Audio Research VT200 Mk.I in great condition

I am the second owner of this VT200 Mark but due to budget reasons, power consumption and heat output I have replaced it with a solid state Balanced Audio amp. The VT200 is still my favorite amp but I found myself only using it in the winter and even then just on the weekends.

This is a Mark I with the tube input stage, the one that sounds the best. Some feel this is ARC's best sounding amp ever.

Original users manual is included as are the original balanced-single ended shorting adapters. Current tubes are Electro Harmonix input, JAN Drivers and ARC Svetlana 6550. All have been tested recently and are all good and strong owing to their having seen little use. I am also including 16 brand new Nichicon caps with this amp, enough to recap the entire output stage. I had an opportunity to get samples of their LS series cap which ARC recommends for replacing the LQ series installed in the amp when it needs it. The amp did not need it and I had not gotten around to just doing it. They can be kept until needed, sold or installed, whatever the new owner desires.

The amp will ship in a custom made crate, this amp is heavy and large so freight is required and I have dealt with Adcom Worldwide on similar shipments so I would require that it be shipped fully insured for the sales price through either Adcom Worldwide or Fedex Freight. Local pickup would be good too.

Dimensions 18HX25WX28D Weight 165lbs

The amp size and weight are on file at Adcom's Salt Lake City office Toll Free: (866) 364-3512 so that prospective purchasers can get a quote. I can drive it to the Indianapolis airport if it saves money on shipping if it is to leave here by plane, if by ground truck pickup would be in the 46220 zip code. Email me if you want me to try to get the best rate.

Some info from the ARC website:

The VT200 vacuum tube stereo power amplifier is the most powerful of the three VT-series models. Rated at 200 watts per channel into a wide range of speaker loads, the VT200 encompasses a "dual mono" circuit layout reaching back to the massive single power transformer.

Eight matched pair of 6650C output tubes and 674 joules of distributed energy storage give the VT200 unwavering control over the most difficult speaker loads, without sacrificing dynamic freedom or musical nuance.

Separate left and right input and output circuit boards, with distributed power supplies, keep signal path lengths at a minimum for quicker transient attack and explosive musical dynamics.

As with other VT models, constant-current sources in the input stage help maintain stable drive characteristics and differential balance of the output stage under the rapidly changing demands of actual music reproduction.

Ultralinear output transformers with partial cathode coupling to the output terminals give the VT200 higher efficiency and lower output impedance than conventional vacuum-tube amplifiers. This results in better control of the loudspeaker throughout its frequency and impedance spectrum.

Both single-ended (100K ohms) and balanced (200K ohms) inputs are included to allow use with any high-quality stereo preamplifier.

Custom-machined, gold-over-brass five-way output terminals allow a secure, high-contact connection to a variety of speaker impedances: 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 ohms.

Internally, the VT200 presents a very open architecture within a spacious, rugged chassis. A single cooling fan operable at three different speeds provides unobstrusive cooling of interior components, including the vacuum tubes mounted along the chassis sidewalls.

Biasing of the output tubes is easily accomplished via two trim pots for each channel, accessible through holes located along each sidewall of the chassis.

Tube complement VT200: 16 6550C power output, (6) 6922 driver, (4) 6922 input

Power bandwidth (-3dB points) 12Hz to 120kHz
Frequency response (-3dB points at 1 watt) .5Hz to 200 kHz
Input sensitivity 2.5V RMS (Bal or SE) for rated output. (27 dB gain into 16 ohms)
Input impedance 200K ohms Balanced, 100K ohms Single-ended
Output taps 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 ohms
Output regulation Approximately 0.8dB 16 ohm load to open circuit
Overall negative feedback 10 dB
Damping factor 11
Distortion 1kHz total harmonic distortion typically 1% at 200 watts, below .01% at 1 watt.
Slew rate 25 volts/microsecond
Rise time 1.5 microseconds
Hum & noise Less than 0.2mV RMS