This amplifier is strong all the way around. It is an eminently musical product that allows performances to shine through.

None, unless it is a weakness not to be a tube amplifier costing twice as much or more.

The Audio Research 100.2 power amplifier (I bought a demo model) is paired with an ARC LS16 MKII preamp, Rega Jupiter CD player, ALR/Jordan Take 4 speakers, along with Kimber Kable interconnects and AudioQuest Bedrock speaker cable. I listen to predominately classical music. The system''s sound is magnificent, and the amp has wonderful clarity and power. There is no sense of strain with transients, and no sense of clouding or hardening with even the most difficult of source material. Arleen Auger hits her high notes with complete ease and purity. Orchestral tuttis build and peak with no strain or loss of layering or detail. The plucking of each single string is distinct even in the quietest passages of Sibelius symphonies. The amp is at its best with chamber music. The Emerson Quartet''s Shostakovich quartets have a sense of involving magic. Every detail is audible, and the overall sense of space is remarkable. One has the sense of being there instead of listening to equipment. At the dealer, I also listened to ARC tube amps. The ARC tube amplifiers, especially configured as monoblocks, had a velvet liquidity that the 100.2 does not quite achieve, but at what for me is a prohibitive cost. Someday, perhaps . . . In the meantime, the 100.2 is so satisfying that I have no regrets. The ARC LS16 MKII preamp (which is a hybrid product with transistors and tubes) enables the 100.2 to achieve a soundstage that is wider, and with a greater sense of "air" and space, than what the ARC''s quite good solid state preamp (LS12) could accomplish.

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See review summary.

Size. Quiet.

I wish it had a few tubes, just to make me feel better.

I am sorry. I had a VT100 (II) (Tube type) andt his model at the same time and mixed the reviews up (see below). I had them for two months. Bottom Line is I returned the VT100 and kept the 100.2. Price had nothing to do with my choice. I Like tubes. I LOVE tubes. I am in anguish over the beauty of a glowing tube...of the sense of sound sliding from them. My preamp is a tube preamp. I WANTED to buy a tube power amp (again). However, I kept the 100.2 and took the VT100 back to the store. Part of the reasons are listed below. The VT100 was too big. The fan made too much noise for my taste. I loved the bass, but... the 100.2 sounded better. It was more accurate. It had more midrange bloom(?). On the right recording it would sound like the VT100, but the VT never could get the 100.2 sound.

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see other review below.

Dynamics, Bass, Imaging,etc., etc.

Cost, but it's well worth it!!

Like some reviews below, this amp has literally changed the way I listen to music. I never knew that a solid state amp could sound like this. Music sounds so good at low volume. I never tire of listeng as I used to with other amps. The 100 watts/channel rating sounds WAY under rated for what this amp does. It is so musical. Dynamics are so incredible. When a trumpet or drum comes out, THEY COME OUT!! There is absolutely NOTHING unnatural about the sound. It has, to me, the sweet sounding midrange of a tube amp and has no overbrightness at all. SMOOOOTHE sound!! Incredible bass slam also!!! In my years of being involved in HiFi, this is the finest piece of equipment I have ever owned. I auditioned this amp against the new NAD Silver series amp. While the NAD is a very nice sounding piece, the 100.2 was the clear winner after 5 second of audioning. I like NAD. The 100.2 is just better but more expensive.

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Adcom 5800, Adcom 555MkII, Luxman LV-105,Plus numerous other amps in HiFi stores

I'M VERY LIKE THAT PRODUCT

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home

Sound. It sounds gorgeous. Pianos sound like pianos. People sound like people. Bass. Not something I normally associate with Tube amps.

Big. Will not fit any audio cabinet known to man. Weighs 70 pounds. Did i mention that it was big? Also it's got a fan.

I've been using this one for about two weeks now, coupled with Aerial 6's and an AR LS-17. I find that I like it a lot. For the money it's a lot of amplifier. When you think about it, 100 nominal watts is a lot of power for a tube amp, and this one sounds like more than 100 watts. (I should know--the Aerial's are notorious for soaking up watts and begging for more. They remind me of a beagle I used to have...)

I have been living with tube amps of one kind or another for 30 years, and I am convinced that a good tube amp doesn't need to sound "tubey". It can and will just sound good. That's the case with this one. It is clean, musical, and very powerful. It puts a bottom end on the Aerial's that I thought I was going to have to buy a sub to get. I hadn't thought a power amp would make that kind of difference ont he bottom end.

On the downside, it has a fan, for those of you who find that annoying, and it is really big. Did I mention that? For some, I realize, that can be a positive. For me, after two weeks, the size is still a little overwhelming. Kind of silly, though when you consider the sound.

The other thing is cosmetics. I know it is picky and personal, but while I like the AR sound, I don't really care for the cosmetics. I don't like handles (although you really need them for this monster) and I like my tubes out in the open, sticking up in the air, not laying on their sides hidden behind a grill. (Gasp! he's slamming a purist audio product for cosmetics!) Yes, these things are important to me, particularly in the multiple-five-figure range.

Bottom line, I'm not sure whether I will keep this one. I'm going to try the 100.2 (Hey I can fit it into my cabinet and lift it without back strain). If the sound is close I may keep it instead. However, the VT is so good sonically, that you have to rate it high.

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Strength, neutrality

none

The best value in high-end audio. Keeps my Sonus Fabers from getting too mellow to handle all kinds of music. Extensive auditioning with all kinds of high end names kept me coming back to the 100.2

I also find it works well paired with an Ayre K-3 pre-amp for making music tight, smooth and open at any volume in any genre.

