Making quick judgments about the sound of a new component is dangerous. Those snap judgments are usually just a comparison to another component and are subject to change as the listener gets to know the new component better over time. For a new component, being definitive is often being silly.

The original Audio Research LS17 preamplifier was released in 2006 with a list price of $3,995. Using some of the same technology as the REF 3 and LS26 preamplifiers, the LS17 was targeted at a lower price point. The SE version hit the market in 2011 at $5,500. The upgrades in the SE version included “new Teflon coupling capacitors as well as other internal performance enhancements”.

The Sutherland 20/20 dual mono moving-coil/moving magnet phono cartridge preamplifier was introduced in 2010 and carries a list price of $2,199. The 20/20 differs from previous Sutherland phono preamps by being powered by the AC line, not by batteries. The design is what Ron Sutherland calls “Two Mono”. There are two entirely separate sections in the single enclosure separated by air, one section for each channel.