REVIEW: Audio Research LS28SE preamplifier

Is marantz HD AMP1 any good amplifier? I just bought one.

Great review Steve, having recently become an ARC owner I sure am glad that ARC is once again independently owned.

Have the Electrical diagram Really changed the last 20 years. I dont Think the best Amps. Have changed that Much in 20 years. Its more design and fashion, that had changed

Ahhh! Yes = > 145,000!!!

I still my old SP-14 in a box in my closet. A Reference 2SE is my current phono stage. I have a Pass Labs XP-20 as my line stage, and I've found they work well together. A nice review, but it's always fun to watch, read or listen to myself struggle to explain what differences are heard. Living longer with a piece does however help.

Looks like Pro equipment

Steve, try to get Nagra gear, pre/power or integrated. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Great work Steve, I enjoyed your review, and really enjoyed looking at that wonderful preamp. $10,000? Hopefully if I win the Lotto.................

If the remote work why not use it I dont get the gripe .how about if the remote is awesome and the unit sound like shit?

Wow..so much hate on ARC and the price...I’ve owned lower priced ARC (bought used) and love their products. This is discouraging...Steve mixes it up by exposing this tribe to higher end electronics, and people bash him for it. There are only so many under $1k small speakers the man can review.
I for one love the variety. Keep ‘em coming Steve!!!

I hate to have ti say it, but people (and google) know how to spell patreon by now:)

So, did you buy the review unit?

Hi Steve guttenberg what's ur best receiver n who would u prefer between denon or Yamaha

I loved my AR preamp but my remote was also low quality plastic that bit the dust after a too short time period and the support I got was basically, Oh, really? Gee that's to bad. Sorry, we don't have a replacement and we don't repair them, maybe you can find a univeral remote...good luck!

3 year warranty for $10K? Pass.

10 Grand USD. 14Grand AU .No thanks.

This is an interesting review.
First off thanks this really helped me understand the product category hifi Sound better as a whole concept.

This device with the giant handles in the front like a miami vice era server room component that costs 10k with a plastic remote.

Does it do record players? That's phono. That's how this guy explains in in this other video. The cute one who quit being some editor.
So does this have that? This is the pre amp part right? Is it a phono pre amp?

Also, if tubes are magic and resurrect the soul of the artist then, you should tell my boyfriend that my putting crystals or candles on the giant speakers is magic and does make the music sound better. They resonate. Also if they rattle on said speaker it is turned up too loud or it's a crappy speaker.

Music is magical.
Xoxo

Thanks Steve!

Wow, all the hate here. You do realize that there are many products that are MUCH more expensive than this preamp, right? No one is forcing you to buy any of this. If it isn't your thing, pass by. As others have said, Audio Research builds all of their equipment in Minnesota, from American made parts, with trained American labor. Sure you could build it in China, but that isn't the way the company works. High End American audio is desired all over the world. It's a shame it gets criticized at here at home.

Audio Research has produced some of the best sounding equipment out there. I have owed several pieces of their gear over the years - four currently. Only two of those pieces did I buy new. One of the great thing about Audio Research is that even though it is expensive, it holds value very well so people trade up. When they do, the previous generation is available at a discount. I now have the two generation old LS27. It sounds fantastic, especially with the new upgraded (used) Audio Research phonostage I just added. I'm not rich, but I do value my audio system and I just had a small windfall, so I splurged.

I played Miles Davis Sketches of Spain for a friend yesterday and he told me today he couldn't believe how great it sounded and he has been thinking of it all day today. Experience something before you criticize it.

I loved ARC in the 90’s and early 00’s. The LS-7 was a very nice entry level preamp, and then VT-50 & 100 and some of their solid state amps could be wonderful. Real high end products. It’s a shame to see ARC become completely unaffordable to the average audiophile with offerings like this.

Son of Dave sounds cool. For anyone who doesn't know this already, If you are looking for contemporary blues and don't want artists who are imitations of themselves (or their genre), look for artists recording on Fat Possum. They even have two comps available titled Not the Same Old Blues Crap, volumes one and two. Mississippi blues, a lot of it of hill-country ilk droning, minimal chord changes, boogie and second-line style rhythms. Buy it now, these are old dudes: T Model Ford, Junior Kimbrough, I don't know if Jesse Mae Hemphill and R.L. Boyce, are on that label or not but they are in that same region. For real, you won't be sorry.

