Audio Research SP-3A-1 Preamplifier, Silver Factory Upgrade
Archived listing from the original vintage-amplifier.com. Prices, seller details and purchase links have been removed; this page is a reference record, and nothing here is for sale. About this archive.
Audio Research SP3A-1 Preamplifier – Original Factory Upgrade – Silver
This vintage unit is in perfect working order.
It is in excellent cosmetic condition for its age.
About this model
A second SP-3A-1 in the archive, this one with a silver faceplate and described as an original factory upgrade, which suggests Audio Research itself updated the unit after it first left the factory. Work like that is worth documenting: a preamp with a paper trail from the maker is easier to service and to value.
For background on the SP-3 family and its tube complement, see the gold-edition SP-3A-1 page.
| Maker | Audio Research Corporation, Minneapolis, USA |
|---|---|
| Family | SP-3 |
| Type | Tube preamplifier |
| Finish | Silver faceplate (listing) |
| Note | Factory upgrade (listing) |
Questions collectors ask
What does a factory upgrade mean on an Audio Research preamp?
That the maker modified or updated the unit after the original sale, usually to a later revision's specification. Ask for the paperwork if you are buying one.
When did the Audio Research SP-3 family appear?
The Absolute Sound dates the original SP-3 to late 1972. The SP-3A-1 is a later revision of the same design.
