Runs cool, seems well made, transparent sound

No major ones noted. Some minor nits include turn-on thump and poorly shielded power cord.

A great sounding amp if properly interfaced. A revealing amp so I would not use bright sounding sources with it.
While recently auditioning speakers I had to the chance to listen to low priced separates by B&K and Adcom and I think the ARC is much better. It is smoother and richer than most low cost solid state (and many high priced solid state)amps, but it is not lush or warm like many tube amps, so if you want that sound, buy tubes. However, it is small and compact and does not require the maintenance or ventilation required by tube amps.
I did compare it to even higher priced separates by Classe and I still prefer the ARC, although the difference was close. However the Classe separates were much more expensive (about 4 times the cost of the ARC).
I found it works well driving B&W DM602 S2, but did not work so well driving Monitor Audio 2.5, so careful matching with speakers is important.
The only thing I could not do was to compare it to a comparatively powered NAD amp. I own an old NAD receiver which is less transparent but more euphonic than the ARC. The NAD has a slightly darker, richer sound, but these colorations may not work for everyone.
For some the ARC will be an outstanding value and an excellent match.

Outstanding with acoustic reproduction. Extremely musical for the given price with fairly good detail, reasonable soundstage, and imaging.

Remote is extra cost, turn-on thump, warm-up time, no pre-outs means absolutely no upgrade path whatsoever. Presentation is not the best with rock, dance, and pop.

The AR Complete appears a very good value considering price. It gives a very musical presentation with most music, its strength being its velvety midrange that presents acoustic jazz exceptionally well. However, it doesn't seem to fare quite so well with rock and techno, where the relaxed presentation gives an almost dead quality.

This amp fares quite well against the A3, B60, and 5080 - integrateds that cost considerably more but do not necessarily present strengths up and above the Complete. In the end, I couldn't justify the extra cost of the other amps over the Complete, especially in light of my opinion that the AR sounds better overall than the other amps listed above.

I did find that the MF A3 CR pre-amp/amp combo sounded exceptional. Once I have enough funds saved up, the MF separates will most likely be my next step. I plan, however, to closely audition the Rega Cursa/Maia combo at home, as this setup sounded very good in the store as well.

My demoing was in home with a Rega Planet 2k CDP, Mission 782 speakers, Nordost Blue Heaven interconnects and cable.

Similar Products Used:

Musical Fidelity A3, Bryston B60, Sim Audio 5080i, MF A3 CR preamp/amp, Rega Maia/Cursa.

sounds great, enables your speakers to communicate music to you

minor: no pre-outs, my pre-programmed remote doesn't work with it

This is truly an amazing amp. When demoing it in my home for the first time, it just blew away my NAD receiver and the higher-priced Creek integrated amp. Listening to Schubert's Symphony No. 9, I felt as if Sir Georg Solti and Vienna Philharmonic were directly communicating the music to me. The amp had such effortless power and control. My speakers sounded happy and seemed to beg me to crank it up louder.

Of course the Complete is detailed and accurate. Imaging is great too, but that's all secondary to its ability to play exciting music.

Highly recommended.

Sonus Faber Concertinos
Velodyne VA-1012x subwoofer
Panasonic DVD player (doubles as CD player)
DH Labs and Analysis Plus cabling

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo, JVC, NAD receivers
Creek 5250SE

A sweet sound that makes you want to listen to the music rather then sit and study it.

None that are obvious, except pre-amp outs would be nice.

I bought this amp because I had just been bitten again by the stereo bug. I read some reviews from this site and some other places and decided to give it a try. So far I have not been disappointed at all, actually I don't think I will be able to better it without spending 3 or 4 times what I paid for this amp. People say it doesn't have all the detail finer amps have, well all I have to say is, "buy better interconnects because it's there for the taking". I have magnapan 1.6 QR's and it drives them just fine. Whan I first purchased the amp I bought a $225 pair of Siltech ST-18 interconnects and noticed a huge difference in sound quality. These cables are fantastic, I always thought to a certain degree cables didn't change the sound much, was I wrong. These cables brought out much more of what the amp has to offer. Also thay were better than the transparent cables that cost $500. Since that time I have moved to the Siltech SQ-80's and the sweet detailed sound that comes from this amp is unbelievable. You may say why spend $1000 bucks on cables, why not just buy a better amp; well all I have to say is try it out first before you think you need a better amp. I also used the Plinius with this same set-up that also includes a Arcam cd72 player and Analysis Plus Bi-wired speaker cable. Well to be perfectly honest, the Plinius didn't add much and what it did I didn't care for. The place that let me audition the Plinius said, "well that's because your not using a good power chord". Why should you have to spend double your money and also have to buy a power chord as well, that seems kind of pointless. The amp should be noticably better without any tweaks ie.(power chords, filters, voltage purifiers etc...) because if you have to add more to get less well you have just reached the land of diminishing returns. I think at one point I may upgrade again, possibly tubes, the only difficulty is trying to drive the Magnapans but until that time I'll just enjoy the sweet sound of the Audio Refinement.

