Michael Fremer Tours Audio Research 2023 | Factory Tour

Following the "Making Vinyl" event in Minneapolis, which was a terrific event that brought together pressing plant owners, techs, press manufacturers and record company execs from around the world, I visited newly invigorated Audio Research Corporation, a high end audio company started by William Z. Johnson in 1970. The company specializes in vacuum tube electronics and distributes and sells its products throughout the world.
Audio Research is responsible more than any other company for the revival in interest in tube electronics and more importantly in the idea that what we hear cannot be described simply but what we can currently measure, though measurements are important. The company has created some of the most iconic preamplifiers, amplifiers and phono preamplifiers in the history of high performance audio.
Recently, the company was saved from extinction following a financial crisis (unrelated to the popularity of ARC products) by Val Cora, of Acora Acoustics. Mr. Cora is a long time fan of Audio Research and stepped in to save the company from being dissolved.
My visit occurred shortly after the news broke on the Tracking Angle website that the company had been saved, much to the relief of consumers and even competitors who understand the value of having this iconic company remain in business and thrive.
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[@burlingtonbill1]

What a great company, great history & legendary products! Thanks for posting this!

[@cesarjlisboa7586]

I am glad to see a great company as audio research back in the business. I am really exited to see happens!❤

[@bretspangler8717]

I watched this yesterday, always interesting to see behind the curtain. What a great bunch of people, great opportunity if you are an audio tech, this would be a wonderful place to work and the chance of getting some vintage gear goes up exponentially.

[@milr96]

Thanks for that inside look at Audio Research! I love my Reference One preamp.

[@johntucker5994]

I love these behind-the-scenes tours, especially of historic, high quality manufacturers.

[@gprojectnoob4779]

Wow , great tour. I've loved AR since i was a kid. My dad was National Service Manager for Tech HiFi in Boston in the late 70's-early 80's (along w/manager at Bose mid 70's) so i was exposed to alot of gear and AR was top. Audio Research is THE OG and its very cool to see the new place.

[@LivingmusicRomania]

Hello I own AUDIO RESEARCH PHONO AND CD PLAYER....Oh boy I love this company...Best Wishes from Romania George.

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

Gotta love the time and effort put into making quality audio equipment.

[@spunkthecombo]

Thanks!

[@jk-mm5to]

Still loving my SP-8.

[@tattednyctrkman8119]

Loved watching this inside look at ARC. My Ref 6 SE upgrade just arrived this morning at my home. Turn around time was an amazing week to upgrade. 👏👏👍👊💪

[@Josal]

Thanks for the Indon I am about to buy one of ARC tube Power amp. 🙏🏽🤘🏽👍🏽

[@kft590]

Surviving after William Johnson passed away when he was the main amplifier and preamplifier designer as talented as he was would be extremely difficult, like Pass Labs surviving if Nelson Pass were to die.

[@lwdp74]

I met Bill J at CES. Really nice guy. Drew me up a quick sketch on updating my D76a. Haven’t been stateside since Chicago went to Vegas, too far to drive. I think AR was first to go back to tubes after listening to the early transistor junk. May he rest in peace. He really made a difference.

[@amosperrine1909]

While customer service has ebbed and flowed over the years, I have been extremely happy with my SP3A-1, SP 6, D75, and two D-75As, to power my Tympani 1B speakers, twice rebuilt.

[@andershammer9307]

I am a repair tech and I presently work for Siemens and I'd love to work for Audio Research. I used to do sales and repair at a local high-end stereo store. I own 2 SP6's and I regularly use an SP6B that I repaired years ago.

[@robertthurston6858]

Send them your resume, it sounds like need more good techs ☺️

[@andershammer9307]

@@robertthurston6858 love to but I don't think it will happen.

[@andershammer9307]

I also have an SP2 and a D50 repaired and working and a D90 which i'm still working on. It developed a problem where it overheats the bias regulator.

