It is funny you mention this. I remember hearing and seeing these old guys haul out this really expensive Audio Research gear from the dealer in Phoenix fourth years ago. I couldn’t even think about owning in my wildest dreams. The sound was absolutely heaven… but not remotely possible.
While I did get a used Audio Research preamp in 1980, that stayed in my system for over fifteen years, and then a few years later a PH2 phono stage. Which I upgraded several times. Most of the time, my system was Pass, and mostly other solid state components.
But, one by one, starting about fifteen years each component became Audio Research… and moved to Reference level. Now all my equipment is Audio Research Reference. I had no idea such a great system could be constructed. I think calibrating my ears to what real natural music sounded like by attending the symphony in the 7th row center for over ten years helped. The natural, musical sound so like the real thing. I really understand why Audio Research had such a following from its inception. They have mostly never deviated from the objective of reproducing real music with the natural perspective. Many other companies catered to real spectacular and unrealistic splashes of sound, ridiculous detail, and probe the depths of bass beyond realism… ARC has remained true to their founders vision.
So, for me… now I am the old guy, going into the store buying the stuff the young whipper snappers cannot afford. Well, actually my dealer comes to my house and drops off a demo of something he thinks I might like, and if I do, he orders one and comes by for the afternoon and installs it and we listen to it. So, while getting old is a pain in the butt, it has it’s perks… truly understanding what great equipment sounds like and being able to afford it.