-SF Electa-Amator speaker
-Theta Miles cd
-Ayre K-3

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Krell, ML, Bryston

It does everything an amp is supposed to do.

None.

I am not worthy to review this amp. It just sits there on the bottom shelf of my audio rack, its one little green LED glowing, and my system makes beautiful music.

The 100 watt rating of this amp is deceiving. It's so clean, distortion free, and balanced that I can play my speakers louder than I've been able to with amps rated at 200 watts.

This amp enables you to hear everything on a CD or LP at any volume. That is, even at very low volumes all the music is there. If you turn up the volume, the sound gets louder but the balance stays the same and it stays distortion free.

I love this amp because it has absolutely no digital edge. The bass is very strong and the highs are clear and extended, but you'll never get listener fatigue with this amp.

What else can I say? This is a quality amp that does what it's supposed to and never intrudes itself on the music.

I use it with an ARC LS-16 preamp, Rotel 991 CD player, and NHT 2.5i speakers. (My dealer thinks I should upgrade the NHTs now, but this amp makes them sing.)

Balance, musicality, bass extension

power?

I am a very happy owner of the ARC 100.2 which I've had for over a year and a half. I had originally auditioned the D-130 and, while OK, I was not impressed. Having auditioned the McCormack DNA-1, I felt the McCormack beat the D-130 in virtually all areas. On a whim, I decided to auditon the 100.2; however, I was not expecting to be very impressed given my experience with the D-130. I could not have been more wrong! Despite being a solid-state amp, the musicality of this amp and sheer presence reminded me of tubes in many ways. The biggest surprise however was the bass definition and extension--something the McCormack usually receives raves for (and rightfully so). Compared to the McCormack, I felt the 100.2 had even better bass definition. Having great bass is NOT my top priority; however, I was surprised at this. The ARC's midrange was flawless and the highs did not have the "edge" that the McCormack did.

I have paired it first with an LS-15, and now an LS-25 which seems to be a magical combination. While this amp does not deliver unlimited power, it has never seemed to come up short for me, and I use it to drive Thiel 2.3s--while not the most difficult speaker to drive, they are far from the easiest.

Rumor has it that ARC will soon introduce a 200-watt version (200.2?), which I am already anxious to hear...

Well done--if you are looking for an amp, solid state or tubes, be sure not to overlook this one--while not cheap, I believe it is a bargain given its performance in my system.

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Dynamics, transparency, quiet, range, versatile, tube-sound but with close to solid state virtues,

Could have a bit more Weight and lushness. May not be able to drive a bigger speaker like B&W 30 signature

Outstanding! Versatile because it does tube sound so marvellously sweet and natural and yet have the dyanmics, control and range close to many solid state amplifiers, and little coloration. Most of my audiophile friends who come to listen, rate it very highly. It has hardly any faults at all. With the ARC LS22, it drives the ProAC 3.5 extremely well. With CEC TL1X, Genesis Lens, Audionote 3.1 DAC, I can get : Transparency (9), dynamics (8.5), control (9), highs (8), mids (9), mid bass (8) low bass (7.5), vocal (9), details (9), Quietness (9), depth (8), focus (9), staging (9), and high scores in almost other important aspects.

Can produce very involving music and what beautiful stage and ambience, and you can listen through the whooole night, without feeling fatigued. Change to KT88 tubes in place of 6550c, and wow, the sonics open up more in 3-D, and you get incredible sweetness and lushness in vocals which I enjoyed so much!

With the LS22, and 100.2, you can tune the front end to deliver more details, sweetness, to the sound that you like most as 1oo.2 is neutral and has wonderful transparency and control.

Had tried many (mainly tube) amps and got disappointed before that I couldn't get enough sweetness and lushness of vocals without sacrificing details and control. After getting very positive feedback and advice from many audiophile friends (very important people, and what a great help) I happily got my hand on a Mark II, and this most beautiful item in my setup, I think, will stay with me for a very long time. Simply love the music it exudes so effortlessly to fill my hall.

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Dark, Warm and Lush sound of Tubes from a Soild State amp

Nothing I can complain

I am using AR 100.2 to drive Thiel 3.6 speakers. They are not easy loads as the impedance drops to below 3 ohms. However, AR 100.2 handled Thiels with easy and provided plenty of slam at the bottom.

This amp was able to control the top-end of the Thiels like no other amp I've auditioned. Thiel's top-end is problamatic to many amps. But not for this amp. Crashing symbols, piano, sitar, were reproduced with a sweet delicate natural decaying pattern without being harsh or edgy. Thiels uses every bit of power available. This unit put 100W at 8 Ohms, 200W at 4 Ohms and yes, 360W per channel at 2 Ohms! As a result, it can handle many difficult speaker loads and it shows.

It is a MUSICAL amp. It do wonders to the mid-range. Best mid range clarity I've heard is from a front loaded Lowther Medalians driven by 300Bs. Since getting AR 100.2, Thiel midrange got as good as if not better than the Lowthers+300Bs. You can bring life to your favorite singers in your own listening room using this amp with a matching speaker.

Bottom-end slam and contorl is nothing short of SUPERB. Yes, a Krell FPB may have something to say in this area, but at much higher cost. This is not one area where Tubes amps can compete with SS. Tabla, drums, double base, piano (lower keys) were reproduced with breath taking accuracy and punch (provided your listening room is in decent shape).

This amp is the dark horse among many other amps I've listened to over the years that include some excellent tube and SS amps. AR is more interested in pushing their tube gear to the customers than SS for very obvious reasons. However, if you're looking for a SS amp with plenty of power, slam & control, but with midrange clarity and warmth of an excellent tube amp, AR 100.2 is that amp. Go listen and decide it for your self.

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