ARC Ref 75 vs. Ref 75 SE

Don ... as I said in my posts, I've gone through a lot of ARC gear (linestages/pre; amps; CDPs; phone pre's) over the last 10+ years ...always moving up the line. From a consumer's perspective, I think I'm on solid ground about what I post because I have been there and done it with a lot of ARC gear.

Don, you may also notice that I do not shoot off my mouth about stuff that I have no hands on experience. I don't recall ever pissing on gear that I have never owned or auditioned.

If I catch an ARC thread and have something to add, I do. Likewise, if I catch an ARC thread that makes unfair, irrelevant, nonsensical, and exaggerated comments, I will also speak up ... just like I did here. IMO, ARC gear is worth auditioning. Underserved pejorative comments damage the reputation of a good company.

Sorry if I irritated you. And btw, Stan (Stringreen) knows a lot about VPI products. Folks in the market for a TT who are thinking about VPI would do well to read Stan's posts.

Have a great day.

BIF

Bifwynne

I have owned, and heard, ARC equipment for 40 years.

In the last 10 years ARC has changed the sound, since Johnson passed.

The older ARC gear has fans that do not like the current, over over the "Golden Oldies".

ARC now uses caps that take an absurd time to "form", and sound lean, and SS, compared to their older gear, IMO.

Have a good day!

07-14-15: Bdp24
Do you ever get the feeling that ARC deliberately leaves out the circuit refinements that they end up offering for each of their models a year or two or three after each new model is introduced?

I get the same feeling with Porsche 911 evolving 50+ years. Why can't they just build a 2016 911 back in 1950's and close shop?

I propose a new law companies only allow to build ONE model version and close shop. There are no innovation ... just ripping off customers.

As a cynical way to create business in between truly new models?

IMO, a company is offering what the consumer wants is smart business. An audio company not only produces excellent products but is operated to stay in business. The fact ARC has been in business for a long time speaks for itself.

The Music Reference RM200 is available, by the way, with transformers (the heart of every tube power amp) hand-wound personally by Roger Modjeski, something I don't believe anyone at ARC is capable of doing. They don't offer that option, at any rate, no matter how much you pay for one of their amps.

So Roger is the only person on earth that's skilled enough to wound a transformer to spec and he wants to charge additional $1000 for it? What does this say about his amps with transformer not wound by him? I guess he never had an issue with self image.

Why does ARC needs to offer a bogus option to rip off customers when stock transformer sounds fine? Are you serious?

07-18-15: Don_c55
Bifwynne

ARC's service center is a profit center.

I have been to the factory, and the service team is large for a company of 80 employees.

I've own many components and have learned reliability is as good as the service. Everything eventually breaks. ARC has one of the best service.

I argue most companies need to expand their service team so repairs don't take forever.

07-19-15: Don_c55
Bifwynne: Why are you in every ARC post?

Same reason you in most ARC post.

WE know you are a ARC cheerleader!

WE know you are a ARC hater!

OKAY ... full disclosure .. I am an "ARC cheerleader" and proud of it.

On the reliability issue ... I've had an SP6. An SP-14. a Classic 60, a REF-75 and now the REF-75se. I've had all of their phono stages from the PH-3 through to my present PH-8. I've had their CD players from the CD-3 through to my present CD-7se. I used the SP-14 until I upgraded to my present REF-3. I ALWAYS go for the upgrades ... and have never been disappointed with them as the improvements are always significant enough to justify the price of the upgrade.

In all of these years, and with all of this equipment, I've had only one resistor taken out by a failing tube and that was a KT120 in my REF-75. I took it to a fairly local tech who does ARC warrantee work. No problem other than it took a while getting it back.

In the meantime, I had my regular tech go through the Classic 60 and give it a good going over. He replaced the power switch (damaged in the '92 earthquake). He replaced the large capacitors because their measurements were way down. He said that this is normal in old amps. I've owned the CL-60 since the early 80's .. and never a problem what so ever, and the damned thing plays MUSIC! The CL-60 rests under a table in my listening room to be used as a spare. As old as it is, I can't bear to sell it. It just sounds too good.


Other than that one resistor, I have NEVER had a reliability issue with ARC equipment. All I've ever done is replace the tubes when they age. No burn marks on any of my circuit boards either.

I have a reliable source at ARC ... and he told me that they tested the KT-150's for over 5000 hours, on 24/7, with no failures prior to approving them for a replacement in the REF amps that were using KT-120's.

It always amuses me when some guys in these forums knock ARC products. I'm sure they are being very sincere in their assessments. But, here's a question for them ... Should ARC just stop improving their products and call it a day? Or ... should they continue with their R&D and offer upgrades to their customers who are willing to pay for them? Personally, I see nothing nefarious at work here on ARC's part.

Well said Oregonpapa!

Thank you.