Audio Research GS150 Musings

I haven't heard it myself, but there is a review of the GSpre/GS150, in this months HiFi News magazine in the UK. It gives a pretty much unqualified thumbs up, as you would expect from a magazine with a heavy advertising input from the UK distributor. Not that they would be biased of course. This is part of a telling conclusion:

" Audio Research say it's Galileo Series is not intended as a replacement for the existing Refs, but will coexist with the rest of the ARC product range to provide an alternative aesthetic as well as a platform for new ideas. So, before REF owners feel tempted to upgrade lock stock and barrel, I'd urge them to first try an audition an ARC ref 150 with KT150's in place of the stock KT120s"

Well precisely, except it is not a switch ARC would condone it seems and might void the warranty. The KT150's works pretty well in my Ref 75 though and many are using the 150 tubes in the Ref 150 amp, I believe.

Now I for one, would be very interested in that comparison and if, as I suspect, there isn't a great improvement in the sound, you are paying a pretty penny for an, "alternative Aesthetic", methinks.

Me thinks you are right on David.

Pulled the HI FI News review and clipped some pertinent comments:

"The GS duo not only looks much better
it also sounds way better than the ARC REF 5E/150 combination with **KT120 valves installed** (which
are congested and closed-in by
comparison). The GSPre/GS150 won
hands down, I must say. As well it
should, considering that it costs
almost double the price."

***

"Audio Research says its Galileo Series
is not intended as a replacement for
the existing REFs, and will coexist
with the rest of the ARC product
range to provide an alternative
aesthetic as well as a platform for
new ideas. **So, before REF owners
feel tempted to upgrade lock, stock
and barrel, I’d urge them to first
audition an ARC REF150 with KT150s
in place of the stock KT120s.**"

Warren Gehl comments:

"So is the GS150 really just a
REF150 with new looks? ‘As with
many designs from Audio Research,
the GS150 is an evolutionary step
from the REF150’, explained
Warren. ‘For while the two amplifiers
share many common aspects, **there
have been numerous parts and
layout changes which affect the
sound.**"

("**" denotes my emphasis.)

Not to bore all with the HI FI lab report, I am very familiar with the Ref 150 specs and lab tests. The two amps test almost identically. Warren Gehls states that "numerous part ... changes" affect the sound. I can count at least 5 changes. Four (4) KT-150 tubes and a slightly different output tranny (minus 1 tap). What other parts were changed ... better coupling caps?? Better resisters? Better front end power supply?

The authors encourage current Ref 150 amp owners to try the KT-150s. ARC says we can't do that yet. But I wonder what the authors would say if they compared the Ref 150 with KT-150 tubes and the GS-150?

I smell a marketing trick: a Ref 150 with a pretty new skin and much better power tubes. I have a funny feeling that loading my Ref 150 with KT-150 tubes will yield a MAJOR improvement. Maybe almost as good as the GS-150. But ARC says NOT YET!

P.S. Not much said about the GS-Pre other than the phono stage was not as good as the Ref Phono 2 SE.

Given where I hold with my system, I am looking for tweaks and changes that have a high benefit to cost yield factor. The DEQX PreMATE is one such change. I think KT-150s will be a another. Next on the list is AC power distribution. And so forth.

If there are any brave souls who have slipped KT-150s into their Ref 150s, please share your comments.

01-01-15: Bifwynne
Way too early to come to judgment .... 600 hours is the break-in period.

I am interested in learning how the GS-150's innards differ from the Ref 150.
Bifwynne (System | Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread)

01-02-15: Tsushima1
Several hundreds of hours would have been ideal, It is unfortunate that this particular unit has just the 100 hours on the clock as I rather suspect my loan period will not extend quite that far.

Another run out sees the clock just ticking over the century mark, midrange opening up a smidgen! Vocal inflections? *particularly* impressive, even in comparison with my 100K hours Ref 150/ KT120. Soundstage ? although having expanded outwards a tad from the frontal plain of the Martin Logan CLX's comparative to 60 hours, I am far from replicating the projected 3D soundstage, verging on surround sound, that I can achieve with my Ref 150 in combination with its 16 Ohm tap.

Imaging and separation? Even at this stage, most impressive!

Returning to vocalisation. Even at this point in break in time it is clear to me that the nuances in diction and phrasing were being elevated to a point beyond that which I had previously considered as quite excellent, via my Ref150, these evolutions of inflection may be subtle, yet are perceivable enough, in taking the listener that one step closer to the old cleche that is 'Sinatra in the room'

However, A most compelling and pertinent question yet remains.

Just how close is a Ref150/KT150 to the GS150?

Especially were one to be an oddball like myself that utilises the 16 Ohm tap, phased out on the later GS Amplifier.

For anyone interested, more anon.

Jasper.

Jasper ... why are you using the 16 ohm taps? What type of speakers are you driving?