Visitor Feedback on The AR Amplifier

Thanks to Larry Jenkins (OldestLJ@aol.com) for the following:

"The AR Amplifier is an integrated stereo preamplifier/control and power amplifier, all silicon solid-state."

Power Output - each channel, both channels driven - 60 watts RMS 4 ohms
50 watts RMS 8 ohms
30 watts RMS 16 ohms 
Distortion - any power output level up to an including full rated power
IM (60 and 7,000hz, 4:1) less than .25%, harmonic distortion,
less than .5% from 20hz to 20khz.

Freq Response - +/- 1db 20hz to 20khz at flat settings

Suggested Retail - $250 w/ black aluminum cover, $15 extra for oiled
walnut wood cover


Thanks to Tom Tyson for these comments on the AR amplifier:

The AR integrated amp was designed in the late 60's by Acoustic
Research's engineers with primary design work being done by a fellow by the name of Brodzinsky (sp), who has a couple patents relative to this amp. One was the "standby power supply," in which the amp's power supply idles when the unit is plugged in, and bias voltage/circuit voltage is applied when the switch is turned "on." The other patent related to the actual biasing circuit itself. The amp was followed about a year later with an FM tuner, and in 1970 AR introduced the AR Receiver which incorporated both the integrated amp and the tuner into one enclosure. Oiled walnut cases were available for each unit.

The amplifier, which cost $250, was rated for use with 4-ohm, 8-ohm and 16-ohm speakers, common for the day (e.g., the KLH-4 was 16-ohm, as were many of the horn speakers and some electrostatic speakers such as the model 9, etc.). Into 4 ohms, the amp was rated at 60 watts/channel, rms, both channels driven, 20-20,000 Hz., with harmonic distortion less than 0.5% and intermodulation distortion less than 0.25%; into 8-ohms it produced 50 watts; into 16 ohms it produced 30 watts.

When *Audio,* *Stereo Review* and other magazines tested the AR amp, they were amazed to find that the amp could put out over 100
watts/rms/channel into mid frequencies, and that it could produce over
90 watts into 4-ohms, from 20-20,000 Hz. It was especially stable with capacitive-reactive, low-impedance loads such as certain AR speakers (AR-LST, AR-LST-II, and AR-10Pi) and electrostatic speakers.

If God wanted us to go to concerts, He would have given us tickets.  AR circa 1980.