Audio Research LS-16 Mk2 vs LS-17 preamp

The SP16 is NOT the same as an LS 16 with a phono preamp added! As the people at ARC will tell you, the SP16 is a lesser level preamp than the LS16 (no offense, just clarifying) in their line up.

Mapman, I contacted ARC about 1 year ago when I was looking at new/used preamps and to inquire about this specifically. I was told that the SP 16 v LS 16 are two different build levels/qualities and that the linestage portion of the LS 16 exceeds that of the SP 16 by a noticeable margin. What is the list price of the SP16? What is the list price of the LS16?

SP 16 list price in 2002 was $2,495 with the phono and $1995 without the phono board (but it appears it was pretty much sold with the phono).

The LS 16's list price was $2,995 ($3,495 for the LS16 MK II version), though I don't know the specific dates for these prices.

But this correlates with what ARC indicated to me, that the SP units are not the same as the LS units but with the phono added (as that would make them more expensive than the LS units, not less expensive).

So, at least with the SP 16 v LS 16 were are not talking about two preamps with the same line stage, but one with and the other without phono.

Mapman, I have no doubt that your SP16 was an excellent value. I do not suggest for a moment that the SP16 is not an excellent preamplifier and one that many, many audiofiles could completely enjoy. I was just trying to clarify for other viewers that there are some differences.

Though I have to be honest and suspect the running the LS16 in SE mode vs. the SP16 in its only available SE mode may be much less significant than the LS16 in balanced v SP16 in SE. I think this may be part of the price/performance difference (+ remote). I have heard many people comment that the ARC units capable of running in balanced perform noticeably better this way vs. running the same in the SE mode.

Well Mapman, we should get together as I have a LS16MKII on its way to me and we could do a simple comparison to see how noticeable the difference is in SE v SE and SE v Balanced. I am in tne midwest.