Audio Research REF 80S Reviews/Comparisons

Here is what I wrote in the "Devore" thread (Speakers) that I think also, even if partly, answers your question;

I don't want to give things away before the final vote tally is in, but the O/93's simply sing holistically, organically, and full of joie de vivre with my ARC Ref 6 and 80S fed to them with Cardas Clear SC's. Previously with my Ref 150 SE in the same system I heard a slight discontinuity between the woofer and tweet, a minimal but nagging dry spot and woodiness with male vocals, alto sax, and similar frequencies in the midrange band. That small niggling misgiving has completely vaporized with the ever-so-sweet Ref 80S. I have only 100 hours on the new amp and it reportedly needs 300-500. Dynamic synth drum attacks along the likes of "Get Innocuous" from LCD Soundsystem's second album "Sound of Silver" are still sounding soft and not as sledge hammer on iron spike precise as with my former Ref 150 SE (which fwiw I am holding onto for the heck of it) but I am confident that with more time that precision will arrive too. 

The point of this post is simple; don't underestimate how utterly great the O/93's can be in a small room with the right synergy. Pat Martino's guitar work in "East!" is thrilling with this combo. 

I only have about 100 hours on the 80S so far. I am hearing great things already. The sound is simply more coherent than the 150 SE. The 150 SE kept a better grip on synth drums and lower bass in general. The 150 SE always struck me as presenting a soundstage with placement of instruments/sounds and images that did not seem quite natural and instead a bit exaggerated (and I believe the Ref 6 preamp does this a bit as well). An artificial spaciness if you will. The 80 S does not have this characteristic and seems to be a better match with the Ref 6. 

@fsonicsmith 

Valuable input. Thanks.

@fsonicsmith - thanks for the update.  My 80S has several hundred hours on it.  The sound will get even more refined.  I think the lower bass registers even tightened up too. 

ARC made numerous circuit changes in the 80S.  Perhaps a very important one is the auto-biasing function.  Maybe the KT-150s operate in closer sync because the bias of each push-pull tube is more tightly aligned.  That is just a guess.  

Please report back after you rack up more hours.

BIF

How about it compared with Ref 75 SE? 

A provisional update :-), the Ref 80S is sounding fine. Very fine. I am at 65 hours so I have a ways to go and the route was fairly choppy along the way. Never terrible but often just so-so and primarily lacking in bass snap. Today, Steely Dan's "Everything Must Go" and John Doe's new (and excellent) album "Fables in a Foreign Land" are deeply satisfying. 

Based upon my impressions so far the 80S has a bit softer but no less detailed sound than the Ref 150 SE. The 150 SE strikes me based upon memory as having a more "scientifically precise" sound with just a touch of dryness compared to the 80S. The 150 SE is a powerhouse and when called for it will push out bass that hits you in the gut with satisfying decay and tautness that I am still not quite getting with the 80S. But I love the sound of well-recorded electric bass guitar and on the new John Doe album I am smiling from ear to ear at how totally natural the timbre and tone of the bass sounds-something I did not get with the 150 SE. The sound of the drum toms sounds more timbrally (not really a word) correct too with the 80S. But best of all, I felt a slight nit-pick was in order with my Devore 0/93's in the upper midrange where things could sound a bit course and unnatural that I attributed to the design of the Devores. Now I question that conclusion-that perception is gone with the 80S!