The New Audio Research Reference 6

Taters sez ...

"ARC is banking on guys like you to support them with their continuous upgrades and new products. The only problem is the day will come when the musical chairs will stop."

On the contrary Taters ... guys like me are banking on ARC to continue to upgrade their equipment and advance the state of the art so that the new technology will trickle down to their more affordable products. Hopefully, when ARC's musical chairs stop, I'll be listening to Golden Harps and Angels that play alto sax like Paul Desmond.

Bdp24 ...

Hopefully, Ralph has improved his products over the years as ARC has done. Around 20 years ago, I had a pair of M-60's on loan for about two years. They belonged to a friend and in some ways he and I prefered them to my ARC Classic 60. Because of my friend, we just kept the ARC amp out of the system for the entire two years. Ralph's amps had a beautiful midrange ... and I mean beautiful. But in comparison to the ARC Classic 60, the Atmosphere M-60's lacked bass and highs. The bass wasn't even close.

At one point (also over 20 years ago) I had the opportunity to hear Ralph's most expensive preamp (I forgot the model) in the system for two evenings. It was glorious. Way more musical, transparent and realistic than my ARC SP-14. But, that was in comparison to the SP-14, not the REF-3 or the new REF-6.

At the same time, we inserted Ralph's big mono amps into the system along with his best preamp. It was amazing. That was in comparison with the Classic 60 and Ralph's M-60's. I'd like to make that same comparison with my current amp, the ARC-REF75se.

As I said, all of this was over 20 years ago. Since then, I've had nothing but ARC gear in the system. I'll say this ... from memory ... If Ralph hasn't followed the upgrade path as ARC has done, then what I'm hearing in the system now would KILL Ralph's stuff. I suspect though, that Ralph has improved right along with everyone else. Ralph knows his electronics ... and he knows music. All one has to do to understand where Ralph is coming from is to visit his room at one of the shows. Hey, anyone who uses a classic Empire turntable to demo his equipment at the shows can't be all bad. *lol*

By the way, I have two of Ralph's private recordings in my collection. You want to talk realistic sounding recordings? Realism ... In spades! Like I said, Ralph knows his stuff.

Atmosphere, EAR, ARC ... ying/yang and hooray for tubes!

Happy listening ...

Bdp-24,

I don't want to debate sound quality. That is such a personal thing. I will say from a business perspective ARC is much smarter than Atmosphere and EAR. They have their customers on the audio treadmill. That brings in steady business for their company and their retailers.

Taters, yes I was on that treadmill starting with a SP-3, Dual 75 and Dual 51. Later I got a SP-6C. It ended my ARC phase when the SP-6C turned off with low voltage and turned on again as the voltage returned to normal. It emitted lots of DC that my Electron Research amp sent on to my Linn Sondak speakers and fused on the drivers. I thought Johnson should pay for the repair but he declined. I swore never again to buy ARC, but the Reference 2 had so much acclaim that I bought one. I hated it and sold it.

I have a friend who has heard the Reference 6 and says to my surprise and disbelief that it is better than my Koda K-10. The reason I doubt it is because it is a tube preamp. I find tubes too slow.

A welcome aesthetic.

I'd be interested in a comparison with the XP-30...

Yeah Oregonpapa, I could live with (and have) any ARC, Atma-Sphere, or EAR product (let's not forget Music Reference, either)---they all make great music. Cost of ownership is a separate question.

Speaking of designers who have made great recordings, have you heard any of Robert Fulton's ARK label LP's? Oh man, unbelievably good recordings of amateur Minnesota choirs, with astoundingly liquid transparency, startling immediacy, and the best inner detail and delicacy I've ever heard in reproduced music, each voice in the choir clearly audible. Maybe the best choral recordings ever made.