Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Audio Research, Inc. LS 26 Preamplifier (Tube) by mschlack

Model:	LS 26
Category:	Preamplifier (Tube)
Suggested Retail Price:	$5500
Description:	Preamplifier
Manufacturer URL:	Audio Research, Inc.
Model Picture:	View

Review by mschlack on February 24, 2008 at 11:35:29
IP Address: 151.203.46.41 Add Your Review
for the LS 26

This is my first preamp of this quality level. I had been using my B&K Ref 30 for all sources and decided to augment my system with an honest to goodness stereo pre for two front channels. So my requirements were a home theater pass through, and then sonically, I was looking for better imaging and detail than my B&K delivered.

From initial trials in stores, I felt a tube pre would be the way to go. I don't like tube amps, because I really want to hear the bass well (especially as a musician myself, listening to jazz, blues and rock -- genres I play -- if the bass isn't crisp and lively, it's not realistic to me). But the life that tubes can give music throught he pre, that was for me.

Given my price range and the avialability of various makes in my area, it came down to an inhome audition between the Audio Research LS-26 and a CJ CT6. Both are fine pieces.

At first, I leaned toward the CJ. Boy, it can sure do voices! You almost feel like you're singing, there's so much detail. But as time went by, I noticed that the CJ didn't do everything well and it sure wasn't neutral. My wife, who cares nothing about audio but is a great judge of sound quality when she's not paying attention, found the CJ overwhelming, and I was forced to agree. When it was right, boy it was a treat, sort of like great candy. But sometimes it made my teeth hurt.

The LS 26 grew on me for several reasons. The most noticeable thing was that recordings sounded more exciting. The rhythmic information in them, probably not only the little transients that start notes, but the varying dynamics of the note, were so there that music just propelled itself out of my speakers.

The second thing I noticed was there was a 3D quality not just to the entire image, but to each major voice. What I concluded was that it was so much more detailed than what I was accustomed to that I was hearing enough natural reverb to get the feeling of a player or singer in a room, and felt as if I was hearing "the back" of them, the natural reverb.

As an example, on the SACD of Mingus Ah Um, John Handy takes a wonderful solo in the right channel on Goodbye Pork Pie Hat. This sounds great on anything, it's such a strong solo. But on the LS 26, it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up -- John Handy was standing right in front of my speaker, and Charles Mingus was back left, trilling notes to Handy's flutter tonguing.

Complex rock records, like Steely Dan's Aja vinyl reissue -- each of the instruments, no matter how low in volume, was just distinct but had its own life, its own attack and dynamics.

With great singers, this was particularly noticeable. Most systems can get the big vibratos or swells, but great singers do a lot of little things with volume and articulation that are invisible on many systems. Not so here.

On the other hand, one cut I use to tell detail is "If I were blue" on Patricia Barber's verse. The acoustic guitar solo is wonderful. During it, the player breathes audibly a couple of time. I've heard more of that on some other systems. Hear I heard it, but not that noticeably. I'm torn whether that's a loss or not -- after all, it's only a background noise and the systems that present more of it generally tend to be overly detailed and etched to me.

The LS 26 doesn't seem to emphasize any sound band. Bass is strong and detailed, mids are all right there and the high end, too.

The net effect of these qualities is that I'm reminded once again that music is played by people. When a horn player is a tad louder to start a note and then backs off, I get that he's excited by the tune and then is disciplining himself not to just "shout" through the entire solo. When a guitar player has that nasty attitude, I can hear them snap off the note with the pick, but not an exaggerated pick sound. When a singer wants to linger, I hear how they ratchet down their volume and leave the note to float like a question.

Many people seem to comment on ARC's dryness. Maybe older models were, maybe the LS 26 is to them, too. The CJ being probably the other end -- I found thats pretty but syrupy. I think the dimensionality of the LS 26 will please anyone who is keyed in on music as performance, who likes to go to clubs and watch people play and get in on the minute dramas within the overall sweep of music.

As for creature comforts, the LS 26 is pretty homely. IMO, the all black is preferrable in looks. The remote is OK. The inputs don't have a memory, per se, but it does have low, mid and high gain settings for each input and it does return to your last setting, so you can kind of fake that to a great degree. Probably the most inconvenient thing is that it doesn't remember a volume level -- it always starts at zero when you change inputs. and as far as I can tell, there's no reliable way to program a remote to hit a certain volume level.

Build wise, it's a battle ship. Great terminals, widely spaced, so if you use WBT terminators on your interconnects, no worries about shorting them against others when you loosen or tighten them. I don't have much in the way of balanced gear (just the sound interface from my computer), so I can't comment on its balanced performance.

On the whole, for a pretty trad piece, it melds well with a home theater system and definitely provides outstanding sound. My TT and McCormack UDP-1 sound pretty great now.

If you're looking for a pre that makes you sit up and say "wow, that pre sounds special" this isn't the one. If you're looking for a pre that makes you say "what a great recording" or "what great music," this is worth checking out.

Product Weakness:	Probably not the ultimate word in detail, if you're looking for super detailed system. Otherwise, I find no weaknesses sonically. It's not a stunner visually, but you can live with it.
Product Strengths:	Good horizontal and depth imaging, detailed and balanced, great pacing.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Odyssey Stratos
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): None
Sources (CDP/Turntable): McCormack UDP-1, VPI Scout, Nova Phonomena phon stage
Speakers: B&W 703
Cables/Interconnects: MIT AVT1s, Kimber Heros
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz, Blues, Rock, classical
Room Size (LxWxH): 30 x 15 x 9.5
Room Comments/Treatments: none
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2.5 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Furman
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition): Not applicable

Amplifier:	Odyssey Stratos
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	McCormack UDP-1, VPI Scout, Nova Phonomena phon stage
Speakers:	B&W 703
Cables/Interconnects:	MIT AVT1s, Kimber Heros
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz, Blues, Rock, classical
Room Size (LxWxH):	30 x 15 x 9.5
Room Comments/Treatments:	none
Time Period/Length of Audition:	2.5 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Furman
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition):	Not applicable