Concerning Audio Research, one does not need to write much. For fifty years, it has stood as one of the most emblematic American manufacturers, a symbol of tube sound, a traditional name which, justifiably, may be considered—by a large portion of the audiophile public—as an institution in the field.
The long list of products it currently offers is, of course, evidence of all this: we are not speaking here of a small company, attempting to gain entry into the audio realm with two or three devices, but rather of an industry-level manufacturer, specializing in high-performance equipment, offering not only amplifiers, power amplifiers, preamplifiers, and (as we shall see shortly) integrated amplifiers, but also D/A converters and phono stages, gracefully gliding between tradition and the classical, as well as the present.

That being said, the I/50 is a distinct case. We first saw it a few years ago, and what initially caught our attention was the possibility of acquiring it in many different (and interesting) colors—not to mention the option of streaming via Bluetooth, if one so desired. In the eyes of the (always suspicious) journalist, it appeared to represent an attempt to attract an audience different from what one would call the company’s “standard” profile, a move that can only be evaluated as positive.
At the time of this writing, the I/50 was the only integrated amplifier Audio Research produced, and it certainly stands out from the rest of their devices in matters of aesthetics. In early 2025, though, the company announced a second integrated amp model, the I/70. Does it, indeed, address a different audience? And what, precisely, are the consequences of such an attempt in its final design and performance ? These were the questions in our mind when the time came, and we placed our hands on the machine about which you will read in the following pages.
Keep reading for the details…

Dimitris Stamatakos

Text Data
Original Publilcation: 2025/02/04	Last Follow Up: 2025/02/04	Original Language: Greek (Translated)

Previous | Next | More Reviews