Audio Research Reference

Anniversary Preamplifierby Marc Mickelson, April 23, 2011 © www.theaudiobeat.com

prilmaybe“thecruelestmonth,”asT.S.Eliot wroteintheopeningto“TheWasteLand,” buthecertainlydidn’thavetheAudioResearchReferenceAnniversarypreampinmindwhenhepennedoneofhismostfamouslinesin1922.ItseemslikeAudioResearchbeganmakingaudiogearin1922,butit’sonlybeensince1970.WilliamZ.Johnsonlaunchedhiscompany--atthetime,theonlyoneintheUSmakingvacuum-tubeaudioelectronics--withasingleampandpreamp,butmorethan50differentampsand30preampshavefollowed.PreampshavebecomeAudioResearch’ssignatureproduct,beginningwiththeSP-1in1972,whichcost$750andcommandsasmuchontheusedmarkettoday.AudioResearch’sfirsttwo-chassispreampwasthe$3500SP-10,whichwasintroducedin1982,andthiswasfollowedbyperhapsthegranddameofthecompany’svintagepreamps,the$4900SP-11,in1985.AudioResearchintroduceditsfirstReference-seriespreamp,theReference1,inearly1996,beginningarunofmodelsthatleadsuptothecurrentReference5.

WhatthevacuumtubedoesanyofthishavetodowithApril?ItwasayearagothismonththatAudioResearchdecidedtocelebrateits40thanniversary.Whilesomecompanieswouldthrowalavishparty,MinnesotamodestydictatedthatAudioResearchwouldcreateacommemorativeproductinstead.Ithadtobeapreamp,giventhecompany’slegacy,sotheReferenceAnniversarywasborn.Itisthefirsttwo-chassisAudioResearchpreampin20years,andittakesadvantageofthecollectiveknowledgethecompanygainedduringitslongtenurebuildingtubedaudioelectronics.

TheReferenceAnniversary’stwochassiswerenecessarybecauseoftheambitionofitsdesign.Itfeaturestrulyseparatesignalpathsandpowersuppliesforeachchannelandtwicethepower-supplyenergystorageofanypreviousAudioResearchpreamp--8000microfaradsintotal.Forcomparison,AudioResearch’sVS115,a115Wpcstereoamplifier,has3760µF.Themostvisibleinternalparts,evenmoresothanthetubes,arethe

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fourhugeTefloncouplingcapscreatedspeciallyfortheReferenceAnniversary.Eachweighsovertwopoundsandisthesizeofapopcancutinhalf.Eight6H30s,thelatestbreedofdual-triodetubes,resideinthemainchassis,providingthegain.Thesewerechosenfortheirhightransconductanceandlownoise,whichtranslatetobetterperformancethanthemorecommon12AU7or6922.Twomore6H30sareinthepowersupply,eachdrivingasingle6550Cpentode,acommonamplifieroutputtube.Likethetubesinthemainchassis,thoseinthepowersupplyarededicatedtoseparatechannels,signalingthattheReferenceAnniversaryisdualmonofromthe20Apower-cordinlettothevolumecontrol.Thisisanoteworthyfeat,giventhatit’salltubeandfullybalancedaswell.

Functionally,theReferenceAnniversaryisidenticaltotheReference5(andReference3beforeit).Thevacuum-fluorescentdisplayisthesame,andtheremotecontrolforeitherunitwilloperateboth.SomepeoplehavecarpedthattheReferenceAnniversarydeservesachunky,hewn-from-a-block-of-titaniumremote,butIdisagree.AudioResearch’selegantlysimpleremotesblendwiththevisualsimplicityoftheproducts,andtheyaren’tsobulkyastobreakifyoudropthem--orsoheavyastodamagewhatevertheyfallon.Andifyoulosetheremote,youwon’thavetopayanoutrageousamountforareplacement.Probablythemostforward-thinkingoftheReferenceAnniversary’sfunctionsisthetube-lifecounter.Nomorewillyouhavetoguessathowmuchtimethetubeshavebeeninoperation--thepreampwilltellyouatthepushofabutton.

