Audio Research I/50

has anyone compared this to say a Cayin CS55 at less than half the price or a Willsington R8?

I assume they were trying to hit the $5k price point and auto bias would add a couple hundred? Maybe it really only needs biasing if you use different tubes and this isn't a product they expected tube rollers to buy? Metro hipsters may be more apt to just use it as is? It really does sound good. Can it sound better with different tubes? Most likely, but the price then goes up. AR touts their tube testing and matching in the Darko video. They want to keep it all in house. Even advertising trying different tubes like Upscale does for Primaluna gets people thinking about it. Upscale sells "upgraded" tubes, AR sells replacement tubes. 

ah, but how does it sound?

@malibu457 

ah, but how does it sound?

+1

another downside is that the voltage is not switchable.