TheEvan Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Local audiophile is selling his for $775. I'm mighty tempted, given its reputation, and this seems a pretty good price. The seller claims it has seen little use, has its original tubes, and is quiet as a church mouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ69 Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 My brother has an SP-9. It's not too dramatic if you know what I'm trying to say. It's smooth and accurate. I think it would be a good match with Klipsch. Thanx, Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjd Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 You have to be careful of ARC numbering on preamplifiers. I believe that the SP-8 was the intermediate offering with the high end offering coming later and being the SP-10 (which some consider the holy grail of tube-based preamplifiers). I have not heard the SP-8 (I have heard the SP-11 and LS26 extensively), but I do hear it is an excellent preamplifier, especially if you are looking for more of the “tube” sound vs the “analytical” sound. Also, I believe that the SP-8 has an excellent phono stage. Another benefit if I remember correctly is that the SP-8 MKII uses: (2) 12AX7 LN, (2) 12AX7, (2) 6922, (1) 12AT7, (1) 12BH7, for which the 12AX7 & 12AT7 are much easier tubes to live with and refine the sound with NOS tubes. The SP-9 would be the intermediate offering with the high end offering at the time being the SP-14. I believe that these were more of “hybrid” type preamplifiers with solid state rectification. Today ARC has the LS26 as an intermediate offering with the Reference 3 being the high end offering. In general, I believe that the ARC SP preamps made in the 1980's were fine then and now, and are still fully supported by ARC. However, they all have different sounds, but all seem to come with excellent phono stages, and give up little to today’s preamps other than a bit of resolution, for which they make up in tonal balance, mid range bloom and their ability to throw a huge soundstage. They are not cold and acerbic as are many modern preamplifiers. I’m not sure you could find anything in the under $1,000 category today that could compete with the SP-8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artto Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 I still have my SP-6B and love it. I kept it simply for use as a phono preamp ~ which it excels at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEvan Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 I'll see if he'll allow an audition... If it passes muster I'll sell my CJ PV10a line stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Taylor Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 Dear the Evan I have been trying to reach the audiophile in Baton Rouge that has the Audio Research SP-8 for sale. I think he placed it on Craigslist and I saw it pop up on my Craigslist in Gatlinburg. I have been trying to get him to either call or respond to his ad if he sold it or not. I would appreciate it if you would pass along my message and telephone number to the seller. I want to make him an offer for it as I rebuild and collect some of the older ARC equipment. There are several more out there for sale but his seemed in okay shape the number is Bobby Taylor 1-865-428-1565 bobbytaylor1@me.com send me your mailing address and I will send you a bottle of Biltmore wine for making the call to the seller. greatly appreciate it Bobby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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