[medium jim]

I needed to sell my Marantz's to fund a project and this left me seeking another worthy amp that would mate well with my Magnepan 2.5R's.  The BGW while much better than it was after some under the hood tricks were done on it, just didn't cut the cheese.   I came up with a short list and requirements that it would be more powerful and had to be tubes (I'm a true and true Bottlehead ).  Price was an object and that made it doubly difficult.   I saw several on A'goN that were suitable candidates, but I made a call to the President/Owner of Shelley's Stereo in Woodland Hills, CA, and he had the amp for me.  BTW, he has some nice low mileage 3.6's that he will cut a nice deal on. 

The amp is a Audio Research VS110 that he originally sold and took back in trade.  It was well maintained and puts out 110 watts of clean power (benched to 120 or so before clipping) and with the ability to burst well over 200.  Not many bells or whistles, but the user can individually bias each output tube which was important to me.  It runs on an octet of 6550/KT88's that are biased at 65ma, which means each dissipates 27 or so watts each.

I've had a couple of listening sessions and the initial impressions are that they're more neutral than the Marantz's,  have an excellent holographic soundstage (not as exaggerated as the Marantz's), have nice clarity, detail.  More dynamic, are very fast which has improved the mid bass.  The highs are more present, yet not fatiguing.   No surprise that is was on Stereophile's A List in 2006. 

I can understand why there was and still is a working relationship between  ARC and Magnepan.

Jim

[SteveFord]

Congratulations!
It did seem like you had lost your marbles there for a bit.

[Freo-1]

Yes, congratulations.  ARC and Maggies have always been a great combination.

Now you can truly enjoy your sound experience (again).

[uriah380]

Best of luck to you with your choice. I also think the ARC amp and the Maggies are a great match.
   I own the 3.6's but not a ARC amp, however I have heard many times ARC amps with Maggies and
the sound was always excellent  to me. Take care and congratulations on your purchase.

[jackman]

That's an awesome combo.  Congrats on the new addition to your system.

[medium jim]

Congratulations!
It did seem like you had lost your marbles there for a bit.

Steve:

I hear you, it wasn't a pretty thought of having to sell the Marantz's, sometimes things happen for a reason.  I will be retubing the VS110 next week as the existing tubes are on the back end of their life...they still test good, but to be safe and it will give me a reference point to go from. 

It is a different beast than the Marantz's, which were very lush and romantic amps and were rather intoxicating.  The ARC is more neutral, yet retains all of the goodness of tubes.  Not saying that tube amps are necessarily colored, but the Marantz's were in a good way.  Going to miss them, but I had them for 5 years. 

Jim

[SteveFord]

Here's the conclusion reached by Stereopile:

This is a truly excellent power amplifier that combines the musicality of tubes with the dynamics and bass extension that characterize the best solid-state, and enough power to drive most speakers to satisfyingly high levels.

Looks like you did all right for yourself.
We'd better see some pictures!

[medium jim]

Here's the conclusion reached by Stereopile:

This is a truly excellent power amplifier that combines the musicality of tubes with the dynamics and bass extension that characterize the best solid-state, and enough power to drive most speakers to satisfyingly high levels.

Looks like you did all right for yourself.
We'd better see some pictures!

Pic's soon, my USB card reader took a crap and I ordered a new one....I might just use my small Canon Digital and post tomorrow night as I can link it a different way to upload images....I'm still figuring out the nuances of the new fangled Windows 8 thing...

Jim

[geowak]

Enjoy your AR amp. This one looks like a classic AR. The dealer I have worked with carries AR stuff, I have just never been able to afford it! But if I ever win the lottery the pair of AR REF 250's and the REF 5 line stage would be in my living room.

[medium jim]

Here's a stock picture of it:



Jim

[kevin360]

I can understand why there was and still is a working relationship between  ARC and Magnepan.

Yeah, Maggies and ARC amps 'get along' as well as Jim and Bill did – two special companies founded by two special individuals.

