For sale is a Audio Research LS27 Tube Preamp in show room condition in my opinion (except for one mark that I call a scuff on the very rear of the cover.The LS27 not only offers remarkable resolution, musicality and dynamic impact, it is an incredibly flexible line-stage preamp. The LS27 sounds very much like a REF5 on a slightly smaller scale, with an organic, lifelike musicality (per the Audio Research dealer). I purchased the preamp from a Audio Research dealer as a Trade-In unit around the fall of 2017. Due to a physical house move I never hooked it up. It has been sitting in its’ original box since than (coming up to 2 yrs.) Tube complement is (2) 6H30 dual triodes. Comes with Remote Control, Power Cord, Phillips Screw Driver to remove cover (tarnished for some reason), Owners Manual, and original shipping box. The preamp was built around January 2013 per Audio Research. There are only 1,235 hours of usage on the tubes/preamp, which is very low usage for a 2013 preamp – which explains why it is in super condition. Preamp originally sold for $7,500 per the ARC dealer. Selling price is $3,400. Audio Research is known for the exceptional performance of their products and their build quality. Below is a description from SoundStage Hi-F magazine: “The LS27 weighs 16.3 pounds, measures 19"W x 5.25"H x 13.3"D, … The front panel has two microprocessor-driven rotary controls: with the first, the volume can be adjusted for both channels simultaneously; the other knob selects among the LS27’s six inputs: CD, Video, Auxiliary 1 and 2, Tuner, and Phono. The front panel and remote control both have buttons for power on/off, mute, processor pass-through (which lets you use an external home-theater processor), volume up/down, balanced or single-ended inputs, mono/stereo, and monitor (which routes the monitor input signal to the main outputs).
Via only the remote, you can adjust the LS27’s display to one of nine brightness levels, adjust the levels of the left and right channels, keep track of how many hours the tubes have been used, adjust the gain for each of the six pairs of discrete inputs (high, medium, low), and invert the absolute phase of the output signal.
The rear panel has eight pairs each of balanced and single-ended connectors for the aforementioned inputs, as well as the monitor and processor inputs. There are also two sets each of balanced and single-ended main outputs, a tape record output, a 12V trigger, a 15A IEC connector, and a fuse bay. The LS27 is specified as having a frequency response of 0.2Hz-160kHz, +0/-3dB, at its rated output (balanced, 200k ohms load), and distortion of less than 0.01% at 2V RMS though its balanced outputs. Its output impedance is 700 ohms balanced, 350 ohms single-ended, 20k ohms minimum load; and the selectable gain for each input is 18, 12, or 6dB single-ended, and 24, 18, or 12dB balanced.
According to ARC’s website, the LS27 sounds a lot like the Reference 5, albeit on a slightly smaller scale. ARC further states that many changes were made between the LS26 and the LS27, including a new power transformer, new output and bypass coupling capacitors, a new microprocessor for the function controls, and an improved power supply.” I'm only rating unit as an 8 not a 9 so as not to over claim condition. In response to a negative feedback about how a McIntosh MC225 amp was packaged, Buyer refused 5 attempts by UPS to inspect amp and claimed cardboard box packaging. Buyers who eventually provide photos to them off his back on how he claimed amp was packaged and size of packaging was in complete contradiction to UPS shipper documentation and local UPS representatives knowledge of shipment. Buyers own photo of shipping label looks like it was lifted off original shipping container and placed on a cheap cardboard box - which was manufactured locally to him in Atlanta area. Photos of amp from Buyer looked like it had been dropped on the floor outside of my very rigid packaging – not my problem.
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