Recapping an ARC LS-5 mkiii

@jafox sounds like you’re a huge Michael Elliott fan lol

I appreciate you giving me your pre-amp progression. Makes me want to search out an Aria Audio preamp, especially since they’re collectors items now (went down an Internet rabbit hole, and found this guy who may have gotten his hands on the last one: https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/upgrading-my-system-from-denon-elac-to-aria-audio-meadowlark.1097306/) What did the Aria do the Aesthetix didn’t? (I ask because people seem to wax poetic about the Callipso). Someone should make a schematic of those Aria pieces because I don’t think any exist.

I guess a lot of what people love about the LS-5 is nostalgia, and nostalgia is a dirty liar. The reason I am thinking of getting work done to the LS-5 is that I think it will be cheaper in the short term to update it. Reason why is I have Vandersteen speakers, and that’s one of the default set ups with Vandies.

As @djohn mentioned, he’s very happy with the updates to his LS-5 from Scott Frankland. Per Scott, he upgraded 16 caps/etc that were (or might be) age related wear items. Scott did mention he didn’t touch the coupling caps and thought there could be further improvements there. Doing the same thing DJohn had done would be in the $1000 range.

@erik_squires reason I thought about coupling/bypass caps is because I think ARC offers (or at least used to) offer the TRT Stealthcaps as an upgrade and that would (at least in theory) preserve the ARC house sound.

You might join the Vandersteen owners forum, there are some there running 3A sig w variety of power / pre including Threshold, ARC, Aesthetix, Music Reference, etc….

Thanks @tomic601.

I'm there and I think we've interacted :)

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@atlvalet the fellow that I purchased my LS5 MKIII from lived close to ARC, and also knew someone there. I had him deliver the Unit to ARC so they could check it out at my Cost and then ARC would Ship it to me.

I spoke to the Tech for the Condition of the Unit, and he told me the following.

1) Power Supply Caps will need to be Changed in 5 Years.

2) Rack Mount Faceplate (2 Holes per Side) was Extremely Rare since they did not produce many.

3) Stellar Condition.

The choice is yours if you wish to have this work performed. Your Unit is " Due " on the Power Supply Caps.

If you decide to have the work done, you might also want to look at obtaining some Amperex Holland Tubes. I tried the Russian Tubes initially, and when I tried the Amperex the LS5 really sang.

Scott Frankland is getting Older, so it is up to you whom you wish to perform the Service. After Scott’s work the Sonic Level of my Stereo was ramped up One or Two Notches. The $1K was mice nuts for the Sonic Improvement. Even the Better Half noticed.

@tecknik you are Absolutely Correct that the LS5 MKIII is Very Rare on the Open Market, and it took me 5 Years to find one.

@jafox I am not getting this in my System; " too unnaturally forward sounding and lacks the energy in the low end ". You are Correct that there is Always Better but at what Cost? I actually tried a Highly Regarded Pre since I was not sure if I wanted to Rebuild the LS5 MKIII. Once the decision was made and I received the LS5 back, within a short time the Highly Regarded Pre was Sold. I was that smitten with the Change of the LS5.

I am also getting Older, and I do love to read about Gear while Subscribing to 3 Mags. At my Age I do not wish to get on the Gear Merry Go Around. Trying the New Gear and if Disappointed, the Time and Monies lost pays for the Rebuild of the LS5 MKIII.

Case in point, I have been researching replacing my Classic 60 Amp which I have owned since New. After Months of Research, I do not have a Clue with what to replace it with. Have you seen the Price of the KT150 Tubes lately. I have decided recently that I should just stick with the Lowly 6550 Tube in the Classic 60.

The LS5 MKIII will very likely be my End Game Pre along with the Classic 60 if they do not Fail.