Audio Research LS-16 Mk2 vs LS-17 preamp

FWIW I have an sp16 (ls 16 with phono I believe) and think it is a fantastic piece. I can enthusiastically recommend it to others.

I bought a used LS-16Mk2 on Audiogon last year, and I am consistently impressed with the dynamics, imaging and natural tonality of the unit. (It replaced a Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 with Mullard tube.) My source is a Sony SCD XA777ES which has single-ended output only. Recently I tested the single-ended SP-17 in my system, which came close to the LS-16Mk2, lacking just a little in dynamics and presence. However, the fully balanced LS-17 (which I've not heard) offers some circuit enhancements over the LS-16Mk2. I would be willing to pay around $300 more for the newer model. But either one will bring you a lot of musical pleasure.

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.

My understanding was that the ls16 is just an sp16 minus phono stage.

So what is better about the ls16 exactly? I'd like to know because if that is the case I may have been mislead. The naming convention would certainly seem to indicate that these are the same only one has a phono. That's how it was presented to me and I had no reason to suspect otherwise.

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.