Similar Products Used:

After having this I listened to a Plinius 8100, Didn't like it. I didn't draw me into the music. It was also double the price.

Freedom from all the nasties associated with inferior solid state designs. Has increidble warmth, tonal balance, and musicality when used in the system mentioned below.

None

I stumbled upon this amplifier (and the rest of the system... read on) purely by accident, when I recently went to my local hi-fi shop to audition the latest electronics from Bryston.

What started out as a desire to hear a 3B-ST amplifier and BP-20 preamplifer, turned out to be the most enjoyable musical experience in my 20 years as an audiophile.

As I waited for the salesperson to help me, I steppped into one of the sound-rooms to have a look around. In there, I saw a pair of Mirage OM-7 loudspeakers, hooked up to an Audio Refinment Complete amplifier and Complete CD player. I thought to myself, "hmmm... these speakers look interesting." I was familiar with the names of all components before me, though I had never had the opportunity to hear them before that day.

The sales person entered the room and I told him I was interested in hearing the Bryston equipment, but could I have a quick listen to the Audio Refinement/Mirage combination first. "No problem" he said as he slipped the Enrique Iglesias disc I brought with me into the CD player. I use this CD because, in addition to being HDCD encoded (most of the songs, anyway), it has huge dynamic swings and a good combination of acoustic and electrical instruments, and can really exploit a systems resolving capabilities. Try it out next time you audition equipment. "Track number 3," I said.

It didn't take but the first few notes for me to realize something special was happening. I sat there, immediately drawn into the wonderful sounds being reproduced in front of me. Sounds without any glare, stridency, or hardness normally associated with inferior solid state electronics. The tonal balance was warm without being dark, the detail apparent without being analytical; the overall sound was the most liquid I had ever heard before. Not forward or recessed, just there.

The real acid test for me isn't about hearing subtle nuances, clinical details, or see-through transparency. These artifacts are just as much a product of the recording as from the equipment playing them. No, the real acid test for me is one of presence and emotion; do I believe the artist is standing there in front of me playing his/her heart out... can I feel it.

In the case of the Audio Refinment/Mirage combination the answer is an unequivocal, yes. I have never been so moved by the sound of an audio system before hearing this one. In all the time this system was playing I never once thought of its sound, per-se, I was too captivated by the music to be critical. Its ability to impart an emotional response to the listener is uncanny, and one I will not soon forget.

To make a long story (too late, I know) short, I didn't bother to hear the bryston components. I knew this was the system for me, regardless of price.

It is most gratifying, especially after more than 20 years of listening to music critically, that for the first time I can truly sit down and just listen for enjoyment, and not worry about what's playing it.

Similar Products Used:

Everything from Arcam to YBA

Smooth yet detailed sound, good dynamics, great bass and soundstage

Cheap RCA and speaker connectors

I went to my favorite audio retailer to audition the new Totem Hawks, which the salesman providentially matched with the AR, stating that power would be a little short. Listening to this combo, I soon realized that I needed this amp much more than the speakers which by the way left me unimpressed. I was almost instantly amazed by all the control exhibited by the AR under such an heavy load. It never played harsh and always remained composed while the boomers were ragingly going back and forth over a 2-inch stroke. Enough to convince me that I needed this amp badly so I bought it without further reflection.
When I first plugged the AR to my system (JM Lab Daline 3.1, Rega Planet 2000, Monster 1.4s speaker cables and MG Audio C4 interconnect), I found the sound lacked bass and highs. In fact, it sounded like a bad tube amp. I immediatly tried an Actinote interconnect I had in hand and then obtained the missing highs. Overall, this setup lacked a bit in the bass department and produced highs that were a little fatiguing but outstanding mids.
I went on a quest for the perfect interconnect match and I got close to perfection with Kimber Cables's KCAG. This setup lacks a little bit in the mids department but for the rest, it's close to perfection. I have never heard such realistic bass before and such levels of hamornics and details.
In conclusion, an outstanding amp for the money. Good enough for years of enjoyement off the hook of the audiophile obsession for the perfect sound. Just pure music.
To finish, get the optional ceramic feet. They bring more punch to an already convincing performance and please, don't draw conclusions before having tried a few very good interconnects. This makes more difference than a switch of CD player sometimes and most of all, the difference between a bad and a good review.

Similar Products Used:

Cambridge Audio C500-P500

Incredible value, sound, construction, and ease of use.

Some claim not enough detail. Not a problem for me.

Purchesed the optional ceramic feet to replace teh rubbers.

