Fo Audio Research Ref 10 owners, Best Amp?

You can mix and match other brands with ARC components, but for the best system synergy, it has been my experience to stay within the ARC product line. They really do play nicely with each other. Save time and headaches and just get the best ARC amp(s) your budget will allow and never look back.

I've thought about it but I often read that they get so hot they need a fan behind them or they have a fan built in and when the music goes silent you can hear the fan! I am so sensitive to that kind of sound no matter how low. When there is no sound I want there to be no sound.

I’ve tried also the Pass xa 25 and the VTL S200.

Now the VTL was fantastic it was a keeper however I bought it as a demo and when I called them with a question the first thing I was asked very sharply was where I bought it from. I have never dealt with such an unpleasant person in all my years in buying audio equipment. I dealt with her once more and then I knew if I ever needed a repair she was going to do everything in her power to make it as unpleasant an experience as possible so I sold it. When you deal with Pass or Audio Research it is always a pleasure. And they don’t care where you bought it from. They don’t treat you like a criminal.

There is no such thing as preamp/amp synergy! That is another myth based upon subjective opinions.