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• Overview – The Audio Research DAC9 is a fully balanced tube DAC from the American manufacturer’s Foundation Series, pairing a quad Burr-Brown DAC architecture with a Class-A, zero-feedback analogue stage built around two 6H30 dual triode tubes.
• Key Technology – Two separate digital data paths handle PCM and native DSD files independently, avoiding interpolation distortion, while dual stereo DACs run in mono per channel to lower the noise floor and increase dynamic range.
• Performance – SoundStage! praised its very good sound quality, describing an easy recommendation for listeners who prefer a prepackaged DAC over building and tweaking a custom digital front end from separate components.
• Specs – The Audio Research DAC9 offers 5 digital inputs: USB (44.1–384kHz, DSD, 2xDSD), RCA/BNC/XLR (44.1–192kHz), and Toslink (44.1–96kHz). Frequency response: ±0.15dB 20Hz–20kHz, ±3.0dB 6Hz–192kHz. THD+Noise: less than 0.002% at 2V RMS, 1kHz, balanced. Signal-to-noise ratio: greater than 114dB. Channel separation: 107dB. Intrinsic jitter: less than 10pS. DAC resolution: 24-bit. Output impedance: 500Ω balanced, 250Ω single-ended. Rated outputs: 3.8V RMS max balanced, 1.9V max single-ended. Power requirements: 100–125VAC 60Hz (200–250VAC 50/60Hz), 60W maximum; standby less than 2W.
• Dimensions – Measures approximately 48cm (W) × 17.8cm (H) × 39.4cm (D) (19 × 7 × 15.5in), with handles extending a further 3.8cm forward of the front panel.
• Weight – Weighs approximately 14.6kg (32.0lbs) net, reflecting its regulated power supplies and vacuum-tube analogue section.
Buyer’s market overall for this category right now, but this asking price is still ambitious: S$12,800 sits well above the 75th percentile of S$9,363 for recent Singapore comparables, and more than double the median S$4,534. It’s not absurd for a flagship ARC DAC, but it’s priced at the top end of the local used market, so I’d want strong extras or a particularly clean provenance to justify it.
What makes it worth considering is the DAC 9 SE’s appeal: a tube output stage with the usual Audio Research strengths in density, scale, and a slightly more organic presentation than many solid-state DACs. A like-new unit is the right kind of condition for a piece like this, and if it includes the box, remote, and low-hour tubes, that helps a lot. At this price, the buyer should be checking service history, tube age, and input needs carefully before jumping.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Audio Research Corporation, founded in 1970 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by William Z. Johnson, traces its roots to his pioneering work in custom audio electronics during the 1950s and his operation of a specialty retail store through the mid-1960s. After a brief stint selling his designs to a larger firm, Johnson regained independence to establish ARC with a singular mission: advancing the state-of-the-art in music reproduction. From modest beginnings in the back of his shop, the company evolved into one of America's oldest continuously operating high-end audio manufacturers, now housed in a state-of-the-art 48,000-square-foot facility in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
ARC specializes in performance-driven electronics, renowned for vacuum-tube amplifiers, preamplifiers, and electronic crossovers that emphasize sonic purity over flashy features or aesthetics. Drawing on circuit designs rooted in the 1950s, the brand integrates tubes into modern contexts, delivering what it calls "high definition" sound through genuine technological advances. While not venturing into speakers, turntables, DACs, headphones, or cables, ARC's focused lineup prioritizes amplifiers and preamps that set benchmarks for musical realism.
Positioned at the pinnacle of high-end audio, Audio Research is hailed as a true originator of the genre, commanding respect among audiophiles for its unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. Enduring the 1970s tube revival against solid-state dominance, ARC thrives via elite specialist retailers worldwide, standing alongside peers like Conrad-Johnson as a vintage-inspired yet forward-thinking force in the niche boutique market.
See all Audio Research listings on RADAR.
eBay US
Paragon Sight & Sound
Dealer
Hifitörget
SE
eBay UK
GB
audio-markt.de
Good
audio-markt.de
Good
