Audio Research Reference 80S

When William Zane (Bill) Johnson opened Electronic Industries as a speciality audio retailer in Minneapolis again in 1951, little did he know the journey that his custom-built amplifiers would go on. By 1968 he had bought all of the patents, the enterprise and himself to a different Minneapolis firm, earlier than shopping for every little thing again two years later to begin the Audio Research Corporation that’s nonetheless in existence right this moment. And so began a cycle of possession that has seen ARC swapping fingers quite a few instances because the Seventies – being bought to Fine Sounds in 2008, shifting beneath the umbrella of The McIntosh Group in 2016 – earlier than a buyout was lastly agreed final September, returning the corporate to its unique impartial standing and leaving it free to pay attention its efforts on what it does greatest: producing distinctive tube amplifiers.

Throughout this lengthy journey the American concern has resolutely caught to a few core principals. Firstly, its transformers are produced in North America, care of a third-party settlement that ensures it retains decisive management over the sound and consistency of its tube amplifiers. Secondly, every little thing is hand assembled, hand wired and hand soldered – on which topic, it’s price noting that regardless of using trendy quad-layer boards movement soldering of any sort is averted in any respect prices within the Minnesota manufacturing facility. And because the buyout, an rising a part of the meeting course of has been introduced again in-house, or a minimum of stored native. Impressively some workers that had moved on to pastures new have as soon as once more returned to the fold, making ARC’s ambition to offer full service for each tube product it has ever made rather more achievable.

The newest addition to the corporate’s Reference collection is the 80S you see earlier than you. Though there are clear similarities with different siblings within the vary, the genetics of this energy amplifier can truly be traced again by means of a couple of generations of Audio Research philosophy. Dominated by the etched-onto-acrylic ‘GhostMeters’, the entrance fascia and footprint of the 80S is clearly in debt to the bigger Reference 160M from 2018 and the newer Reference 160S. These hefty tube amp behemoths additionally incorporate 6H30 double triodes as part splitters/drivers alongside bulbous KT150 output tubes – although admittedly twice as many as we’ve got right here. They additionally boast switchable UltraLinear and Triode tube configurations, a theme that’s resolutely carried over into the Reference 80S.

Additional firm traits embody the four-layer PCBs that first appeared on the Reference 160M/S, though most of the core options that really inform the sound of the 80S owe rather more to the sooner 6H30/KT120-equipped VT80. This was not solely the primary Audio Research amplifier to make use of an auto-bias regime that adjusts for tube age and powerline voltage swings, however its custom-built output transformer went on to grow to be the blueprint for the one which’s at the moment taking on a lot of the area within the rear of the Reference 80S earlier than us right here.

Like each Reference amplifier earlier than it, the 80S is a totally balanced differential design as ARC believes it gives the very best efficiency and lowest distortion obtainable. Created for the music lover who doesn’t require the output energy of its bigger 160S stereo and 160M mono siblings, it’s rated at 70W and the characteristic set is similar because the 160S.

Connectivity consists of single-ended RCA and balanced XLR inputs (a swap allows you to toggle between the 2), RS-232 and 12V set off management ports plus 4, 8 and 16ohm speaker output faucets. Last however by means least, a small tube hour meter – like an odometer, however for you amplifier – highlights what number of hours use the tubes have had.

Sound high quality
Initially when the Reference 80S begins up its output is muted for a few minutes because the PSU and KT150s cycle up and again down once more so as to stabilise the tubes’ temperature and biasing. The first choice you’ll want to think about is hooking up your audio system of option to the rear 16, 8 and 4ohm speaker faucets. This isn’t essentially easy. In Triode mode the most effective outcomes are achieved with 4ohm nominal audio system linked to the 4ohm faucet (circa 40W), nevertheless, the identical isn’t true in UltraLinear mode. Here the KT150’s display screen grids are linked to an extra transformer winding – the ‘suggestions’ squeezing down tube distortion – this configuration enabling the Reference 80S to ship extra energy into harder 4ohm masses from its 8ohm output (~80W) than through its 4ohm faucet (~45W).

