Audio Research Reference 250 capacitor issue

Here's an excerpt from some Qs and As between Kal and me re the Teflon caps. Kal's responses are in quotes.

Thanks Kal and welcome back. Gotta a couple of follow up Qs re white Teflon caps.

1. If the teflons are working, do they sound as good as the replacement gold caps? "YES"

2. How would I know if the white teflons are NOT working. Would there be some sound degradation or would it be like an “on and off switch” … the teflons work … or they do not work?? IOW, If defective, would I ... lose a channel. "You would not be able to bias the output tubes."

That's it. Just checked the bias on my Ref 150's KT-120s. All seems ok, so far.

*****

Btw, anyone experience similar issues with the Teflon caps in the Ref 5 SE or Ref Phono 2 SE??

The teflon caps in my Ref 40, Ref 150 and Ref Phono 2SE have not only had no problems, but to my ears are one of the main reasons that the sound of this generation of ARC gear is so much better than the last. I'm not giving mine up.

Gpgr4blu ... My plan is to stick too. Will need a retube in my Ref 150 in a couple of months. There's an authorized ARC tech who lives near my house. I may have him do the retube of my amp and to bias the tubes. At the same time, I'll ask him to check the coupling caps.

Just got a free recap on my Ref Phono 2SE. I upgraded from Phono 2 to Phono 2SE, but after some hundreds of hours break-in the white teflon caps sounded dull and liveless.

Brill ... please clarify. Did ARC simply fold on the white Teflon cap issue and replace for no charge the white caps for the new gold foil caps?? No questions asked??

ARC upgraded my Ref 5 to the SE version in 2013 and used the white Teflon caps. By now the Teflon caps are fully broken in. I think the SE version sounds better than the old Ref 5, but how can one tell if the Teflon caps sound dull and lifeless ... as compared to what???