I'm sure it was a sad day when you sent your prized 9s to their new owner, but you have a fine replacement. Aesthetically, I much prefer the open designs with exposed tubes to the ones which hide them beneath panels. My valve amp has a very similar 'sonic character' and it's a great match for the Maggies. I have a feeling you're going to fall in love with that amp and that it will serve you well for many, many years.

Congratulations on the great score – it's a beaut!

[medium jim]

Yesterday, one of the 6N1P input tubes was glowing too red so I shut it down.  When it cooled off, switched it into another socket and it still glowed to bright.  This is actually a good thing as it means the tube is going bad and not the amp.

Ordered a full set of Russian Military 6N1P's.  I will retube the amp after I get all the new tubes in hand.  At least I will have a starting point for the tubes and will basically have a new amp!

Jim

[satie]

Yesterday, one of the 6N1P input tubes was glowing too red so I shut it down.  When it cooled off, switched it into another socket and it still glowed to bright.  This is actually a good thing as it means the tube is going bad and not the amp.

Ordered a full set of Russian Military 6N1P's.  I will retube the amp after I get all the new tubes in hand.  At least I will have a starting point for the tubes and will basically have a new amp!

Jim

Ask ARC if the KT120 will work in the circuit without cooking/blowing the PS trannie. The KT120 does better than 6550 and KT88 in most amps with only somewhat higher current draws while filling in the bass and midbass. In my updated Dyna III they did better than 6550, KT88 and KT90 in both triode and ultralinear.

[medium jim]

Satie:

I'm pleased with the sonics of the 6550's and the VS110 is known for having outstanding Mid's, which it does have. The bass is nice and fast.  The amp gets great reviews and was placed on Stereophile's A class in 2006.  Why muck around with a tried and true winner.

In other words, if it ain't broke, why fix it.  I'm game for finding the best sounding 6N1P's as they will have more effect on the soundstage (not that it is bad, in fact it is rather nice)...

Jim

[brooklyn]

Hey Jim, that ARC amp you just got is a real beauty, best of luck with it.

[medium jim]

Hey Jim, that ARC amp you just got is a real beauty, best of luck with it.

Thanks....

JIm

[Maritan]

Aw, man. Sorry you had to get rid of the Marantz 9s.

I heard that ARC recently driving a positively tiny pair (compared to floorstanding Maggies) floor standing ProAcs. What glorious sound.

That amp is a handsome brute. Hope you like it as much as you adored your 9s.

[medium jim]

Aw, man. Sorry you had to get rid of the Marantz 9s.

I heard that ARC recently driving a positively tiny pair (compared to floorstanding Maggies) floor standing ProAcs. What glorious sound.

That amp is a handsome brute. Hope you like it as much as you adored your 9s.

Thanks, I think I will like the ARC just fine.  Besides, I'm not in this for who has the best this or that anyway, to me it really is about the music and the enjoyment derived from it. 

Jim

[medium jim]

Five NOS Voskhod 6N1P-V1's from 1990 landed today and I was able to fire up the ARC and do some music.  As I expected, the new tubes are a bit hard sounding, but the sparkle did show through.  I had to move in the panels each by 2" and 1" forward to adjust the soundstage.  This really livened things up a lot and the soundstage grew and got deeper.  More importantly, the speakers and walls disappear.  I don't think there is an amp out there that can do a soundstage like the Marantz 9's, but the ARC comes amazingly close, just not as liquid which might come once the new driver/input tubes open up a bit.

The bass is definitely tighter and faster and the high's not as rounded off.   The mid's were a bit better on the 9's, but that is what they're known for.  The extra horsepower doesn't hurt and makes it a bit more dynamic, yet still has all the clarity, coherence and ARC's are known for their detail, which this one has.   Will only get better once I bias in a new octet of 6550's.   I opted for the EH's over Winged C's (personal choice). 

The most important thing is that they mate well with my old Maggie's and are not shy on power.  The biggest difference is the way vocals and woodwinds sing, very nice.
Jim

[kevin360]

Hey, that's all great news - glad things are really starting to come together. I foresee a long and happy marriage between that amp and your Maggies.

Enjoy!