Well, I can afford the book. I will be adding it to my collection and it will have a permanent place on my shelf. It looks like a nice coffee-table book and a fascinating read.

Too much nonsense, too many words. How much did they give you?

Excellent review Steve. You have a way with words that really conveys the emotion of listening. I'm glad you touched on the volume adjustability at low volumes. I found that some amps and other electronic devices don't put enough steps in at lower listening volumes.

Have you listed to the Alta Audio Alecs yet? It's changed what I expect from a 10k speaker pair. Absolutely incredible sound.

I do know STEVE does his best to let people know the price points early on... Each of us has our own budget constraints.

Been a big fan of them for awhile. Alas the price tag is a little to much.

These looks miles bettter than the Mcintosh stuff lol

I've never had a Pre-Amp, I once had a silver series DC Integrated amp from Techniques, Liked Vid, this looked really nice, a bit spendy tho
Currently using an 8500 series two pioneer amp from 1977, in unrestored all original equipment, only the orange lamp on the power switch is out, otherwise prestine condition yet

$ 10,000 it's more than my car has cost plus my stereo together.

What does Fully Balanced mean in this case? ⚖️

If you think the inside is beautiful, you should look inside a Klyne preamp. Way less expensive too.

I have always been a big fan of the old style look. Toggle switches, rotary selectors, such as the old SP series. I guess we have to move into the 21 century at some point.

Yesterday, found an authorized audio research dealer that has a black ls28se demo. They want to move it for $8000.
They’ve demoed it in their shop for 90 days and it has about 200 hours on it. They said it will come with the full audio research three-year warranty.
I might go ahead with this purchase tomorrow.

Aren’t tubes expensive? When using in ht bypass tubes always on, seems wasteful and expensive. Tubes may last a yr , 4000 hrs, since tv on more than stereo. Is this a concern??

My Nagra Pre has a tube time counter ! My six Audio Power Labs 50 TNT mono Class A Lundahl equipped power amps all have got tube time counters ! My four Audio Power Labs TNT 833 also have the time Counter installed and shown on a nice display! I got a lot of Faberge like Hardware with the largest collection of these wonders worldwide! They all make the Wavacs sound like kitchen products! The cost of a pair of The Oil cooled 833 amps is a mere $ 175 000 and worth every penny! Dr Solheim Norway!

I’ve listened to this preamp in my home system and strongly considering it. However, I would like to know how it compares to previous Reference preamps by ARC?

Thanks. Can't afford that pre amp..appr if u could direct me to used AR..pre amp...and a matching power amp. My living room is 25ft × 10 ft...im thinking KLIPSCH speakers floor. Im a ZAPPA freak...love him ? Have vinyl...so im trying to build me a nice, clear. ...in expensive system. I also feel , I've seen u in nyc...im a s.ilander, originally from bombay india....grew up with British invasion, Alison steel the night bird....thanks. peace.

“Diddle by hand”- when all else fails!

Beat McIntosh?

Hi Steve!I really like your videos sir!I have a question.Which tube preamplifier is the best you have ever heard? :)

I am from and back in Minnesota. $10k pre-amps are out of my value range. That price does make my overindulgence of another love not seem so crazy. Nope. Both are crazy.

I have an LS10SE upgraded solid state preamp. Fully balanced… beats my PassLabs XP20 SE for musicality and depth. Drives my Luxman M900u really well. Synergy perfect 👍 and it brings the Ref CD9 to life, beautifully.

Great review. I really wish Audio Research will one day release a preamp with built in phono. 10k for preamp and another 10k for phono is a bit too much for many people, myself included.

I acquired an SP14 about 8 months ago and I really like it.

PASS Is amazing, unfortunately tubes give you a feeling of air and reality that is slight but very noticeable. I own a PASS Preamp now but my Audible illusions Modules 3B with a very simple design had that air that the past does not

You lost me at 10K

about 500-600 € in components sold at 10000. highfidelity madness!

I recommend doing the reviews with more images of the audio equipment.

Is the LS28 much better than the LS26 ? Thinking of up grading but the cost is tough.

The remote may seem cheap but it works great, better than some heavy duty cast units.