Datasheet

There is an old saw that runs: “You never know what you’ve got
till it’s gone.” The use of this expression is usually in the fi eld of
romance, but it has its application in the audio arena as well.
There are many times when we replace a long-cherished part
of our system with what is supposed to be an upgrade, only to
rue the day we did it, discovering that we didn’t really appreciate
what we had.
On the fl ip side of this same coin is discovering that what we
had long considered excellent sound was, in reality, ape waste
in comparison to the sense of sonic bliss we achieve with a new
component. We may fi nd that aspects that are now gone—things
like noise, frequency-response aberrations, and the masking of
micro or macro detail—had a greater effect on the sonic outcome
than we thought, and that new preamp, CD player, cartridge,
speaker or whatever works audio miracles.
So it was when I began to listen to the Audio Research LS17
line-stage preamp. I had been living in blissful happiness with
the ARC SP16 for many years. I thoroughly enjoyed the manner in
which it reproduced music in my system. I thought I knew what
I had—and was happily groovin’ on the music it reproduced. But
after inserting the LS17 into my system—right out of the box and
stone cold—I was aghast at how much more musical information
was coming through the speakers. I know, I know—I should have
given the LS17 proper burn-in before giving it a serious listen.
But even we so-called “audio professionals” have been known
to be tempted by the new, the updated, the upgrade. The LS17
demonstrated to me quite quickly that what I thought I’d been
hearing was not all that my LPs, CDs and SACDs were capable
of delivering. All of a sudden, my audio system took a giant step
forward on that mythical journey of reproducing the sound of live
music at home. Talk about teaching an old dog a new trick!
The devil in the details
The $3995 USD LS17 looks like the classic Audio Research
preamps of yore with its silver faceplate, black rack handles and
twin knobs. It is the latest in a long line of “LS”—”line-stage”—
preamps from the Minnesota-based bastion of tube audio, joining
Review Summary
Sound
“There was a tactile realness and a distinct sense of the
recording venue, along with deep, tight bass. Its highs
seemed to extend into the stratosphere, allowing for
great portrayal of space—which showed ample layering
and depth—together with abundant detail. The LS17 does
subtract one thing I’d become used to with the SP16:
There’s less of that classic tube sound. The midrange is
still richly reproduced—after all, the LS17 still uses tubes—
but now it’s far more neutral.”
Features
“The LS17 is a [remote-controlled] hybrid [line-stage-only]
preamp. It uses JFets in its input and gain stages and a
pair of 6H30P tubes in its output stage…. The 6H30P (or
“super tube” as its been unoffi cially dubbed) is supposed
to be not only sonically superior but long lasting as well—
which sounds like a win-win situation to me. The LS17
has a solid-state power supply with separate electronically
regulated low-and high-voltage supplies.”
Use
“I also used the LS17 both single-ended and balanced,
and the results were clearly in favor of the latter….
In considering the LS17 as a potential upgrade, do not
discount having the option of going balanced, especially if
your source is balanced. Balanced connection can improve
the sound of your audio system in ways that a mere
equipment upgrade can’t.”
Value
“While using the word ‘bargain’ to describe a $4000
preamp may be a tad presumptuous, within its price
range, the LS17 is exactly that. You’ll fi nd yourself having
to pay more money for less than what the LS17 offers.”
“... a benchmark in its price class.”
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
Audio Research
LS17 Preamplifi er
by
John Crossett
johnc
@soundstage.com
April
2007
www.soundstage.com