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ARC vsi75 versus ARC reference 75

It may be too early to answer this question, but any ARC dealers out there might have an opinion. I am planning my reaching 65 and not pegging out, semi retirement present. It was going to be the ARC reference 75 power amp with LS17 pre, which I heard at a small show recently. The 75 really does have something magical about it.

Now ARC are trying to make my life more complicated by bringing out an integrated based on the reference 75. I have an integrated now and would love to stick to an integrated amp, so the question is how close would they be in performance. 75 watts is more than enough to drive my 96db sensitivity Daedalus speakers. Thanks
david12
rawhit
8 posts
 
Thank for the succinct comparison.
(PS:a fellow Daedalus owner here with Athena V2)
Please do update the thread after you've spent some more time with your new amp.
rawhit
8 posts
 
how does the REF75 do on image size i.e does it lean toward larger than life images or its very recording dependent?
Also do you find the front to back placement of voices/instruments layered within the soundstage?
Thanks again!
david12 OP
1,454 posts
 
I find imaging quite accurate and life size, not overblown. Soundstage depth is good, better than the Spark. The dealer bought a reference 3 to demo the amp. I personally prefer my passive pre to the ARC, except image depth, which did seem better.
I tend to like opera to judge soundstage depth, you aften have various singers at different depths of the soundstage. It is clearly better defined with the ARC. Soundstage width is no different, but I value depth over width anyway.
The amp is not yet fully run in, so hopefully better performance to come, good though it is now.
rawhit
8 posts
 
Thanks. Happy listening and keep the impressions flowing!
jriggy's avatar
jriggy
565 posts
 
Hi David,
I am maybe interested in the vsi75 for my Ulysses (I really want to stay with an integrated). you mentioned the vsi had very little hours on it, so not totally a fair comparison. I wish the unit could of been judged better. Do you feel it was due to break-in or do you think the unit is just not that great?
Is this dealer close to you? Do you ever visit there for fun? I am wondering if you would ever be able to go back some time in the near future to hear the vsi75 after it is fully, or closely broken-in? I know you know your stuff and we have the same brand speakers, so Im hoping you may be able to shed a little light...
Thanks
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