Successful ARC models

Audio Ressearch SP-15 two chassis was $6,000 new back in 1988 to 1994. I bought one here, and currently two are for sale @ $2,200 I think they are overpriced... they SHOULD be about $1,700 WITH boxes (two super nice boxes... worth $100 JUST for the original AR boxes)
No remote, but a super fine line section, and a very good tubed phono section.
Way better than the "famous" SP-10mkII, IMO, which I sold the minute I heard the SP-15!

PS: not a lot of reviews originally.. The huge price jump to $6K made all the fellows doing reviews to poo poo it 'quality for the price'... but that was right when EVERYTHING doubled in price nearly overnight. Prior ARC stuff had cheap caps, cheap RCAs... the SP-15 had high quality bits, and current standard quality RCAs.. etc.

I have owned a number of Audio Research preamps in the last 25 years. I currently own an LS25 mk2. You should be able to pick one up used for a little over $2000. My other choice in that price range would be a LS17. ARC preamps have come a long way in the last 10 years. Far more so than their amps. Borrow an LS17 from a dealer and try it in your system. The LS17 is a stunning preamp for the price.