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I find this explanation quite plausible: there was never an Audio Research "LS4", "CD4" "DAC4", nor "PH4"

Posted by Bambi B (A) on June 16, 2009 at 15:21:59

In Reply to: RE: ARC Reference 5 posted by GabrielMk2 on June 16, 2009 at 07:13:30:

PHOTO: One of a series of Frank Muller "Crazy Hours" watches in which the number "8" is given primacy due to being a lucky number in Asia. In a couple of these designs the 8 is also larger than any other number. Note that the prominent numbers are 8, 3, 1, 7, and 9, with 5 being the smallest, and numbers in correct position are 1, 4, 7, and 10. It would be interesting to learn what other numbers are lucky and unlucky and whether these positions have meaning. This watch is by the way- $17,000.

GabrielMK2,

I find the explanation that there is no Audio Research "REF 4" because the number is pronounced similarly to a word of misfortune- and is therefore unlucky- quite plausible.

Though as rgurney mentions, ARC had an "SP4", but that was, as you point out, done somewhat before the intensity of interest by the Asian market, and of course the Chinese market just didn't exist before they turned out as one of the most (externally) capitalist countries in the World.

It never occurred to me before, but I would add that there was never an Audio Research "LS4", "CD4" "DAC4", nor "PH4"- four always being skipped over. There is likewise no "SP13" nor "LS13".

On the other side of the same subject, I remember that ARC made a special post-production run of 50 SP8's by special order "for the Asian market" and I believe "8" is the opposite of "4" in that it resembles a word of fortune/luck in some Asian language(s). Frank Muller makes the "crazy hours" series watches- see photo- in which "8" is said to be purposely placed at the 12- top- position because of it's lucky status in Asia.

It's always interesting to consider such a possible collision of modern industry and superstition! And remember what happened when coolly scientific NASA said phooey to superstition and called it "Apollo 13"?

Cheers,

Bambi B

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