a bit better than all solid state gear (just the H590 integrated, Parasound, etc.). Either of those amps with the ARC preamp sound superb with Maggies and Harbeths. And the Class D Audio amp is superb for about $700 new. He now offers great GAN amps - still a great price for great sound. I really like the benefits of the remote control features of the ARC preamp. And... I've had no problems with the ARC service - had to return a ARC Ref 150se amp for a minor repair of one of the speaker terminals about a year ago. They provided great, timely service with no issues. |
