Thoughts on the Audio Research 150.2

I hate to rain on the preverbial parade but I had the chance to do an A/B comparison of the 100.2 and the 150.2 and I have to say that the 100.2 was better by a considerable margin. The 100.2 has the magic of tubes with the drive and authority of solid state. The 150.2, while a very good amp, simply was not as engaging as the model it replaced. I'm no electrical engineer but the significant difference in sound quality between the amps is probably a function of their radically different designs--the 150.2 being a digital switching amp. I listened to both extensively in my own system and room so there were no variables except for the amps themselves. I really wanted to like the 150.2 better because it runs cooler and would work better in my in-cabinet installation. Try as I might the 100.2 simply sounded more musical and involving. I am not the only one who has reported on this comparison--since I did my listening and made my decision there have been other threads in which people report the same results. Bottom line is that both are good amps--it's just that the 100.2 may be the best sounding amp that ARC has ever produced. This is why they have held their value so well and why so few show up on the A'gon. I'd be interested in hearing other viewpoints on this as it is not often one gets to do such a controlled comparison and therefore develop an opinion with a high degree of personal validity. BTW, the preamp was an SP16.

Eee3. I would agree absolutely that it all boils down to personal preference. However, I would ask with regard to the 100.2 and 150.2 comparison--how do you know which you prefer? I do not doubt the sonic attributes of the 150.2--I've heard the amp and it sounds good. However, I heard it in DIRECT comparison with the model it replaced, the 100.2 and I preferred the older model. I can say unequivically that the 100.2 is my preference because I compared it to the 150.2 in the same room, same system, same everything. It is only through this type of comparison that one can make an intelligent choice. Comparing the two amps in different systems etc. really tells you almost NOTHING about which you prefer. You say the 150.2 sounds more like live music than the 100.2. Are you sure? Or does the SYSTEM which contained the 150.2 sound more like live music in the room you heard it than the SYSTEM with the 100.2 in the room you heard it in? I also disagree with your assertion that we should not be comparing the two amps because they are different designs. Evaluation by comparison is pretty much what this whole hobby is about--and besides the 150.2 is the amp that replaced the 100.2 in the manufacturers lineup. Why shouldn't we compare and see whether the new design exceeds the performance of the older model? I would think this type of comparison would be the most relevant of all. Sorry to sound a bit shrill but I think we all need to more consistently bear in mind the role that room acoustics and system synergy play in determining the sound we hear. Once those variables are controlled, then personal preference can be more authentically determined and roundly asserted.