Audio Research REF 80S Reviews/Comparisons

Well, my new amp is set up and has about five hours of break-in so far. I am sure no one wants to read about such mundane things as shipping woes but I feel compelled anyway to talk about the condition of the outer ARC shipping box. UPS managed to beat it to within an inch of it's useful life. Multiple gouges that penetrated and pierced the box, destroyed corners, collapsing seams, simply destroyed. UPS had covered several sides with black and yellow tape warning it's employees that the box weighed over 70 lbs. I can only guess this tape motivates the employees to heave the box around even more rather than handling it with care. I have been in this hobby for a long time and have a wall of shipping boxes along one side of my basement, some of which were used for there-and-back return shipping of heavy amps for service or mods, several for very heavy loudspeakers, etc. and nothing approaches the condition of this box. I know the debate never ends but in my world living in Ohio UPS sucks the worst. 

Luckily despite the above I found no sign of damage to the amp itself and the box ARC packs at the top containing the manual, tools, and tubes was also fine. 

So now onto the little I can tell you. Kudos to ARC for finally realizing that no one likes removing 18 screws to take a flimsy top cover off an amp (the Ref 150 SE) and now they have implemented a clever slide-back and lift design secured by just three hex screws. The top cover is built of thicker pot-metal (that might be harsh) and with sturdier design and reinforcement. That said I could not help but notice that once re-installed with tubes in place the rear flange does not sit parallel to the top plate of the base. Not off by much and no one sits and stares at the back of the amp but at this price little things count. My manual included the usual ARC QC card indicating my amp was built in June of 2021. Warren Gehl's initials are on the final sound check line. The box containing the tubes also includes a screwdriver marked as being meant for adjusting the sensitivity of the ghost meters and yet the manual does not say a word on the subject. 

It is obvious that this iteration of the Ref series amps borrows from the Galileo Series in terms of the outer case construction. Beyond a doubt it results in a stiffer less resonant outer-shell though whether that does or does not affect ultimate SQ is unknown. I always felt the construction of the Ref 150 SE was curious with such a seemingly flimsy base supporting such heavy transformers despite any sign of actual flex. 

The first time I saw photos of the Ref 160M's I thought the amps were fuggly (Midwest term) and garish. The looks grew on me though unboxing this amp was my first opportunity to see one in person. I still can't say I love the look-though I love the look of the Ref 6 pre-but even after taking into account the pride-of-ownership bias inherent in life, in silver this is a handsome amp. And when powered up the ghost meters add not just flair but some elegance. 

Sound? Well, yes, I have sound. Streaming the Shins "The Worm's Heart" on Qobuz though my Aurender W20 into my SW1X DAC III Balanced via a combination of Analysis Plus Silver Apex (DAC to Ref 6) and Cardas Clear Beyond (Ref 6 to Ref 80S) powering Devore O/93's via Cardas Clear and hooked up the 8 ohm taps I heard sound but not music. Wooly bass and a jumbled mess of very familiar music. Ten minutes in I heard a glimpse of a broad soundstage that almost sounded like music but within five minutes more it lapsed back into the jumbled mess. I am being purposefully harsh. The amp is clearly fine and just needs to wake up. Over the rest of the first five hours (until my wife screamed that she had enough since I was outside entertaining friends despite only moderate volume) I heard signs of promise with the bass already firming up. 

As should be obvious, I can not yet compare the Ref 80S to the Ref 150 SE in terms of music reproduction. That will follow, likely in two to three weeks. 

@fsonicsmith 

Congratulations on getting your new ARC REF amplifier.  You write and express yourself well. I'm looking forward to further listening impressions as you see fit..

Charles 

@charles1dad  

Thank you. As to writing, right back at you. I promise further listening impressions.  

@fsonicsmith

Thanks for your comments. You are in for a treat. If I haven’t mentioned this, you can expect mediocre performance for for about 100 hours… pretty good til around 120… then flipping back and forth between good and bad… then after 150 hours good performance… getting better through 600… and while the slope of improvement decreases, the amp continues to improve through 1,000 hours.

I can’t imagine anyone leaving the cage on the amp. It is great seeing the tubes. I must admit to really liking the meters… I know it is just for show… love the show.