Few names in high-end audio command the reverence of Audio Research, and its new Reference 7 and Reference 20 preamplifiers represent a spectacular new chapter in the company’s pursuit of sonic perfection. Making their UK debuts at The Happening, these extraordinary components bring Audio Research’s latest thinking to the very heart of a high-end system.
The flagship Reference 20 is nothing less than a statement of intent: an uncompromising preamplifier engineered to extract every last nuance, texture and emotion from the music. Its meticulously optimised architecture, advanced power supply and obsessive attention to mechanical and electrical integrity are designed to deliver breathtaking transparency, astonishing dimensionality and a sense of musical realism that simply must be heard.
The Reference 7 brings much of this breakthrough technology to a single-chassis design, combining a sophisticated, resonance-controlled construction with suspended, mass-loaded circuit boards and a new solid-state regulated power supply. Its 6H30P valve circuitry adds the harmonic richness and expressive fluidity that have become Audio Research hallmarks.
Together, they offer a tantalising glimpse of the future of Audio Research – and a rare opportunity to hear two of the most ambitious preamplifiers the company has ever created. If you want to discover just how far analogue preamplification can go, this is a listening experience not to be missed.