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Audio Research SP3 restored

68.59.151.86
Posted on April 5, 2015 at 15:42:06
collinsrobert67
Audiophile

Posts: 5
Joined: May 20, 2014



I recently purchased and AR SP-3 that was in need of a complete restoration. I had read great reviews about this preamp and wanted to try one. So I sent her to Mike Samra to do the job. Once I got it back I mated it with my Citation II Amp and Klipsch Lascala's, and all I can say is I was blown away. I was using a restored citation I preamp before and this baby is in a different league. This unit is dead quiet and the character it gives my music is amazing. I now see why this is considered one of the greatest vintage preamps. Music is so real and the dynamics are so incredible. Mike did an outstanding job. His craftsmanship was great and his selection of components mated well with this unit. I am going to try and upload a pic for everyone to see the great work.

 

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Nice..., posted on April 5, 2015 at 18:21:07
musetap
Audiophile

Posts: 31879
Location: San Francisco
Joined: July 8, 2003
Contributor
  Since: January 28, 2004
 I recently returned to using my SP3 that Will Vincent found, restored and sold to me at cost many moons ago.
My thinking was that if an SP3 was good enough for Mr. Johnson even into his later years (and attached to MUCH
better equipment than I will ever have), well, it should do me all right.

A few years ago Will redid the power section, which had finally given up the ghost.

Every couple years I take a break and try something different but find myself returning to the ARC, usually in less and less time!

A great pre really is the heart of the system.

You'll have some fun tube rolling too!


Congratulations! Welcome to the club! And VERY nice to have a pro like Michael Samra there for you!

"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

RE: Audio Research SP3 restored, posted on April 5, 2015 at 19:41:23
Satxhifi
Audiophile

Posts: 185
Joined: July 4, 2010
 That is a beauty! I am looking forward to Mike finishing a Sansui 1000A for me.

Best,

Dave

 

RE: Audio Research SP3 restored, posted on April 6, 2015 at 07:02:41
airtime
Audiophile

Posts: 11287
Location: Arizona
Joined: February 4, 2003
 A large part of that joy is due to Mikes knowledge of where and which high quality part to put in, And where it goes.

It's no accident that is sounds great. It's all due to a good design and an even better restoration job done properly.

All hail Mike. I know I do ever time I turn on my Sherwood!!!!

charles

 

Nice!, posted on April 6, 2015 at 07:28:17
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37656
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since: April 5, 2002
 I've been an Audio Research since first hearing an SP-3a in my own system in '74. As good as the Citation 11 I had at the time was, the SP3 was more musical. I can still remember hearing the shakers that open Steely Dan's Do It Again. I have an SP9 and SP20 today.

BTW, you can delete the duplicate post until someone responds to it.

 

RE: Audio Research SP3 restored, posted on April 6, 2015 at 08:41:14
Brian Levy
Audiophile

Posts: 2438
Location: Toronto
Joined: June 5, 2000
 Just beautiful. The SP3a1 is just one of those all time special components.. After generations of designs there may be something better but that is not the issue. It is how far the bar for the best moved when it came out. For me and most, it was the first to dethrone the Marantz 7. In fact, I used to say it was what Sail and boys likely would have produced if the team had stayed together and Marantz was not in financial straights. It would have been a natural evolution.

It short comings weee few, hated the faceplate and knobs. Bill could have spent an extra $10 on them. They looked like something from a cottage industry manufacturer but, he was past that.

In side, I thought maybe change the carbon wafer controls for resistor attenuators. So, maybe another $100 at retail. Not a big deal. At that time most of my comrades loved mine but did not buy just because of the looks and stayed with their 7s.

I loved mine and with the Dual 50, the system was unbeatable. But, the Dual 5o required mortgaging the house for a tube change. The SP tubes never needed cbangeing even after 5 years of running. Lost it and the Dual 80 in the divorce along with lots of other great components. When I bought myair of D76as, I seriously thought about getting another. But with starting my new businesses it was more important to put the cash there. I am certain if I had, they would be with me today and I would have headed off in an entirely different direction in the hobby than I did.
Don Brian Levy, J.D.
Toronto ON Canada

 

RE: Audio Research SP3-tube choices??, posted on April 6, 2015 at 17:46:05
paul cbc
Audiophile

Posts: 446
Location: Oregon
Joined: May 22, 2003
 Nice preamp & I imagine even nicer following a Mike S. tuneup.

Question regarding tubes-what tubes do/have you run in this?
Any recommendations??

Thanks,
Paul

 

RE: Audio Research SP3 restored, posted on April 6, 2015 at 20:53:54
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 4310
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 Brings back memories. I had one of the 1st 50 SP3s. I found that out when mine stopped working. My friend and dealer, David Smith of DS Audio said it wasn't a problem; he knew how to fix it. It turned out to be a thermistor used to slow up the turn on surge. He just replaced it with a jumper wire. Of the 50 SP3s 25 were made with the thermistor and 25 with a jumper. That was the end of the thermistor experiment. My SP3 was the 24th of 25 thermistors to fail.

 

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