Audio Research Reference 75 Stereo Power Amplifier

Wojciech Pacula has posted a review of the Audio Research Reference 75 stereo power amplifier ($9995) at High Fidelity. His conclusions:

“I already reached some conclusions above. I didn’t mean, however, my discussion of some inferior traits of the REF75, which ultimately is only a product of human hands, to obscure the main message of this review. That is a fantastic amp. If I were to mention them again it’d probably just to remind you to be aware of the fact that nothing is for free and that you need to carefully rethink the whole system the ARC would be paired with. I would see it in the company of well saturated, natural sounding components with well-controlled bass. A potential customer would be a fan of chamber, vocal or experimental music, even electronics; generally rather instrumental music, not bands from the stable of Accession Records – Assemblage 23, Diorama, [: SITD:], Diary of Dreams – to name a few. With them, the amplifier will be too much involved in tonality and not enough in rhythm. It may seem paradoxical because it’s quite a big amplifier with high power output, equipped with KT120 power tubes to secure a better speakers control. And that’s probably true. It’s just that said power and control translate into exceptional ease in midrange and provide the amplifier with something more than just “good” presentation of vocals, violins, etc. They gave it the kind of magic that is just as difficult to get for that money as it is in more expensive products. It just happens or not, and money has nothing to do with it.”

You can read the full review here.