Aesthetically,theReferenceAnniversaryrepresentsafurtherrefinementofthewell-establishedAudioResearchstyle.Youcanhaveblackorsilverfaceplatesandhandles,althoughineithercasetherowofbuttonsonthefront

remainssilver.Thechassisarebig,soyou’llneedsomeseriousroomonyourrackforthem.Theylinkwithapairofumbilicalsthatyou

mustbecarefulneithertoconnectnordisconnectwhenthepreampispluggedin.Thinkingahead,

AudioResearchwarnsyouofthiswithacan’t-miss-itstickerontheback.

PriortoreceivinganewAudioResearchproductforreview,InormallygetaprimerfromWarrenGehl,the

company’sin-houselistener,regardingbreak-in.BeforeWarrenandItalked,Ihad

heardrumorsthatbreak-infortheReferenceAnniversarywasanordeal--atthe500-hourmark,I’djustbeginturningthesoniccorner.ThecauseisthoselargeTefloncaps,whichrequireagreatdealofusebeforethey’reconditionedsufficientlytosoundthewaytheyultimatelywill.Ican’tconfirmordenythe500-hourrule,however,because

theunitIreceivedhadclockedover1000hoursof

use.FortunatelyforReferenceAnniversaryowners,the6H30

tubesareratedfor4000hoursandthe6550Csfor2000,andretubingdoesn’trequireanewbreak-incycle.

More and more

yfirstexposuretotheReferenceAnniversary cameatAudioResearchlastsummer.Itwas memorable.Normallyonemustassessademosysteminitsentirety,becauseofthenumberofvariablesinvolved:speakers,electronics,sources,andcablesallarrayedinaroomwhoseinherentsoundiscompletelyunknown.However,IhaveheardAudioResearch’ssystemmanytimes,soIwasfamiliarwithitsgeneralpersonalityandcapabilities.Italwayscastsawideandespeciallydeepsoundstage,anditdisplaysabundanttonalcolorandthree-dimensionalpresence.Butduring

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myvisitlastsummertherewassimplymore:morewidthanddepth,morecolorandpresence,moredimensionality,moreair,morebassweightandpower.Thistime,theReferenceAnniversarywaspartofthesystem,pairedwithReference210monoblocks--ampswhosesoundIknowwell.Whileitseemedimpossible,ItrulybelievedIcoulddiscerntheReferenceAnniversary’scontributions,mainlybecausethepresentationwassupercharged,reachinglevelsofspatialandtonalrealitythatwereatoncestartlingandthenmesmerizing--nottomentionbeyondanythingIhadeverheardinAudioResearch’sdemoroom.

Inmysystemmanymonthslater,theReferenceAnniversarypickedupwhereitleftoffinMinnesota.Beforeitarrived,IhadbeenlisteningtotheReference5andhearingwhatwascertainlyasclosetotheReferenceAnniversary’sabsorbingsplendoraspossible.Thescale,dimension,tonalityandpowerwereapparent--andthenmoreapparentoncetheReferenceAnniversarymadeitsdebut.Immediatelyobviouswasanoverwhelmingsenseofcomposure,themusiccomingfromadeeperpointoforigin.Thebackdropwasblackerforsure,signalingthattheReferenceAnniversaryhadverylownoise.Butalongwiththiswasasenseofcalm,whoseelementsincludedapreternaturallackofgrainandeffortlessdynamics.Transientsachievedmaximumaccelerationinaninstant,thenfadedtoutterblackness.Instrumentalandvocaltextureswerevividandtangible,impartingaviewofthemusicthatwasholographicanddenselyphysicalatthesametime.