The identical characteristic was famous in sister journal Hi-Fi News’ overview of the corporate’s VT80 stereo amplifier. Here, as was the case again then, our reference Bowers & Wilkins’ 800 D3 floorstander purrs most confidently through the Reference 80S’ 8ohm outputs. Nonetheless, the facility amplifier instructions the mandatory presence, and down-to-earth grunt to marshal great sonic forces. Which is sweet information for our starter take a look at observe, a 24-bit/192kHz obtain of Wagner’s Ring Cycle performed by the Duisburger Philharmonic beneath the baton of Jonathan Darlington. All of the devices – from violins to oboes and tympani to harps – are sharply drawn in order that their union comes throughout as a richly colored tapestry relatively than a contrasty black-and-white sketch. The result’s that the panoramic richness of the 105 gamers – yep, you learn that proper – is revealed throughout a gloriously extensive soundscape that brings new that means to the time period panoramic. Meanwhile the chimes and different percussion that make up the Nibelungs’ forging of the ring part of the cycle sound spectacularly vivid. The hole metallic ringing delivers an extremely life like sense of top to the orchestral drama. If you want your classics packing the form of magnitude that’s ordinarily measured on the Richter scale, the Reference 80S makes for a bombastic alternative.

But as everyone knows, energy is nothing with out precision and if it could’t replicate these finer particulars with out breaking right into a sweat, it turns into simply one other also-ran. Happily there aren’t any such considerations because the intimacy of Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez’s attractive Sweet Tequila Blues adequately demonstrates. Taken from their Let’s Leave This Town lengthy participant, this undemanding however sensitively performed observe reveals a completely completely different facet to the Audio Research. The deft mixture of Taylor’s world-weary lament juxtaposed by the punchier high quality of his younger fiddler and vocalist companion caresses the ears, not a lot inviting as compelling the listener to drum their fingers and faucet their toes as they’re wrapped within the shut, however by no means cloying, acoustic of this wonderful, stripped-back recording. So far so good, however can the Reference 80S rock with the massive boys when known as upon to take action? You guess it could. Cranking up the quantity on the 96kHz remix of Rush’s one-hit surprise The Spirit Of Radio, it’s virtually potential to see uncooked electrical energy crackling from the audio system as Alex Lifeson’s opening riff sears throughout the soundstage. Underneath all of it Neil Peart’s crashing drums and the backing sequencer unleash the form of impression and vitality you’d count on to have seen in case you have been fortunate sufficient to have caught the boys stay of their heyday. There’s a real slam that delivers bass with spectacular richness, texture and pace, and – arguably extra importantly – the laziness or overhang that you simply would possibly fairly count on to listen to from a extra conventional tube amp is totally absent.

Conclusion
Impressive although Audio Research’s Reference 80S undoubtedly is, there’s a sizeable elephant within the room that ought to maybe be put to 1 facet earlier than we go any additional. With a £15k price ticket, this positively isn’t typical HFC fare, which just about instantly places it out attain of most wallets. Which is an actual disgrace as this can be a fairly beautiful energy amplifier that does the simple little bit of delivering the facility, whereas dealing with the tougher facet of subtlety and nice element with absolute aplomb. In the extremely unlikely occasion that you simply inadvertently stumble throughout that misplaced profitable lottery ticket or a wealthy relative that you simply by no means knew about leaves you stacks of money solely on the understanding that you simply spend them on hi-fi exotica, that is an absolute must-have. For the remainder of us it’ll have to stay a dream to purpose in the direction of. Regardless, there’s no disputing that the best way the Reference 80S delivers the form of precision that’s extra generally the realm of solid-state rivals from glass tubes is nothing wanting miraculous. HFC

DETAILS
Product: Audio Research Reference 80S
Type: Stereo tube energy amplifier

FEATURES
● Quoted energy output: 70W
● Single-ended RCA; balanced XLR inputs
● 4, 8 and 16ohm output speaker faucets

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March 12, 2024 at 05:38PM