Audio Research service

My experience has been so-so. I recently purchased a VS60 and trying to speak to Calvin has been tedious at best. He's never available and I have to leave a message. Sometimes, he gets back to me and sometimes not. I ended up going to the ARC tech here in NYC.

I've had to deal with AR service three times in the mid to late 80s. Leonard was the man back then, as he is now. The first time was converting it from 240V to 120V when I emmigrated. Quick turn around time and reasonable charge. The second time was when one channel started to make a rustling sound. With just a phone call, Leonard says 'You probably need to replace V1- a 6DJ8. Which was exactly the problem and exactly the solution. Finally one of the filter caps leaked electrolyte all over the circuit board, essentialy destroying it. In spite of the amp being probably out of warranty, and purchased in a different country, it was fixed FOC, including return freight I believe.

I don't know how service is 25 years later, but if it is only half as good as it was back then, it still adds immeasurable value to any of the AR products.

The fact that you can get schematics for old stuff is simply great. Friend of mine was working on a SP-8 - turns out there were something like three or four pretty distinctly different versions of this product - because the unit had been worked on by others (a lot) - it wasn't completely clear what it was at this time in it's life. Tech sent out two schematics - units fixed and sounds absolutely wonderful.I would also agree that Leonard is a champ on the old stuff - product knowledge is so rare today.

Leonard isn't there anymore, and Audio Research service doesn't seem to be there either.........I wish I could say I had a good experience, but I can't........My remote being lost on the last service I had on a LS-10 was too much.......They don't have the remotes anymore and don't seem to know where to get one, my loss.......I now have a 5500.00 LS-10 with no remote........

ARC lost the remote? Lame!