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Jose' Victor Henriques reviews the ARC GSPre/GS150 in this months HiFi News - Hi-Fi News & Record Review
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He concludes: "The GS150 is not only the finest sounding but also the most beautiful stereo amplifier Audio Research has ever built, which is saying a lot for a company that makes some of the best tube amplifiers in the world. The GSPre is the perfect partner both aesthetically and sonically, its beauty within matching the beauty without. Together they've restored my fading faith in vacuum tube technology!"
In comparing it to the REF 5SE and REF150, he concludes, "The GSPre/GS150 won hands down."
Regarding the phonostage in the GSPre, he concludes, "I regret to say the GSPre phono stage is not a match for the remarkable PH2 SE phono preamplifier. To put it bluntly, the GS150 is a much better amplifier than the REF150, anyway you look at and listen to it. And the GSPre is a marginally better choice (than the REF5SE) - more open, transparent and musically relaxed - but the PH2 SE walks all over the GSPre's phono stage which is more of a bonus than a real asset to the preamplifier."
He also advises owners of the REF series to try the KT150's in their amps before considering a move to the GS series. He quotes ARC in his article as saying "Owners of the REF150 will probably be wondering if they might achieve a better sound still, with KT150's." "They'd undoubtedly sound more similar" says Warren Gehl of Audio Research, the person responsible for "sonic design" at ARC. Gehl continues, "but other design changes and advancements will still provide the GS150 with an edge over the REF150."
He mentions that ARC designers did consider implementing a DAC in the GSPre, but real estate inside the case wouldn't allow it.
ARC sees the GSPre as a Preamp that nears the performance of the REF5SE/PH8 Phono Pre.
On the bench, the ARC GS150 offers 170 watts per channel into both 8 and 4 ohm loads, with a dynamic output of 185 watts on the 8ohm tap and 185 watts on the 4 ohm tap.
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He concludes: "The GS150 is not only the finest sounding but also the most beautiful stereo amplifier Audio Research has ever built, which is saying a lot for a company that makes some of the best tube amplifiers in the world. The GSPre is the perfect partner both aesthetically and sonically, its beauty within matching the beauty without. Together they've restored my fading faith in vacuum tube technology!"
In comparing it to the REF 5SE and REF150, he concludes, "The GSPre/GS150 won hands down."
Regarding the phonostage in the GSPre, he concludes, "I regret to say the GSPre phono stage is not a match for the remarkable PH2 SE phono preamplifier. To put it bluntly, the GS150 is a much better amplifier than the REF150, anyway you look at and listen to it. And the GSPre is a marginally better choice (than the REF5SE) - more open, transparent and musically relaxed - but the PH2 SE walks all over the GSPre's phono stage which is more of a bonus than a real asset to the preamplifier."
He also advises owners of the REF series to try the KT150's in their amps before considering a move to the GS series. He quotes ARC in his article as saying "Owners of the REF150 will probably be wondering if they might achieve a better sound still, with KT150's." "They'd undoubtedly sound more similar" says Warren Gehl of Audio Research, the person responsible for "sonic design" at ARC. Gehl continues, "but other design changes and advancements will still provide the GS150 with an edge over the REF150."
He mentions that ARC designers did consider implementing a DAC in the GSPre, but real estate inside the case wouldn't allow it.
ARC sees the GSPre as a Preamp that nears the performance of the REF5SE/PH8 Phono Pre.
On the bench, the ARC GS150 offers 170 watts per channel into both 8 and 4 ohm loads, with a dynamic output of 185 watts on the 8ohm tap and 185 watts on the 4 ohm tap.
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