2. amps-preamps
  3. 1357170035

Volume level of ARC Ref 5 seems very high

Hi,

I have a Ref 5 feeding Jadis JA100 monos into HH Eufrodites.
Already at very low volume setting levels, the sound is high.
For example, at volume setting 3, the sound level is ~65 db, at about 3 meters from the speakers and my listening room is big.
It doesn't bother me, I just wonder if I get the best out of the preamp at this low volume setting.

Thanks for your thoughts.
amuseb
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
Still loving it :)

Running it in was a bit painful. It was great out of the box. Then not. Then worse. Then eureka :)
bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
Thanks Doggie . . . please remind me. Did you do the SE upgrade on your "old" Ref 5, or just buy the Ref 5 SE new? If the former, then I appreciate the heads up re expectations. If the later, I wonder out loud whether I will get any break-in "benefit" because the rest of my Ref 5's innards are well broken-in by now.
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
I live outside the US so my dealer got me a new unit and handled the upgrade on his own.
amuseb OP
81 posts
 
doggie, thanks a lot for the feedback on the Rothwells. I'll surely get myself a pair to see what they do to my system on this side of the globe.
are you using balanced or SE cables between your CDP and Ref5 SE?
can you tell me what is the sound pressure in db and at what distance from the speakers that you experience at the 35-40 level?
regards from a white Paris.
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
I noticed that while the SPL with the Rothwells in and the ARC at 35 was about 70-78dB for one of the pieces I was listening to, and w/o the Rothwells, the SPL was ard the same level when the ARC was at 25, there was a tactile feedback I was getting with the Rothwells in place. I think that's the transient/dynamics part of it at play.

My speakers are about 8 feet apart and I sit about 8 feet away.

I use XLR (ASI Liveline) from XDS1 to pre and XLR (Silversmith Silver) from pre to power.
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