SayingthattheTurtleIslandStringQuartet“hadpresence”onitsCDofjazzstandards,A Love Supreme: A Tribute to John Coltrane[TelarcCD-80684],wouldcertainlybeaccurate,butitwouldn’tfullycapturetheReferenceAnniversary’sabilities.It’snotjustpresence--thesensethatthemusiciansareinthelisteningspace--butalso

supremedelineation.Tonalitywassaturated,eachinstrument’svoicegenuineanddistinct.AndallofthishappenedwithdynamicalacritythatwasclosertothatoflivemusicthanI’ve

heardfromanypreamp.ThesmalldipsandrisesinvolumeasthestringedinstrumentsprobedtheopeningtoColtrane’smasterworkwereequallylucid.Atoncethestringswereindividualentities,andthentheyconveyedasenseofmassedpowerthatwasstunning.

I’mprobablynotdescribingthiswell,ordescribingitinawaythatistruetotheexperienceofhearingit.It’sone

ofmanywaystheReferenceAnniversarydefiesproperexplanation,perhapsbecausetheaudiophilevocabularyissimplyinadequate.Thebasswasmorestraightforward,offeringcontrolandauthorityalongwithbloomandweight.Itwasnaturallyrendered--neitherakintoadepthchargenorasledgehammer,theentirebassrangepouringforthwithrealisticpaceandeffortlessdynamics.

Thedynamicrangeofbassfrequenciesiseasy

tooverlookamidstthesortoflow-endreachandgriptheReferenceAnniversarycansummon,butit’svitaltoitsachievingpowerthat’sreminiscentoflivemusic.

TheReferenceAnniversaryportrayedacousticandelectricbasswithalithenessthatwasunmatchedamongpreampsI’veheard,eithertubeorsolidstate.RayBrown’splayingontheLA4’sPavane Pour Une Infante Defunte[EastWindEW-10003]is,firstandforemost,profuselydetailed.Thisisalate-1970sdirect-to-diskLPwhosesound,I’mconvinced,willbeastonishingbythestandardsofahundredyearsfromnow,andthemusicisinterestingaswell.Whenthestringsaretappedorthumped,thereisnobloatoroverhang--again,thisisaspecialrecording.TheReferenceAnniversaryminedeverybitofit.Brown’splayingdisplayedthesortofelasticenergythatlesser

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recordingsjustdon’tcapture--andlesserpreampsdon’tcommunicate.Themidbasswasripeandnimble,whilethelowestreachesweredefinedbytherecording,nottheReferenceAnniversary.Bassdepthanddefinitionmaybeweakpointsofmanytubedpreamps,butthey’reinthediscussionoftheReferenceAnniversary’sstrengths.

AsarethethingsthatAudioResearchelectronicstraditionallydowell--likeconjureanenormous,etherealsoundstageorriseandfalldynamicallyinauniformandrealisticfashion.TheReference5andReference3beforeitwerechampsatpopulatingthesonicvistawithinstrumentsandtheirdecaytrails,andtheReferenceAnniversarydoesthisevenbetter,furtherelongatingthesoundstagefronttobackandsidetoside.Andwhenitcomestoconveyingthetotalityofdynamicrange,theReferenceAnniversarywasagainthebestI’veheard.Itbothsoaredfromsofttoloud,beginningfromavanishingpointofnoise,andreacted

instantlytosmallshiftsinvolumefromsingersorindividualinstruments,achievingallthiswithsupremedexterity.TheSACDofCountBasie’sclassicontheImpulse!label,Count Basie and the

Kansas City Seven[Impulse!/AnalogueProductionsCIPJ15SA],isachallengingtestofbothacomponent’sresolvingpowerandlow-leveldynamicprowess.TheReferenceAnniversarydugdeeplyintotherecording,revealingallofthefinedetailoftheplayingwhilealsoconveyingamajesticsenseoftheband’smassandthespaceinwhichitwasplaying.Evenatlowlevels,whenthemusicbeginstorecedeintothenoisefloor,theReferenceAnniversarypreservedproperproportion,anditdidthisaswellastheveryquietestsolid-statepreamps.

