Audio Research Reference 20 Preamplifier

The Reference 20 is Audio Research's flagship line stage preamplifier, a ground-up architectural redesign rather than an update of the prior Reference series.

It replaces the traditional stamped chassis with a layered, multi-metal construction for resonance control, with circuits mounted on suspended, mass-loaded boards, and uses a redesigned power supply with new film capacitors to lower the noise floor.

It consolidates what was previously a two-chassis design into a single chassis.

Specifications

• Tubes: six 6H30P dual-triodes in the audio circuit, plus one 6550 and one 6H30 in the power supply
• Inputs/outputs: balanced XLR (with sub out) and single-ended RCA (with sub out)
• Gain: 15dB balanced, 9dB single-ended
• THD+N: 0.07% balanced, 0.03% single-ended
• Frequency response: 1.5Hz to 24kHz (-1dB), 120kHz (-3dB)
• Dimensions: 19 in W x 8.125 in H x 19.0625 in D
• Weight: 62.5 lbs