Which amp to buy? ARC GS150 or Reference 150 SE?

Hello Zd542,

My speakers are Sonus Faber Strads and Harbeth 40.1's. My Strads are my primary speakers and I swap in the 40.1's for variety. A friend wants my 40.1's and will probably sell them when he's ready. Future replacement speakers are unknown at this point.

Jamnesta,

Every time I go back to my Conrad Johnson gear, it makes me realize how good it sounds. I do like the variety of different gear, but never lived with ARC. A friend had it and it was great but can not comment on how it differed from my CJ gear because the systems were totally different. I do feel that my CJ gear is a touch sweeter, which I love. The ARC gear may be more of an experiment but have other friends that swear by it.

"Every time I go back to my Conrad Johnson gear, it makes me realize how good it sounds. I do like the variety of different gear, but never lived with ARC. A friend had it and it was great but can not comment on how it differed from my CJ gear because the systems were totally different. I do feel that my CJ gear is a touch sweeter, which I love. The ARC gear may be more of an experiment but have other friends that swear by it."

I've had several pieces from both brands and while they sound different from each other, both are excellent. For me personally, if I was to go with ARC, I would use a matching amp and preamp, or an amp with a fully balanced source with its own volume control, like my Wadia CD player.

Even though I use ARC products I can tell you that CJ products are a bit sweeter sounding. Whether that is good or bad depends upon the user.

My opinion is ARC is better with Stads as the Strads tend toward sweetness and don't need more. ARC is not sweet, but bloomy in the midrange. ARC is no longer slightly harsh and whitish in tone in the upper mids as it was known to be perhaps a decade or so ago.
Of course now that ARC and SF are under the same ownership (I am told that ARC now uses SF, among others, in its listening rooms), the synergies may increase.
That being said, Conrad Johnson makes great gear as well and has moved away from its thick, velvety, golden hued midrange of old (which came with a lack of extension in the frequency range) to become quite neutral and extended. Its close. Neither will disappoint.

Vac PHI 200 better sound then ARC.