The Acoustic Research integrated amplifier

This Acoustic Research integrated amplifier was launched in 1984 and was a special version of the Cambridge Audio P35 amplifier.This amplifier was partnered with AR's best selling AR18 and AR28 loudspeakers and their newly re-launched belt-drive record player to create an outstandingly good yet affordable sound system. This was a good choice as the P35 was a great sounding amplifier and in the 1983 "Hi-Fi Choice guide to Amplifiers and Stereo Tuners" Martin Colloms had awarded the Cambridge Audio P35 the "Best Buy" rating. Well over a 1000 of the amplifiers were sold in a matter of months and there were plans to launch an updated version of the amplifier in the USA but changes of management led to changes of marketing strategy and the concept was dropped. As a result this amplifier is something of a rarity although from time to time they do appear on Ebay.

This low profile amplifier had wooden end cheeks which matched the wood colour of the AR turntable plinth. The amplifier was rated at 35 watts per channel into 8 ohms.

 

The design of this amplifier was quite simple but with the money being spent where it counted. Note the two pairs of output transistors for the well under-rated power amplifiers; the healthy sized toroidal power transformer and the complex phono pre-amplifier board.

As the label shows this amplifier was made for Teledyne Acoustic Research by Cambridge Audio in the UK.

The rear panel shows the phono inputs with a push switch for selecting MM or MC pickup cartridges; the two auxilary inputs and the Tape connections using the DIN sockets which were popular in Europe at the time; and the single pair of loudspeaker outputs, each protected by a fuse.

Martin Colloms said of the Cambridge Audio P35 "It offers a clear musical sound with a good performance standard".

 
 
 
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Stan Curtis the hi-fi guru - The Acoustic Research integrated amplifier-