Reference 6 break-in
 

Although my new Ref 6 sounded great right out of the box, I found it to be a little bright and edgy on some of my recordings that didn't sound that way when I had my Ref 5SE in my system. I did have my dealer's Ref 6 on home audition for a week and didn't remember it sounding bright or edgy. Therefore I've started running my new Ref 6 for about 12 hours a day to accumulate more hours on it. I'm now at 137 hours and find it much more relaxed sounding and more like I remember my dealer's Ref 6 sounding which had about 250 hours accumulated on it when I auditioned it. Of course ARC recommends 600 hours for full break-in, but I am curious what other Ref 6 owners have experienced with break-in. Thanks.

I have about 120 hours on mine, and I didn't run it to burn it in, just enjoyed the ride. When I first hooked it up, it sounded amazing. There was one day where it legitimately sounded "broken"...everything sounded off to me. Then the next time I fired it up it sounded great again, and it continues to sound better and better. I have also noticed it to be a bit edgy at times, but I think it's the material, because I could play another selection and it sounds fine. But my experience with tubes in general is that they do sound a bit edgy out of the box and relax over time.

I'm enjoying the ride, man...this is one of the best pre's I've ever heard. I appreciate it more and more every day.

Hi there I too am having this edgy issues with my ref 6 and am now only at 23 hours. It didn't sound like this with my ref5se when I got it new. The 1st time I hooked up ref 6 it sounded totally fine but after 6 hours in things sounded edgy and slightly compressed. For a moment I thought my tweeters was distorting. I swear I heard some crackling sound but it turned out to be some part of recording that I never heard before it seems to be an error from the recording itself. Now it is going through another phase where I feel that the sound is getting compressed and at times being pushed to its limit. My dealer said it is the caps that's running in and it will tend to sound less forceful and relaxed after 50 hours. One thing for sure the bass output is much more and the volume has significantly dropped from 50 in my ref5se to 30 in average from my ref 6.

Funny I had that experience with pass labs xp 10 sorry hop I am not bombing your thread

tjbhuler... Welcome to AA! :wave:

Thks :tiphat:..been browsing through this forum for a long time and this thread clicked to what I have been experiencing lately. So decided to chime in and voice out my on going affair with the ref 6 :D.

tjbhuler.......Good to see you step from the shadows. ;)

My Ref.6 has about 600 hours on it now and I promise that it only gets better. It will reach a point when it is hard to get up from your listening chair! Trust me that once broken in any brightness will subside and only a cohesive and musical experience will greet you with every subsequent session :yes:
Getting enough hours on my Ref. 3 phono stage is a different story.

Thanks to the other Ref 6 owners who replied here. It appears that my mind wasn't playing tricks on me. Now at 147 hours, my Ref 6 is sounding fabulous with no more brightness and a big step up from my 5SE.

My ref6 has sounded great from hour 1. Of course it is getting better with use, now about 300 hrs.
I had the 2 mk2, the 3, 5, and 5se previously. Each was a clear improvement over the previous model, to varying degrees. I think one reason people feel the models are unpredictable during break-in is because they reveal flaws you never noticed on less revealing gear. Every song reveals its recording venue with the 6. If a recording is compressed, or edgy, or rolled off, it is revealed in stark clarity.
I am not saying these pieces are not a bit edgy when new. I do notice that, but only very slightly and not after about 50 hrs in my case(s).