AUDIO RESEARCH REFERENCE 6 PREAMPLIFIER

This writer recalls meeting the legendary, yet ever so modest, founder of Audio Research Corporation, William Zane Johnson, when he travelled to Australia in the mid-1990s to launch what were, at the time, ARC’s latest flagship monoblocs, the original and now legendary Reference 600s. I lusted after those monos. I loved the retro design, and I admired the construction and engineering… and then there were those gorgeous meters.

Alas, at the time, because I was in the throes of starting a new business, all my funds were being channelled towards what was to be the means for putting bread on the table. But just to appease my desire to own even just a modest item, a humble piece, from this American audio icon, I purchased a pre-loved Audio Research SP9 MkII preamp, proudly adding it to my then-only budding high-end system. And although I thought it inferior to Audio Research’s classic SP10 and SP11 preamplifiers, my treasured SP9 MkII sounded glorious, and clearly evidenced the company’s expertise in circuit design right down to the entry level. The new Reference 6 is Audio Research’s flagship single-chassis preamplifier, encompassing the company’s latest thinking in circuit topology while now also enjoying the embellishment and industrial design flair of McIntosh Group’s Livio Cucuzza. (Only the two-box Reference 10, a special edition model, has not been updated to the new Cucuzza family aesthetic, which now includes the recently-launched Foundation series.)

As you can see, Cucuzza has full respect for classic Audio Research design in the Reference 60’s retro look, especially when looking at the 60s’ style input and volume knobs. Subjectively, this is an attractive design, balancing classic and contemporary elements to create pleasing visual harmony. Nerdy as it may seem, equal pleasure can be derived by peering through the clear acrylic top (as provided on my review sample, but you can elect to have a metal one fitted if you’d prefer) and examining the competence and solid engineering behind the circuit layout and internal construction.

As per tradition with Audio Research preamplifiers, the Reference 6 features a whole swag of connectivity in four line-level inputs available via both single-ended RCA and balanced XLR. Ditto RCA and XLR for the three output options (two main outputs and a ‘Record Output’) with a processor loop assignable via the menu. An RS-232 D-connector allows control, while trigger in/out mini-jack sockets can be used to activate other Audio Research components. A non-standard 15-amp mains socket with three horizontal