Audio Research Reference 160M MkII
The Reference 160M MkII marries vivid tonal color, inky-quiet backgrounds, and expansive three-dimensional imaging with the authority to make orchestral peaks and rock transients feel effortless. The Absolute Sound praised its rare blend of midrange clarity, extended treble, bass definition, and natural dynamics, while switchable Ultralinear and Triode modes tailor its voice to system and mood.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
95/100
Build Quality
94/100
Value for Money
89/100
Pros
Exceptional tonal realism, midrange/treble clarity, and richly resolved instrumental detail without excessive tube warmth.
Immense, deeply layered soundstage with stable imaging and instrumental separation through dynamic swings.
Weighty yet well-defined bass and convincing, uncompressed dynamics in Ultralinear mode.
Flexible, user-friendly tube ownership via auto-bias, tube monitoring, impedance taps, and switchable Triode/Ultralinear operation.
Cons
Triode mode has less headroom and can sound smaller, more rounded, and slightly less extended than Ultralinear mode with medium-efficiency speakers.
Not ideal for very low-sensitivity loudspeakers in large rooms at high listening levels.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 95/100
Reviewers describe an unusually complete tube-amplifier presentation: exceptionally clear and quiet, richly colored without syrupiness, dynamically convincing, and spaciously three-dimensional. Ultralinear mode is generally preferred for its greater scale and authority, while triode mode offers a warmer, more rounded alternative.
Transparency Resolution
96/100
Clarity and low-level retrieval are repeatedly singled out. The Absolute Sound heard clean, detailed mids and highs without unnatural artifacts, while Positive Feedback called the presentation among the most transparent and deeply detailed heard from an amplifier; HiFi News also praised its exceptionally silent backgrounds.
Tonal Balance Musicality
95/100
The 160M MkII is consistently praised for combining tonal density, color, and realism with a clean, unforced flow. Reviewers found it vivid rather than bright, naturally extended in the treble, and free of the excess warmth or syrupiness sometimes associated with tube amplification.
Dynamics
93/100
Reviewers report excellent transient control, slam, and an ability to move from pianissimo to fortissimo without compression. Its power is described as more natural than aggressively forceful, although triode mode runs out of headroom sooner and the amplifier is not advised for very low-sensitivity speakers in a large room at high levels.
Soundstage Imaging
96/100
Spatial performance earns especially strong praise, with immense and deeply layered stages, stable images through dynamic swings, and a palpable sense of performers in the room. SoundStage Solo found some stages substantially larger than its references, while Positive Feedback praised the illumination of fine spatial details deep into the recording.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
94/100
The monoblock uses KT150 output tubes, selectable 4, 8, and 16-ohm taps, and switchable 140W ultralinear or lower-power triode operation. Reviewers praise the exceptional construction, innovative dimmable meter, quiet fan, auto-biasing, and output-tube monitoring and protection; the two-minute muting sequence and remote-control provisions also show careful attention to real-world use.
Value for Money
89/100
At roughly $22,000-$22,500 per monoblock, this is a major investment, but reviewers regard it as competitive among reference-grade tube monoblocks. The Absolute Sound says it passes the "show me better for less" test, SoundStage Solo says it can hold its own against similarly priced tube and solid-state alternatives, and HiFi News considers its performance persuasive at its market level.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
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Specifications
- Power Output
- 140 watts continuous from 20Hz to 20kHz. 1kHz total harmonic distortion typically 1% at 140 watts, below 0.04% at 1 watt. (Note that actual power output is dependent upon both line voltage and “condition” i.e.: if power line has high distortion, maximum power will be affected adversely, although from a listening standpoint this is not critical)
- Power Bandwidth
- (-3dB Points) 5Hz to 70kHz
- Frequency Response
- (-3dB points at 1 watt) 0.5Hz to 110kHz
- Input Sensitivity
- 2.4V RMS Balanced for rated output. (25.5 dB gain into 8 ohms)
- Input Impedance
- 200k ohms Balanced; 100k ohms Single-ended
- Output Polarity
- Non-inverting. Balanced input pin 2+ (IEC-268)
- Output Taps
- 4, 8, 16 ohms
- Output Regulation
- Approximately 0.6dB 16 OHM LOAD TO OPEN CIRCUIT (Damping factor approximately 14)
- Overall Negative Feedback
- 14dB
- Slew Rate
- 13 volts/microsecond
- Rise Time
- 2.0 microseconds
- Power Requirements per Monoblock
- 105-130VAC 60Hz (210-250VAC 50Hz) 400 watts at rated output, 700 watts maximum,260 watts at “idle”, 1 watt off.
- Tubes Required per Monoblock
- 2 matched pair KT150 (Power output V1-4); 4 6H30 (Gain stage V5 and V6)
- Dimensions
- Width 17.25” (43.8 cm)Height 10” (25.4 cm)Depth 18.5” (47 cm)Handles Extended 19.25” (48.9 cm)
- Weight per Monoblock
- 56lbs (25.5 kg) Net73lbs (33.2 kg) Shipping
Manufacturer's Description — Audio Research
Reference 160M MkII
The Reference 160M MkII Monoblock Power Amplifier is a central pillar in the Audio Research range of Reference Amplifiers.
It features a refined audio topology with fewer and better components in the signal-path than in previous designs, switchable Ultralinear/Triode operation, proprietary auto-bias, output tube monitoring and protection, and much more.
This array of features has never been offered before in an Audio Research amplifier, but has now been adopted across the product range.
Key design elements
While the trademark GhostMeter™ serves as a window to the output tubes, it also incorporates an innovative power output meter with distinctively etched markings that create an integrated display with adjustable brightness.
Four KT150 output tubes and two 6H30 driver tubes form the core of the audio circuit.
The power supply stage uses a newly developed High Energy Capacity Transformer and a hefty bulk storage-capacity network to provide extremely high current on demand for transient peaks and intense dynamics, as well as for prodigious bass depth and authority.
Shortest signal path
It is understood that the best path is the shortest path. A 4-layer circuit board serves as the platform of the ultra-high grade and custom-made components that comprise this short but potent audio pathway. The result is a new benchmark in musicality in every criterion of performance.
REF160M MkII also features a proprietary auto-bias circuit that works with various tubes types, including 6550, KT88, and KT120, in addition to the supplied KT150 and works constantly to maintain precise bias of the output tubes, while also adjusting for tube wear. There is no need to check or adjust bias ever again.
The new REF 160M MkII breaks new ground sonically, aesthetically and operationally, and is available in Natural (Silver) or Black finishes.
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- 110Hz — online and in-store — Kielce, Województwo świętokrzyskie, Poland (website)
- 3mA Audio — online and in-store — Houston, Texas, United States (website)
- Absolute Sounds — in-store — London, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- Ambiance Concert — in-store — Angers, Pays de la Loire, France (website)
- American Sound — in-store — Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada (website)
- Area Hifi — online and in-store — L'Eixample, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Aris Audio — in-store — Salt Lake City, Utah, United States (website)
- Audible Images — in-store — Melbourne, Florida, United States (website)
- Audio Advice — online and in-store — Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (website)
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