For 3 days after purchase, it was horrible sounding. Began to come around on 4th day. Sound is great now.
I was one of those people that go on and on about detail, soundstage, imaging yada yada yada. Before using the Complete, I was using a preamp and amp combo that retailed for 5 times the Complete.

Finally, a piece that I can just listen to, forget the audiophile chase, and just enjoy some music. Who wants to listen to a system that renders 50% of your cds, (poorly recorded ones) unlistenable? Not me, not any more....

At some point in the future, I may get back into this "sport", but right now, my dollars are staying in the pockets, and my smile is finally from ear to ear, every time I sit down to listen.

Rega Planet
Cardas Golden Reference
Audio Refinement The Complete
Audioquest SA-40/SA-30 biwire
B&W Nautilus 805

Ear to ear....

Similar Products Used:

AA Puccini, Jolida 502, 302,

If you really like tube products but hesitated for whatever reasons, this unit may be it. Here are some excerpts from magazine reviews I got off Audioplus Services website.
(From International Audio Review)
The sound of the Audio Refinement is probably unique among solid state products. It is one of very few solid state product that may have successfully captured the essence of tube sound. Its sound actually goes over the hybrid fence into tube territory, with a slightly soft, slightly liquid, delicate sheen to the upper frequencies. The effect is similar to that found in the Pass single ended solid state amps and the Ayre solid state amps, but the Audio Refinement carries it off even more successfully. The Pass amps sound a little too soft in the treble, while the Ayre amps sound a little too dull and rolled off. The Audio Refinement integrated is more usically enjoyable than most solid state products, regardless of price - since its slight departures from absolute accuracy all work toward making commercial recordings sound more like live music as heard in the concert hall, just as good tube products can. The Audio Refinement integrated sounds phenomenally natural and musical, with nary a hint of solid state sound, even surpassing the McCormack and Odyssey in this regard. And, at the same time it is very revealing unlike some other high priced solid state amps that try for musicality but wind up smoothing down everything so much that they obscure a lot of your music behind a veil (e.g. the Levinson 33H and Krell FPB).

(From The Inner Ear)
One word might describe it appropriately: SMOOTH. It is defined as "not rough;
continuously even: flowing melodiously: to render less harsh or softer and more
flowing". All these terms can be applied to the Complete's musical character. -
In a couple of blind A/B tests, some of our panelists actually preferred The
Complete to $ 6000 separates. So here we have it, an amplifier which sounds close to the famous YBA Intégré minus the Intégré's price tag. That is to say that the Audio Refinement amplifier has most of the sonic character with which the YBA is credited - tube-like blossoming in the mid and high frequencies, quick responds to dynamic passages and control of intricate details like expensive separate components.
[End of excerpts]

Extremely interesting to say the least. If you really value dynamics and accuracy, you probably won't appreciate this unit. If you like vocals (particularly female) that come across smooth without any edginess (even on crappy recordings) AND a "refined" blossoming presentation of instruments, then you must give this unit a listen. By the way, don't let the $1000 price tag influence your judgement on whether this is really that good a unit. Just let your ears do some honest judging.

I think this is a very nice amp for the price. The external build quality is very good with a uncluttered face plate and solid feeling knobs. The internals are about on par for an amp in this price range, thin pcb boards, wire woumd resistors and yes, large value elctrolytic caps. The binding posts are some sort of bad frence joke on potential buyers of this product, no we are not in japan were the preffered speaker wire connection is bare, oxidized 12 ga monster cable. It is impossible to get a good connection to these. The chassis mount rca's are a bit weak and cheap. The amp if fairly refined sounding with a nice neutral tonal balance. Good extension, dynamics and detail. The amp could improve on transparency, palpability and air. Overall a hard design to beat in this price range. A four star design in the $1500 and less market, you could certainly improve dramatically on some of its vaults with a nice Class A unit or a tubed unit, but you would also have to give up alot of macro dynamics. In the grand scheme, a three star design, let get real here, this ain't gona hang with a Spectral pre Class A design or a hand wired triode Cary unit. It seems as though everyone is rating this stuff a little high. If you gave this amp a 5 star rating, that says that this is the BEST thing on the market, at any price. Better go and A/B this amp with a pair of Krell MDA-300's and then try rating this again!!!

After looking for an integrated amplifer in the $1000-$1500 range, I chose this one after much listening and research. This amplifier is extremely musical with a smooth yet not rolled off sound. The midrange is focused yet not forward. Optional remote is a must. Using JM Labs Cobalt 810's and an ELITE PD-65 with AudioQuest Diamond 3 for interconnect and Tara Labs Temporal Cont. speaker wire. Just when I thought things could not get much better, I upgraded the binding post on the amplifier to Edison Price Posts. Wow! The amplifier sounds even more transparent and detailed without even a hint of brightness. This upgrade is easy and not to mention inexpensive. This amplifier gets five stars in stock form and many more with one simple upgrade. Buy it baby! Yea!