Audio Research LS26 Preamplifier

LS26 Preamp in perfect cosmetic and operating condition. This has the silver faceplate and natural handles and matches the new gear being offered by AR. Comes with remote, perfect Audio Research box and inner packaging and power cord. The owners manual can be obtained from the website. The preamp has (2) 6H30 tubes and is referred to by some reviewers as the mini-Reference 5.
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Soundstage Review
If there’s a single manufacturer that’s the poster child for high-end audio, it would be Audio Research. Founded in 1970, Audio Research made equipment that starry-eyed audiophiles like me lusted after and bucked the early stampede toward solid-state equipment by suggesting that, in spite of all the gee-whiz advertising, tubes really did sound better. It didn’t take a golden ear to validate Audio Research’s claimed superiority; a simple listen made it obvious. Audio Research currently offers updates to many venerable discontinued products to extend their useful lifespans. That’s incredible support. How many manufacturers would bother to update a 30-year old product? For that matter, how many manufacturers even have a 30-year old product?
The $5995 USD LS26 occupies the penultimate position in Audio Research’s current preamp lineup. The formidable Reference 3 occupies the top rung, and lots of the technology from it found its way into the LS26.
SOUND: With the LS26 in my system, a brightly lit, wide-open soundstage virtually exploded out of my speakers, bristling with spatial and tonal information. Performers were located precisely in space, surrounded by lots of air." "Good soundstaging usually goes hand in hand with extended high frequencies, and the LS26 certainly enjoyed extended highs." "Another of the LS26’s many strong points was an unusually sprightly dynamic performance." "Yeah, I guess you could say that I enjoyed my time with LS26."
FEATURES: "The LS26 has a hybrid circuit, with a JFET input stage and tube gain stage using the same 6H30 tubes found in the Reference 3. The power supply is fully solid state. The LS26, like its big brother, sports a completely balanced circuit. Every input and output has both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) jacks."
VALUE: "Although $5995 is not pocket change, the LS26 is one of the best preamps I’ve heard at any price, and I am certain it will compete with pricier models from other makers."