Reference 330M – the latest from Audio Research
The Audio Research Reference 330M – Probably the finest valve amp ever made. Now available through top end audio masters, Absolute Sounds. We covered their I/50 pre-power combo a while back, but this is epic. This editor absolutely loves it when manufacturers bandy such words about, as “infrasonic”! And talk about the “specificity of the recording space”. Reminds me of the Bowers and Wilkins subwoofer demo with small speakers at lowish volume I once experienced! When the subwoofer kicked in, you suddenly felt like you were in the cathedral. It takes immense control to reproduce the actual hall, let alone what is playing in it. These words from the makers:
Now available in the UK, the new flagship Audio Research Reference 330M monoblock power amplifier from the American gods of valve-based audio, delivers an extraordinarily natural, tangibly realistic and uniquely emotional musical experience.
Make music come alive in a way you will never forget.
The Reference 330M puts you right there, and does not let you forget that you are listening to a living performance captured in time, just waiting to be unearthed with no potential left unrealised.
The beauty, the emotion, the dynamics, the life are all there to conjure total immersion, whenever you want it.
Reference 330M is a Hand Built Masterpiece
The Reference 330M is the finest amplifier ever created by Audio Research, with the ability to control any loudspeaker with a vice-like grip and startling dynamic life. It is the culmination of everything we have learned over 50+ years.
It is a statement that music is king, always ready to sweep you away. Infusing new technology and circuits with the finest vacuum-tube architecture, the 330M elevates music reproduction to the highest plateau with an all-tube signal path.
From its ECC83 input to its KT170 output, with tube regulation in the power supply, the 330M proves that you can enjoy the ease of high power along with a delicacy and purity usually associated with low-power amplifiers. Tonal saturation and density accompany a specificity of recording space beyond anything we have built.
Liquidity and artistry abound, yet with blade-like edge precision when called for. Extension at both frequency extremes is state of the art even for solid state amplification. Statement-level loudspeakers capable of meaningful infrasonic bass output will be fully commanded down through their lowest octave without a hint of retreat. Stones unturned: None.
This is our heritage, the legacy created by our founder, William Zane Johnson.
Fully balanced, pentode-mode monoblock design raises the bar for valve-based sound and delivers a new high-end audio reference
Extraordinary power for a valve amp – 330 watts, more than double that of the previously range-topping Reference 160M MkI
Output stage incorporates six KT170 valves – the world’s most advanced high-power, low-distortion audio valve – driven by JFET transistors
Uniquely designed valve/solid-state hybrid input and power supply circuitry with an all-valve signal path
Audio Research’s trademarked GhostMeter® VU display ‘floats’ in front of the KT170 valves within a dual-layer glass window
Built for longevity and operational convenience, with proprietary auto-bias, valve monitoring and technology to extend valve life
Limitless headroom, vice-like control, startling dynamics, rich tonality & exquisite fine detail – the Reference 330M captures the life and soul of music in all its glory
Price & Availability of the Reference 330M
Having showcased prototypes at audio shows around the world, Audio Research has finally completed its painstaking development of the Reference 330M and the amp is now shipping from the company’s HQ in Minnesota, USA.
Available in a choice of black or natural (silver) finishes, the Reference 330M is officially ‘price on application’ in the UK owing to fluctuations in exchange rates and import costs, but customers can expect to pay around £92,000 inc. VAT for a stereo pair.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
| Power Output | 330 watts |
| Tube Biasing | Auto-Bias |
| Output Taps | 4Ω, 8Ω |
| Tube Compliment | (6) KT170 Power Output (1) ECC83 & (1) 6H30 input (1) 6550 & (1) 6H30 Power Supply |
| Inputs | XLR & Single-Ended |
| Controls | 12V Triggers RS-232 Remote Control |
| Power Saving | Standby Mode |
| Weight | 101 Ibs |
Learn more here: https://audioresearch.com/new_website/audio-research-reference-330m-monoblock-power-amplifier/
