Audio Research ARC PH3 Special Edition MM/MC Phono Preamp w/Low $988 RESERVE

• This auction is open to bidders in the US and Canada.
  
• If you do not live in the US or Canada, please do not bid.
  
• Thank you.
  

 

We’re Stereo Exchange, located in New York City. We've been in business since the 1970s and are a major high-end dealer. We have all the current top brands on display in our huge showroom.

 

I have always been impressed with Audio Research products. They consistently sound good and are very solidly built. The company also offers a high level of service and upgrade paths for their products.

 

With ARC, it’s all about the midrange. It’s not that the highs are not smooth and extended (they are), or that their designs lack any bass (the bass seems to go VERY deep), but it’s the detail in the midrange that instantly hit you. You can literally hear instruments clearly that are blurred in lesser designs.

 

This PH3 Special Edition is a moving-coil and moving-magnet compatible phono preamp. It is designed to connect to a high-level input on a preamplifier with no phono input.

 

Its output can be plugged into the AUX, TAPE, TUNER or VIDEO SOUND inputs on any good preamp.

 

The combination of FET transistors and a triple of 6DJ8 tubes helps make this preamp very quiet. Superior Audio Research engineering makes it sound good.

 

• This SPECIAL EDITION version has many upgraded parts for lower noise and better sound.
  

 

Any cartridge with an output of .2mV or higher will work with it. There are provisions inside to solder in loading resistors or capacitors for best performance.

 

Very high-quality relays mute the preamp for a few minutes when turned on to prevent any thumps through the speakers.

 

There is also a mute switch on the front panel.

 

All tube sockets have been cleaned and the tubes have been removed and put in padding inside the chassis for safe shipping.

 

WE DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY HOURS ARE ON THE TUBES, BUT 6DJ8 TUBES ARE NOT VERY EXPENSIVE, SO YOU MAY WANT TO REPLACE THEM ALL AT SOME POINT.

 

IT SEEMS FINE NOW, THOUGH, TO ME.

 

THE TUBES HAVE DAMPING RINGS ON THEM.

 

This phono preamp has a very low 200-Ohm output impedance. This means that you could have LONG cable runs to your preamp/amp without fear of signal degradation or noise.

 

This would allow you to place the PH3 SE near your turntable in a convenient location, and have the rest of your equipment 25 feet or more away. This is a great convenience, and it’s all due to the low output impedance.

 

This model will work well with most moving coil cartridges. On the other hand, it has such a high overload margin that moving magnet cartridges can also be plugged right in…very unusual.

 

The power supply is very well filtered and regulated. I would guess that a “line conditioner” would be of little help with this model.

 

At only about 11” deep, this chassis will be easy to place on any shelf.

 

VISUAL CONDITION: The faceplate looks very nice. There are a couple of minute scratches on the handles that I could not photograph clearly.

 

• At some point the top has been replaced, for some reason, though the after-market perforated black metal top looks great.
  

 

OPERATIONAL CONDITION: I tried the unit in my system and it sound as good as its reputation would lead me to believe. Great bass, smooth highs, and that hard-to-beat Audio Research midrange. 

• PRICING: The RESERVE is $988.00.
  

 

Please give it a good home.

 

Things to know…

This item is USED with no warranty, refunds, or exchanges. It has been tested.

 

For sales to the US we accept Paypal or all major credit cards.

 

For sales to Canada, we accept Paypal ONLY.

 

We ONLY ship to the US and Canada.

 

Canadian buyers are responsible for all customs duty and UPS fees.

 

Items sold to / shipped to within New York State, or picked up at the store, will be charged sales tax.

 

The above words are the property of KZ Consulting and are NOT to be copied.