Audio Research Reference 6SE Preamplifier

Highest performance ever available in a single-chassis preamplifier.

Benefitting from research that went into the Reference 160-series amplifiers, and the Reference 750SEL amplifier, the 6SE incorporates a myriad of new components that have been judiciously incorporated into its design.

With a single gain stage, the 6SE is a fully-balanced, Class-A design with zero feedback.

In addition to six long-life 6H30 tubes in the gain stage, the enormous and highly-regulated power supply has another 6H30 with a 6550, typically found as an output tube in a power amplifier, providing vacuum-tube regulation.

The 6SE stands on the shoulders of prior Reference preamplifiers and the latest ARC power amplifiers from which innovations were taken. As such, it forms the foundational circuit for other preamplification products such as the Reference Phono 3SE.

Regardless of the recording, in stepping up into a Reference preamplifier, the sonic gains are immediate and compelling. Effortless, dynamic, and dimensional. The speed and resolution merge with musical color and textures that are both accurate and captivating.