AR VT80SE compated to Ref 75SE amp discussion

the main difference is the arc reference series is fully balanced topology whereas the vt80se is a single ended design

sonically they will be similar but i suspect the ref 75 will have more nuance and blackness of background, ultimate treble and bass extension, and potentially, soundstaging

note - i own the ref 75 but have not heard the vt80se in my own setup

paragon av in ann arbor michigan is a major arc dealer, you could call them ask for their advice, i am sure they know each piece very well, they are open and helpful

The VT80SE is balanced, or at least the reviews say so and there is a XLR on the unit. I'll give Paragon a call.

@jimbones

https://audioresearch.com/product/vt80se/

no, the vt80se doesn’t have balanced topology - they just give you one set of xlr inputs for convenience if you only have a balanced source, but the circuitry is not balanced - read the description of the vt80se vs the ref 80 (ref75 replacement)

the guys at paragon will confirm

To me the VT80 really captures the magic of music… it also has the newer internal auto biasing circuits which are likely to have longer tube life. I was simply captivated by this amp when I first heard it. I really wanted to buy one the moment I heard it (but I already have an all ARC REF system). It is simply a beautiful sounding piece of equipment.

seems like I cant go wrong with either one. I hate when companies install XLR on the equipment but dont install the required circuitry.