Behind the scenes Audio Research I/50

Very impressive.  Thank you for sharing! 

Likely a nice sounding unit

Lexie tube display cheezy. Clearly a price point unit. They're an establised company, and they can't figure out how to provide a real enclosure?

The perforated look screams "value" box. 

impressive level of vertical integration people involvement in engineering manufacturing and Quality Assurance for a USA product at this relatively low price point. i look forward to hearing one. i applaud judicious use of SMD, in the right place they can be very good. To the OP - thanks so much for sharing this.....

Jim

I'm not sure how normal this is in the industry but I was impressed that the designer, Warren Gehl,  listens to every unit before it is packaged and given final approval.  The effort to source local is admirable as well. 

Warren also listens to every unit that comes in for service.  New or serviced...nothing leave the building until Warren approves.  I have been buying and swapping out used pieces for the past 4 years to finally arrive at a system I feel I can live with for several years.  Over that time, they have been extremely helpful whenever I needed support.  They are a great bunch of folks and I am proud to own their equipment.  I would like to hear the new I/50 but am disappointed in the aesthetics.  I also find it very interesting how they reverted back to the 6550 & 6922 tubes.  They had been so adamant about the KT120/150 & 6H30.