Best ARC Solid State power to match ARC Ref 5 Pre

Raquel, That's your opinion and I also disagree. I have owned many amplifiers over the years and Audio Research amplifiers are one of my favorites. I have owned all types including all tube, hybrid and solid state and Audio Research never fails to impress.

Bywynne:

If you have the opportunity, try to get a darTZeel, Ayre, Rowland 625, or no-feedback triode tube amp into your system to compare to your ARC. There are indeed a lot of different factors that affect amplifier performance, but some are more important than others and global feedback is now known to be genuinely harmful to natural sound. The vast majority of designers still use it, however, because it's quite difficult to make a circuit stable, particularly a high-powered amp circuit, without global feedback, and most people buying amps don't know the difference.

Last month, I spent four nights in a row with a good friend and his all-Audio Research system, including VTM 200 monoblocks, plus big Wilsons in his large, purpose-built two-channel room. He recently demo'd a darTZeel and a new darTZeel is now on the way to him. 12 db. of global feedback is a lot, but even 2 db. changes the presentation - the difference is not subtle.

Just what we need. Another $18,000 solid state amplifier that's supposed to sound like a tube amp.

Rrog, I promised that I was not going to add anything else to this thread . . . but your comment set me off, not in a bad way but a good way. I looked over the thread yesterday and saw, as usual, everybody chiming in with their favorite amps. To me, it's like asking what is the best speaker . . . and there is a thread running asking that very question with over 1300 hits. My point, if it's not clear already, is that there is a lot of fine equipment out there. I happened to wind up with Audio Research, but that's me. I freely acknowledge that many other makes are just as good or better. I also want to reiterate what I said about system synergy. Some amps will will work better than others when driving a particular speaker, e.g., electrostats, horns, dynamic cones with unusual impedance curves and phase angles, and so forth. That's why, IMHO, I don't make equipment recommendations. Of course, if someone makes an unfair comment about a particular piece of equipment that I familiar with, I will respond, as I did above.

FWIW.

Bifwynne, I agree there are many other brands of amplifiers that are very good. I currently own amplifiers from several different manufacturers, but the OP specifically asked for recommendations from Audio Research. I also agree with you regarding system synergy, but there is more to it than just matching speakers and amplifiers. I believe matching preamp and amplifier is just as important and Audio Research is one of those brands that seems to work best together.