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ARC: LS5, LS15, LS25

Posted by Bambi B (A) on February 25, 2010 at 09:31:29

In Reply to: Potential preamp upgrade... posted by tfrazeur on February 24, 2010 at 11:27:17:

tfrazeur,

In my previous office system I used: Cambridge Audio 640C CD/ Revox B160 tuner > LS3 > D130 > Infinity Primus 360 speakers. See photo above of the chaos when I was trying three vintage tuners: McIntosh MR67 and MR77 and the Revox. (Winner: MR67!)

The LS3 and D130 were my first serious solid state pieces and I think are excellent- transparent, dynamic, and quiet, but they are relentlessly revealing of the sources- the 640C is a bit dry and the MR67 is lush and deep- it was a sterile solid state system with the 640C and a wonderful tube system with the MR67.

By the way, the LS3 and D130 are so cold-blooded, it seemed to me they didn't sound well until they'd been on at least 5 hours. If you haven't, you might try your system again after letting it warm up first for at least that time or even leaving it on all the time- many owners of those pieces- esp, the D130 do that.

Though I liked the relatively maintenance-free solid state LS3- especially as I used it 16 hours per day in non-serious office listening, and I began to yearn for a tube preamp fairly early on.

As I'd used ARC tube gear since 1985 (SP8, SP10, and D115) and have followed ARC since then I have fairly strong preferences: LS5, LS15, and LS25- all of these the versions using the 6922. Any of these I believe would offer an extra depth over the LS3 and I would consider an LS25 to be a lifetime purchase. The LS5 would be too, but I have only one source that is balanced and the LS5 is balanced only. The 6DJ8 family can be expensive and fussy now, but retubing these is not as difficult as the SP10 be any means. In fact there are only two tubes in the LS15 that have significant sonic impact.

Given your budget- and the fact it's an excellent sounding, beautifully made preamplifier, I look around for a really good LS15 and two very nice Amperex or Siemens 6922's for the gain spots.

Cheers,

Bambi B

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