Hi-Fi History: The Classic, Tube-tastic Audio Research SP-3A Preamplifier
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ธ.ค. 2022
- This week Tom Martin reviews Audio Research’s SP-3a, his pilgrimage to Transcendental Audio, and the legacy the SP-3A left in its wake as it pioneered and pushed the hi-fi boundary.
About Tom Martin:
Tom is a long-time audiophile. He began his reviewing career after acquiring the The Absolute Sound magazine in 1997 and then hi-fi+ magazine in 2002. He has worked closely with Harry Pearson and Robert Harley at TAS and with Roy Gregory and Alan Sircom at hi-fi+. Since Tom and his teams expanded the TAS and Plus platforms in the digital domain, he has served as Chief Content Officer.
Images sourced from and credited to: skyfiaudio.com
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I personally had a similar epiphany when a Linn Sondek was A-B'd against an SP-10 turntable in the early 70's. Both had same arms & cartridges, the same record was moved from one table to the other. It was like a curtain had been pulled back from in front of the speakers. Unforgettable!
Owned a black & gold SP-3A while in college in the 70's. It was a revelation to me and a friend who was a tremendous guitarist. Hooked me into the pursuit of great audio sound ever since.
To a good old boy way down south, you have a compelling way of communicating that I find attractive. Keep up the good work love the videos.
Amazing how the aesthetics of high end audio equipment has evolved over the past 50 years. Not talking about the circuitry or any of that, just the face of the unit.
Yes to tubes, back in the late 70’s when I was a teenager I dropped by lyric hifi NYC, I had a pair of IMF TLS 50 speakers powered by SAE 30 PRE AND 31b amp. Then I heard a pair of Magenpan s with a audio research preamp and power amp. I was shocked in a lovely way.
Tom Martin perfectly describes the natural, "absolute sound" qualities of the SP3a. What's missing is a discussion of this component as a working, current-day classic. I bought my SP3a in the mid 1980s, used but in like-new condition. Audio Research still provides factory service for this unit. In fact, they made available a complete, William Johnson-designed update of the unit which I had them do to mine (I presume this update is still available). That update brought only improvements to its already-great sound, while still having all its controls continue to function. It's still my only preamplifier, driving McIntosh MC-30 tube monoamps into Merlin TSB "Black Magic" stand-mounted speakers along with a Velodyne ULD-15 subwoofer, with source components including a tube McIntosh MR-71 tuner, Philips 963sa SACD player, and Rabco ST-7 straight-line turntable with Shure VMR cartridge. Bill Nolting, long-time TAS subscriber who discovered the SP3a through HP's original review.
It was my privilege to work for Soundlab in the early 80's. Our most popular system was Linn Sondek - Audio Research SP3A - Krell- Accoustat (later Apogees)
I'm still using and enjoying Acoustat X's.
The Soundlab A3's and A1's are the only speakers I've heard that sound like my Acoustat X's. But I heard them back in the 1990's.
Today, Christmas day in the wee hours of the morning; I consider this presentation as my best Christmas present. Tom Martin's journey from the past reviewing the SP-3a is strikingly revealing a disclosure of an Audio Pilgrimage to the Audiophile community. the truth of subtle clarity, tonal balance and the musicality perceived by a human ear and brain; let alone the heart and soul involving. In 1977, I bought a used SP-3a (modified by Van Alstine version) for $450 paired with the Audio Research D-51 power amp using the huge Altecs Valencia VOTT $600/pr., which replaced my Audible Illusion Modulus - II tube pre-amp (still have it paired with a solid state Hafler 500 modified by Musical Concepts). In 1982, an older Hi-Fi aficionado friend bought my SP-3a for $700 (according to him, the modification is worth it) and the Valencias for $400 / pr. Listening to Tom Martin is a joy to behold. I could only attest to the verity of his definitive statements because during the onset of the pandemic, I figured out as I matured and missing the those vintage sounds of the SP-3a and the Valencia horn-loaded speakers; I bought them back on eBay for $4,250 and $ 3.000, respectively. Doing the math I have to spend an inflation price tag of $6,150 to reunite with these vintage gears to satiate my 78 year-old senior-self. At this age of sheer maturity, what matters is what makes you "Happy" with what you have. Also: some tweakings, speaker wires, interconnects, power cords a n d POWER Conditioners really make a huge difference. My admiration to Mr. Tom Martin for a presentation very well said. Marry Christmas and a joyous New Year from Chicago!
