ARC Ref 75 vs. Ref 75 SE

I just now remembered another tactic ARC has employed that I find most objectionable---last one, I promise!

When the LS-2Mk.2 was being discontinued, ARC shipped their remaining inventory to select dealers at a discount, who then also sold them discounted. The ARC dealer in Orange County, California advertised the pre-amp and it's price, and included in the ad the fact that the remaining available LS-2MK.2's were ARC reconditioned pieces. Fine, all above reproach. The original price of the pre-amp had been $2995 (I've always loved the blank blank ninety-five pricing structure of ARC---very classy!), the close-out price $1995.

However, once all the reconditioned LS-2MK.2's were sold through, what did ARC then do? Why, they offered their remaining stock of non-reconditioned LS-2 MK2's at the same $1995 price! I don't know how you would feel, but I felt violated!! If they were honorable, ARC would have offered the remaining stock of both reconditioned and non-reconditioned LS-2Mk.2's at different price points (say, $1495 and $1995, respectively). Don't you agree? I vowed then to never again buy a "new" ARC piece, which I haven't. Who needs to?---there are so many used one's around!

ARC debuts gear implementing Tung-sol's new audio tube KT150. Customers clamor for retrofitting tube to previous generation but still current gear, ARC complies. Customers are happy with SE versions audio improvement...sounds reasonable. I can't comment about their past policies re upgrade path.

Model updates to facilitate use with a new tube is, of course, an entirely different matter, and most welcome.

Bdp24, you might not like the way ARC does business but from a marketing viewpoint it doesn't get any better. Sell the customer the latest and greatness and then 2 years later offer an upgrade for 2k to 5k. They have a loyal customer base which will fall for this most of the time.

Bifwynne says:

"Have tubes arced and taken out bias resisters?? Yes!! But how often?? Maybe once or twice a year. And since I've been using KT-120 and KT-150 power tubes, tube arcing has been a very rare occurrence."

That says it all!

I owned a D125 and a tube shorted. The amp went into flames shooting up six inches from the bias PCB. The dealer said that happened to 4 other customers. And they only sold 10 D125's in the era.

ARC sounds good, but the owners do not care about reliability! Most all other tube brands have better reliability.

I want failure free as the norm! Over the amps complete life!

Moved to Pass Labs Class A - better sound - no problems!