I had both in my system at one point. The Ref6 is noticeably better.
ARC Ref 5se VS ARC Ref 6
Ok i need some help and opinions. I just auditioned at my home the ARC Ref 6. All i can say is WOW. !!!!!!!!! I was truly blown away with the sound. Everything is truly there . To me there are no short comings. Ok let me start off by saying that originally i was looking for a used ARC Ref 3. Then i started reading on some forums and on here that the 5 was very close to the 3 and the 5se was truly a great sounding unit and upgrade from the 3. I really wanted to audition the 5se at my home but unfortunately he just sold his demo and only had the 6. I really cant afford the 6 right now brand new But after hearing the 6 with my system im wondering if i purchase a 5se would i be disapointed after hearing the 6. Like the 3 vs the 5se i read it was a very big difference , Is the 6 a really big difference in sound ? Should i wait for a used 6? I know that i have read great reviews on the 5se. I just wish i could of heard the 5se also in my system to compare / decide for my self. Any help would be very much appreciated .
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- 54 posts total
I started my ARC journey with the Ref 5SE followed by the Ref 6 and now the Ref 10. The Ref 6 is without a doubt the Best Buy of the three - the change from Ref 6 over the 5SE was a significant improvement, while the Ref 10 provides more of what the Ref 6 does well but the change wasn’t as significant as moving up to the Ref 6 from the Ref 5SE. Get a Ref 6 and replace the stock Sovtek Tubes with Reflectors (6H30P-DR) and Winged C SED 6550C’s and you will be close to a stock Ref 10 |
@jonaiken, May I know where did you resource your 6H30P-DR from? There are so I completely agree with you on replacing the stock tubes. So far I replaced the stock 6550C in Ref 6 with Winged C SED 6550C and very pleased with the upgrade. The soundstage now bit more relaxed without the bloated bass I experienced with stock 6550WE. |
The 6H30P-DR’s can be purchased from the Tubestore (www.tubestore.com) out of Canada and they are currently $299.95 each - I have seen them on eBay cheaper but I rather spend a few extra dollars buying from the Tubestore.... they stand behind what they sell. The Winged C SED 6550C on the other hand are hard to find - I stashed away a dozen a few years back. The only place I see them now is on eBay out of Russia - don’t know the quality but might be worth taking a risk - they have a high rating. Good luck finding them they are worth it. |
- 54 posts total