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The Audio Research Reference Anniversary is a special limited edition tube preamplifier released in 2010 to celebrate the company's 40th anniversary. It features a dual chassis design separating the power supply and audio sections, connected by umbilical cords. The power supply is dual-mono with separate low and high voltage transformers and vacuum-tube regulation for each channel, providing twice the power supply energy storage of previous Reference preamps. The audio section is an all-tube, pure Class-A triode circuit with zero feedback and a dual-mono gain stage using eight 6H30 triode tubes (four per channel). Custom Teflon coupling capacitors weighing over two pounds each are used. It offers six stereo inputs plus a home theater bypass, with balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs. The unit has a large green OLED display, volume and input dials, and buttons for mute, power, phase, processor bypass, balanced/single-ended mode, and mono. The preamplifier is highly regarded for its dynamic headroom, low distortion (<0.006% THD), exceptional detail retrieval, and realistic soundstage. It weighs approximately 68 pounds total (29 lbs audio chassis, 39 lbs power supply) and measures 19" wide, 7" tall, and 15.5" deep per chassis. The product was available only during the anniversary year and is considered one of the finest tube preamplifiers ever made by Audio Research.
Amplification power output and characteristics
Analog signal output specifications
Input and output connections
Size, weight, and appearance
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The closest alternatives on specs, description and the systems they turn up in, with the specs they share set side by side.
The Reference 6SE's thd is 0.010% against the Reference Anniversary's 0.006% and its input impedance 120Ω against 120000Ω. Both share output voltage (2.0V RMS) and output impedance (600Ω).
The Reference 40th Anniversary matches the Reference Anniversary on thd (0.006%), output voltage (2.0V RMS), output impedance (600Ω), and input impedance (120000Ω).
The LS28SE's thd is 0.007% against the Reference Anniversary's 0.006% and its input impedance 100Ω against 120000Ω. Both share output voltage (2.0V RMS) and output impedance (600Ω).
The Symmetrical's thd is 0.030% against the Reference Anniversary's 0.006%, its output voltage 1.0V RMS against 2.0V RMS, and its output impedance 70Ω against 600Ω. Both share class (Tube).
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