Arc ref 6

[mep]

I just received my new Ref 6 two weeks ago and it has a long way to go before it's broken in. The Ref 6 replaced my REF 5SE that I owned for almost 2 years. I will be writing more about the Ref 6 soon, but suffice to say if you own a Ref 5SE and were wondering if the Ref 6 is a worthwhile upgrade, I wouldn't be afraid to take the leap. It is clearly a much better sounding preamp in every category on my audiophile checklist so far. And never mind the audio checklist, you just need to listen to it in your system so you can hear what it will do better. As the old saying goes in audiophile land, we don't know certain distortions are there sometimes until they are no longer there. My initial impression of the Ref 6 is that it lets more music through in a way that helps suspend to a greater degree the thought that we are listening to reproduced music.

[Ki Choi]

I've had an itch for a better tube preamp than my long trusted Manley Reference Tube Preamp. Will look forward to your no nonsense review of the Ref 6, Mark!

[mep]

Hey Ki! What amp are you using now?

[Ki Choi]

Hey Ki! What amp are you using now?

Mark,

For my main setup, I am using a pair of MBL 9008As as monoblocks. I have also been experimenting with vintage McIntosh MI-200 monster tube mono amps - not the same thing but very intriguing sound to my ears.

[MylesBAstor]

How many hours you have on the Ref.. 6 now Mark?

[ashandger]

Mark, when will the full review be published? Very interested in this preamp. May be worthwhile to start another thread comparing top preamps....with feedback from people who have actually compared or listened to various top contenders rather than just read the reviews? Many thanks

[mep]

Myles-Not enough! However, the Ref 6 sounded great right out of the box. As for the review, I'm debating whether to do it in two parts. I could do a preliminary write-up and then follow it up after the Ref 6 has totally broken in. There seems to be a fair amount of interest in the Ref 6. My comparison will be against the Ref 5SE that I bought brand new and owned for almost two years.

[Ki Choi]

Two is better than one!

[mep]

Two is better than one!

Ki-Should I wait until my new SRA rack arrives and I get a chance to hear my Ref 6 on the SRA rack? I have a sneaking expectation bias feeling that the SRA rack is going to improve the sound.

[Ki Choi]

Mark,
Considering most of your readers will not have the same SRA rack to relate your findings, it would make a good follow up to your first review with the preamp on a normal rack vs on the SRA rack later. I do believe vibration is enemy of good sound and have two of my MBL amps on SRA amp stands made for them.

[Guest]

I just received my new Ref 6 two weeks ago and it has a long way to go before it's broken in. The Ref 6 replaced my REF 5SE that I owned for almost 2 years. I will be writing more about the Ref 6 soon, but suffice to say if you own a Ref 5SE and were wondering if the Ref 6 is a worthwhile upgrade, I wouldn't be afraid to take the leap. It is clearly a much better sounding preamp in every category on my audiophile checklist so far. And never mind the audio checklist, you just need to listen to it in your system so you can hear what it will do better. As the old saying goes in audiophile land, we don't know certain distortions are there sometimes until they are no longer there. My initial impression of the Ref 6 is that it lets more music through in a way that helps suspend to a greater degree the thought that we are listening to reproduced music.

Have you used the Ref 10? Any thoughts on Ref 6 relative to that unit?

[microstrip]

Ki-Should I wait until my new SRA rack arrives and I get a chance to hear my Ref 6 on the SRA rack? I have a sneaking expectation bias feeling that the SRA rack is going to improve the sound.

ARC designs the feet of their equipment expecting some type of specific support. I had cases where using a high quality platform or special footers with ARC equipment did not improve the sound, but made it uncharacteristic, even changing significantly its tonal balance. IMHO it would be great if you could describe the sound with a standard good quality rack and than with the SRA rack.

[mep]

I have never heard the Ref 10 in my system so I can't comment on how they compare. The Ref 6 sounds cleaner on the rack I have in for review than it did on my Sanus rack. It also sounds a tad brighter, but that may be due to break-in issues. My new SRA rack is scheduled to arrive on Monday.

[Guest]

ARC designs the feet of their equipment expecting some type of specific support. I had cases where using a high quality platform or special footers with ARC equipment did not improve the sound, but made it uncharacteristic, even changing significantly its tonal balance. IMHO it would be great if you could describe the sound with a standard good quality rack and than with the SRA rack.

Now that is interesting - from your experience can you say the specific type of support ARC expects? Or generalize about what does not work well?

[MylesBAstor]

I have never heard the Ref 10 in my system so I can't comment on how they compare. The Ref 6 sounds cleaner on the rack I have in for review than it did on my Sanus rack. It also sounds a tad brighter, but that may be due to break-in issues. My new SRA rack is scheduled to arrive on Monday.