I bought a gold and black SP3 and it turned out it was one of the first 50 SP3 preamps sold. And I found it out when it suddenly stopped working a short time after purchase fortunately with no odors warning of burnt circuits. I called my dealer David Smith of DS Audio and he told me he knew what the problem was and he could easily repair it. I took the SP3 to him and he explained that Audio Research had made 50 preamps for the first run and 25 of them had a thermistor on the AC line to extend tube life by providing a slow turn on time for the tubes eliminating the normal high current rush of first turn on in a device. Mine was the 24th thermistor to break. Thermistors were small with little current capacity at the time. David replaced the thermistor with a jumper wire and the preamp worked fine until I replaced it years later.
Thank you for this visit to the past. I went to school in Buffalo and was a customer and fan of Transcendental Audio. I bought my first AUdio Research components there and had my introduction to maggies. Also nice to hear that my guides to high end audio are still involved and doing well.
I'm 55. in my early 20's I was introduced to a prospective choice between an SP-9 1 , and an SP9-2.
At that time I thought of a preamplifier as just a volume control.
bought the 1, and it blew my mind.
Exactly the same age and got a SP9 II in my early 20's
Love the history listening. Thanks
Same epiphany to the east of Transcendental Audio at Paul Heath Audio in downtown Rochester across from Kodak HQ. SP3a1 and Dual 76 Audio Research tube gear driving Magneplanars with Janis subwoofer with little known Linn Sondek source. Best achievable sonics back in the day.
I love my sp-8.
One of the shifts I had to make when going from my Broadcast oriented Electronics from way back when transistors were first hitting the market was the transistor for analog audio. I learned tubes and tube design first. Then how to adapt for transistors. That tubes are inherently linear and transistors are switches that can be forced into a limited linear area. Working part time at a TV transmitter location and part time at an audio store while in college.
Love the videos . Keep it up. Merry Christmas
In 1973 I replaced my HK Citation with an SP-3 for a magnificent sound improvement. Later I had it upgraded to the SP-3-A and the tone controls bypassed. It now sits in my closet.
I've worked on some of these SP3's and I found them to be pretty colored sounding. I upgraded some of them with wonder caps. I own an SP2 which I recapped with wimas. I also have an SP6 and an SP6B. Right now I'm using the SP6B.
Very interesting video. I just purchased a SP-6B should be arriving in a few days will be interesting to see how it stacks up to my MX110z
I listened to the SP3 preamp extensively back when it was a current product, and found it to be a very good sounding preamp in its day. But there were certainly solid state preamps available at the same time that could be considered every bit as good. E.g. the Levinson JC 1 and 2. Essentially the SP3 was a modern descendant of the Marantz 7. 3 stage feedback type RIAA phono preamp followed by 3 stage line/tone control amp. Where it gained its advantage over the Marantz was in its use of a regulated power supply along with higher quality passive components. That said, its build quality was hardly anthing to write home about. Sound wise, its strong suit was a lush, detailed midrange, and clean, sweet treble. Bass, to my ears, was not up to the standard of the best solid state preamps of the day. But so many of those preamps sounded harsh in the highs, and the SP3A was certainly a breath of fresh air compared to those.
I still have mine, the dash 1 version that offers two phono inputs. However, I use the SP 6 in my system, better phono preamp.
Hi i would like to find out from you whats the difference for mono vs stereo vs reverse mode use for and sound quality?
I wish the expert was better at organization and presentation. Paint eventually dries and Tom ah eventually ah gets to the point.
I was asleep before he finished the title of the video. If this is his truly excited state someone needs to see if ha can fog a mirror!
This is a product that was amazing. The Commish has it on display in the MN showroom.
Yeah, sorry, I broke my leg right before I made this and was on pain meds.
I would point out that "excited" is not synonymous with "manic."
The SP3, with its outstanding analog section, then gave people a starting point for work on improved, stiffer power supplies