[@davidlane1169]

'Ole Audiophile to Mr. Fremer, sir: Hysterical what the mind remembers about the past, I aways remember acoustic research as a superb manufacturer of loudspeakers, not amplifiers. They had an unusual feature in the Heil air-motion transformer with two large side-firing woofers, ask them. This sat me down. NEVER saw a whisper of an AR amp, saw the speakers countless times. Weird...

[@kloss213]

Hopefully they will increase the build quality. Some of the issue was audiophiles outing the poor quality of the costly amps. Note tube sockets direct soldered to circuit boards that's pretty darm cheesy for costly gear. Wish them the best but that needs to be addressed.

[@andershammer9307]

Which Sunday are you coming to Pittsburgh ? There is an Audio Research dealer here who also sells Wilson speakers and If you like you can hear my system.

[@larrymarcus7076]

the difference between ch precision and arc is amazing; the american mid west and the swiss. the swiss seem to be in better shape but it's all about the sound

[@Derfunkmeister]

I was wondering what was going on at Audio Research, I actually thought they were taken over or bought by the company that owns Mcintosh and Sonos Faber and we have seen a lot of new products from them but not so much from Audio Research. And they don't make CD players anymore. Why not? I am still perfectly happy with my Ref. 2 MK. II

[@CrescendoFineAudioWheatRidge]

The grey I/50 w/ red knobs looks pretty neat.

[@andershammer9307]

Whatever happened to Leonard the old repair guy ? I used to call him all the time.

[@rontoolsie]

Leonard used to diagnose the problems with my D70mk2 over the phone, and could tell me EXACTLY which tube to replace based on my description. There was no email back then, 3:51 so all communications were over the phone.

[@raymondlerat425]

The aufio Hi F highEnd risq to diseapper if the prices remain at the same rate...AR,CJ,VAC and others are involved in.... Most of these companies have to reduce their staff which does not exceed 25 people today..😮 How to survive....

[@overijsemuenster9665]

so Micheal, how many bucks you made with that advert? Did you promise a good review soon?

[@joelowens5211]

Personally didn't care for Audio Research. Build quality is great they just push center stage vocals way back for my taste. It's a processing sound you either like or do not like. I prefer VAC

[@cesarjlisboa7586]

Taste. Sound stage and vocals, have a lot to do with your speakers choice. Needs to be paring.

[@VideoArchiveGuy]

@@cesarjlisboa7586 I hate gear that places vocals on the plane of the speakers or forward of them, so…

[@1999zrx1100]

Choice and placement, some have such amazing ears to pick up on these nuances.

[@joelowens5211]

I am not talking about singer voice on plane of speakers or in front of them. I am talking about singers voice being pushed way back like at a concert with seats for away versus being in a dive joint where I am 5 rows back and singer is right their on stage with instruments behind him. far away works for orchestra but not vocals as they are too disconnected for the performance. I have a pair of VAC 452 IQ musicblocs in mono and VAC master pre-amp with dragon cables audioquest and Rossini apex dac with separate master clock. Sonus faber aida 2 speakers. I just do not care for Audio researches sonic presentation and I have listened to their Ref6se and did not like it. Personal taste. My soundstage is huge with center vocal in the middle with proper layering not too front and not too back with presentation.

[@joelowens5211]

@@boulderswingdance8639 Yes exactly we have different tastes and that is fine. What you like is the exact opposite of me. I like soundstage where no walls or speaker exist but the signer is center pushed back but not too far. I go to lots of concerts with great seats but that is different experience for me than listening in my relax room where sounds like the artist is there and the music washes over me. That is why various equipment exists. Not saying Audio research is not high quality it's just not my cup of tea.

[@jc51373]

great company...But they need to make lower priced products outside just the Integrated Suggs produced. McIntosh ruined them by eliminating too many products that compete with their lines. And now look at McIntosh, which sounds like shit compared to ARC.

[@maximilienrobespierre1108]

Great content! But, dear Lord! The video is difficult to watch with the awful camera work. I’m visual nauseous.