Audio Research LS-16 Mk2 vs LS-17 preamp

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.

Ck,

You are right as best i can tell.

I see there is an sp16L listed on arcdb as the less expensive linestage version of sp16.

Also a separate listing for the more expensive ls16 that is clearly different in appearance.

Clear as mud from the naming, right?

My mistake nonetheless.

My sp16 cost me $1800 as a discounted price near the end of its production run. The newer sp17 was already out and would have cost more as well I believe.

So my dealer correctly represented the sp16 as a good value for me at the time in that I was considering getting the line stage only version and using an external phono pre-amp which would have likely cost more for some thing external also with good quality.

Hello-
Just as a further note.
You could go to the arcdb site and take a look at the pictures of the internal layout. It is different, not to mention the LS-16 has balanced inputs and outputs.

Mapman, I have no doubt that your SP16 was an excellent value. I do not suggest for a moment that the SP16 is not an excellent preamplifier and one that many, many audiofiles could completely enjoy. I was just trying to clarify for other viewers that there are some differences.

Though I have to be honest and suspect the running the LS16 in SE mode vs. the SP16 in its only available SE mode may be much less significant than the LS16 in balanced v SP16 in SE. I think this may be part of the price/performance difference (+ remote). I have heard many people comment that the ARC units capable of running in balanced perform noticeably better this way vs. running the same in the SE mode.