Michael Fremer Tours Audio Research 2023 | Factory Tour

Following the “Making Vinyl“ event in Minneapolis, which was a terrific event that brought together pressing plant owners, techs, press manufacturers and record company execs from around the world, I visited newly invigorated Audio Research Corporation, a high end audio company started by William Z. Johnson in 1970. The company specializes in vacuum tube electronics and distributes and sells its products throughout the world. Audio Research is responsible more than any other company for the revival in interest in tube electronics and more importantly in the idea that what we hear cannot be described simply but what we can currently measure, though measurements are important. The company has created some of the most iconic preamplifiers, amplifiers and phono preamplifiers in the history of high performance audio. Recently, the company was saved from extinction following a financial crisis (unrelated to the popularity of ARC products) by Val Cora, of Acora Acoustics. Mr. Cora is a long