Audio research REF 5 SE / REF 40th Ann compared ?

Let's change the Q. Has anyone critically compared the Ref 5 to the Ref 5 SE version? If so, please share comments. I ask because I am on ARC's wait list for the SE upgrade. At this point, because of component supply issues, ARC will likely not get to me until late summer. Btw, the upgrade isn't cheap: $2500. Is it worth it?

Yes.

I had the 5 which I upgraded to the 5SE.

The 5 was a good preamp but the 5SE was just more transparent and more dynamic. Not that the 5 isn't those things. It's just how much better the 5SE was.

I have the REF-5 (2100+ hours) and REF-5 SE (160+ hours) and they do sound different.

To my ears, the immediately appreciable difference is that the SE sounds very together or "coherent". Instruments and sections in a band and orchestra just "feel" very together and operating in concert. It is my first immediate impression within the first 10 hours.

The 5 by itself does not evoke this togetherness or "coherent" sensation or feelings in my listening sessions. It does not overtly lack it, I just would not even detect or think of it when listening to the 5 by itself.

Overall, the SE improves all aspects of 5's capabilities. The improvement, except for the aforementioned quality, is neither subtle nor obvious. I can hear more natural extended realistic highs, richer and more detailed and better resolved mids and definitely tighter and much better controlled lows. From 5 to 5 SE, the changes are not so overwhelming as to be very obvious, but when listening to the two, I can hear the overall differences when taken as a whole.

Personally, I really like the "togetherness" presented by the SE. In comparison, the 5 sounds just a hair laid-back or just a hair mellow. I can be very satisfied with the 5 but the SE makes foot-tapping music.

No, let's NOT change the Q. The gentleman deserve the respect of having his question answered and not hi-jacked. we all have the right to ask, and expect an answer to our question from the community. HOW DOES THE ARC REF 5 SE COMPARE TO THE ARC 40TH ANNIVESARY PREAMP? Cheers.Ez

Let's start with economics and forget the diminishing returns. There's a mint Ref 40 on A'gon for $11.9K and a 5SE for $10.5K. That Ref 40 is $10K less than I paid on a discounted basis less than 1 year ago. I haven't heard the 5SE, but the Ref 40 sounds amazing, it's got a whole lot of extra build quality than the 5SE and it will sound like it. Sell the kids, mortgage the house, take the wife out to dinner and promise her anything. Buy it if you can come close to affording it in the next 3 years. You'll own it forever and won't get a better deal than that in the next 3 years. Seller is giving it away. Wait till you hear it!