Arrivingasitdid,inthemidstofmylisteningtotheReference5($11,995),theReferenceAnniversarymadethisreviewadrawn-outcomparisonbetweenthetwopreamps--atleastinitially.It’sonlynaturaltocomparethe

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Price:$24,995

Warranty: Threeyearspartsandlabor.

AudioResearchCorporation3900AnnapolisLaneNorth,Plymouth,Minnesota55447(763)577-9700

www.audioresearch.com

Associated Equipment

Analog:TW-AcusticRavenACturntable,GrahamB-44PhantomSeriesIIandTri-PlanarMkVIIUIItonearms,DynavectorXV-1s(stereoandmono)andAudio-TechnicaAT33EVcartridges,AudioQuestLeoPardphonocable,AllnicAudioH-3000VandAudioResearchReferencePhono2phonostages.

Digital:AudioResearchReferenceCD8CDplayer,AyreAcousticsDX-5universalplayer.

Preamplifier: AudioResearchReference5.

Power amplifiers: AudioResearchReference110stereoamp,LammIndustriesM1.2Referencemonoblocks.

Loudspeakers:ProAcK6,ThielCS3.7,TidalSunray.

Interconnects:AudioQuestWilliamE.LowSignature,ShunyataResearchAerosAurora-IC.

Speaker cables:AudioQuestWilliamE.LowSignature,ShunyataResearchAerosAurora-SP.

Power conditioners:EssentialSoundProductsTheEssenceReference,ShunyataResearchHydraV-RayVersionII.

Power cords:AudioQuestWilliamE.LowSignature,EssentialSoundProductsTheEssenceReference,ShunyataResearchCX-series(various).

Equipment rack and platforms:SilentRunningAudioCraz_8equipmentrackandOhioClassXLPlus2platforms(underLammM1.2amps),HarmonicResolutionSystemsM3isolationbasesunderdigitalgear.

Equipment rack, platforms and accessories:BillyBagsequipmentrackmodifiedwitha4”mapleplatform,StillpointsUltraisolators,StillpointsComponentStands,FurutecGTXD-RhodiumACoutlet.

oldkingtothenew,andbeforetheReferenceAnniversaryshowedup,Iwouldhaveconsidereditslevelofperformanceafantasy.TheReference5isitsownproduct,notsimplyanearanalogoftheReferenceAnniversary.Itsperspectiveisabitmoreforward,anditsbalanceleansabitmoretowardthetreble.Atfirstlisten,itsoundsbrighterthantheReferenceAnniversary,butthisisreplacedbyanunderstandingofthelatter’scomposure,whichismosteasilydiscernedfromtheeeriewaythetreblesettles.Movingdownward,theReferenceAnniversary’smidrangeisconsiderablymoredimensional,anditsbassisbetterrealized--moresubstantialinthemidbassandmorefleetintermsofrhythmicdrive.

WhenitcomestothetraditionalstrengthsofAudioResearchproducts,it’shardtosaythatapreampsoundsbiggerthantheReference5,buttheReferenceAnniversarydoes.It’shardtosaythatapreampsoundsmore

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dynamicallycompletethantheReference5,buttheReferenceAnniversarydoes.ItbuildsontheReference5’sconsiderablestrengthsandbegins

tolaptherestofthefield.Hearingitismandatoryifyou’reshoppinginitssubstantialpricerange--and

educationalifyou’renot.

Cruel April -- for a few more days

heonehitchto ownershipofan ReferenceAnniversary,asidefromitsprice,isavailability.AudioResearchwilltakeordersonlythroughApril.ReferenceAnniversarypreampswillrolloutofthefactoryforafewmonthsafterthat,asthosefinalordersare

filled,butonceAprilends,sodoesyourchancetoownoneofthesebeauties.It’sinevitablethatsomedayabetterpreampwillcomealong,probablyfromAudioResearchitself.Butuntilthattime,theReferenceAnniversarywillbeastandardofsonicperformanceandapieceofaudioequipmentwhoseexistencetrulyiscauseforcelebration.

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