paulwbranner

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5, 6.00 votes

Price Paid:  $1000.00 from Audiogon

Summary:
This review is for the SP/9 MKIII. I had the pleasure of listening to the MKII.Still a great pre amp but the MKIII is leaps and bounds ahead of the MKII. This pre amp is by far the best I ever listen to. This is with in the 32 years of enjoying this hobby. I had and tried very hi end pre amps. They were good at what they did, but the MKIII puts you there. I am in Nirvana. This is a must for the serious listener. No this is not for the casual listener or the collector. The MKIII is for the audiophile that wants the best in resolution and soundstage. I matched this with the D400MKII, another very hi end piece of equipment. This combination pushes the envelope for my Mags. I never heard the 3.6r sound so sweet. Again, if you see this product on the market, get it. You will done with your search for a solid pre amp. I was very lucky to get mine from an employee of Audio Research. In mint condition. I switched tubes, sovtek to the electra harmonix. Much sweeter sound and more bang for the buck. Mullards and Amperex are in a class of their own, and yes excellent tubes as well. The MKIII easily can retail for 8-10k. It's that good!

Strengths:
Sounstage Resolution Warmth

Weaknesses:
Not having a remote is a weakness, after talking to the tech, I'm glad I don't have one. If you know what I mean!

Similar Products Used:
Krell Mark Levinson Conrad Johnson Jeff Rowland

gerenidsmith

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.25 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $750.00 from audio excellence

Summary:
Price is in pounds BTW The SP9 ( this is for the MK 1 )was a significant upgrade compared to anything else that I had heard, but when you look inside, the reason for this is fairly obvious. The components used in the SP9 are all of the highest quality, which is very re-assuring when parting with your hard earned, but if you do, it's an absolute steal. I doubt that I will ever part with the SP9, and wish I had listened to this pre-amp a long time ago, it would have saved me a small fortune The sound is wonderfully open and imaging is accurately portrayed. Then there are the dynamics. The SP9 doesn't rob the music of it's drama, an all too common occurance with most pre-amplifiers. This means that each performance retains the excitement, tension, joy, sadness etc In other words the emotional impact of music remains intact. For this to happen, you need depth and refinement and the SP9 has extended bass which is well controlled and a sweet treble that never fatigues. The phono stage is as good ( if not better ) than some separate phono stages I have heard costing a grand. The line stage is the closest I have heard to plugging directly into the power amp. Build quality is of the highest standard. It's solid construction, soldering and hard wiring is meticulous Looks may not be to everyones style. I think they're Ok, but who cares. At the end of the day, I want to hear the music the way it was recorded, and this is the closest I have heard. In the UK you may be able to find one from time to time for 600- 700 pounds, and for the this amount of money, it's one helluva of a bargain. Five stars no question.

Strengths:
As above

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Most Naim NAC gear, Audible Illusions M3A, Conrad Johnson PV10a, EAR 864

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I had used the ARC SP9 MkII with a couple of solid state amps with success before I acquired a pair of Quicksilver 8417 mono amps. With the Quicksilver tubed amps this hybrid preamp has really exuded its musical character that combines the attributes of tubes and solid state. Hooked up to Sonus Faber Concerto Grand Piano speakers, this combination can offer a relaxing listening experience. This hybrid model mates well with tubed amp.

Strengths:
Musicality, details

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
NAD 1020, Dynaco PAS 3 MkII

Price Paid:  $695.00 from auction

Summary:
A true classic that never goes away,I owned the original SP9 and was very impress with its sonic "signature",excellent bloom and detailed separation of the notes,abit of a quick roll off at the extreme elements,great phono stages and excellent built.Simple designed that offers a pure look into the music,very detailed soundstage and wide and deep,abit shadowly at the height aspect but does distract from the over all listening pleasure...great amp that ages with time and can used as a "reference" pre-amp in many systems...

Strengths:
Soundstaging is incredible,alots of bloom,well built,simple stage designs that offers a clean pathway ..

Weaknesses:
No balance inputs,no remote,hard to fine a mint condition one at a low price..

Similar Products Used:
Sonic Frontiers,Pass,Krells

Price Paid:  $1500.00 from 2nd hand

Summary:
Having used the SP9 mkII for 9 years I for one am enthusiastic about it. The amplifier is sweet sounding, smooth and holds its own in the lower octaves. It is sensitive to differences in tubes - tuberolling can yield intersting results. The preamplifier has kept up with the continuing improvemenst in the rest of the system. The SP 9 mk II is a sensible choice, especially given the low prices on the 2nd (or 3rd) hand market.

Strengths:
Musicality. A very good phono stage.

Weaknesses:
No balanced in- or outputs.

Similar Products Used:
NAD 1020, Copland 301, Music Reference RM 5, ARC LS2B, ARC LS3B, QUAD 405-2, Futtermann OTL amplifier, ARC VT 100 mkII