Time to stop with Ref6?
 

I have owned many arc preamps, sp9 mk2, ref 2, ref3, ref5, ref5se (twice) and now ref6. So of course when the the 6se was announced I jumped right in the queue. Even though I am COMPLETELY happy with the ref 6... I felt the upgrade from 5se was the biggest upgrade yet, but the 5 to 5se was the second biggest upgrade. So maybe the 6 to 6se is large, but I gotta say, $2500 for new caps and some upgraded wire is a bit troubling to me now. Honestly I think the COVID shutdown has me reevaluating some things. And this update is one of them.
Any long time arc users made the upgrade? Thoughts? Is it just me considering jumping off the hype train with the ref6?

I can't help you decide, but you're definitely not the only one in the "should I or shouldn't I SE?" shoes. I've had my Ref 6 close to 3 years, and it's been rock solid. And the system is currently sounding better than it ever has. I've even got a couple other really nice preamps on hand - Rogue RP-9 and VAC Renaissance V - and I can stick those in anytime and the system still sounds really great, but each time I stick the Ref 6 back in, simply WOW! It's not just me either; the girlfriend hears and confirms it too. The 6 also has the lowest noise floor and best feature set, too.

So I have 2 great preamps I could use while the 6 is out for upgrade, but of course all I'd be thinking during that time is how epic my current record would sound with the Ref 6, lol.

Same here, gotta have a spare great preamp!! Mine is an AudioNoteKits Mentor. It’s great, but something special about the ref6!

I don't think a single person got the upgrade yet.

I got in the queue the day it was announced in December. I'm still waiting.

And I was told it's 3k.

But by all accounts, it's supposed to be really a big upgrade. Who knows! I've had some of the same thoughts as you.

Here's my thoughts, FWIW: if you're COMPLETELY happy with your Ref 6 and you are having engaging and involving musical experiences, consider standing pat.

In some respects the high-end audio upgrade cycle reminds me of Photoshop upgrades....every 18 months, Adobe wanted customers to pony up another $150 to $200 for the latest rev. After CS4, Photoshop got so powerful that folks were skipping upgrade cycles. This is what caused Adobe to force customers into a subscription model.

Given the Adobe example, as the upgrade merry-go-round never stops, you could pass this time, and get on the at the next upgrade.

I remember how long and painful it was to burn in the caps of my CT-5 when it was new, and, Ugh! I wouldn't want to go through that again.

Just my 2¢....

I'm also in the queue for the 6 to 6SE upgrade. I've been really happy with the Ref 6 since jumping from the 5SE. Although $3K seems like a lot for a few "parts," this should be a notable improvement given my experience with previous ARC upgrades. Basically, we would be getting the latest model for only the difference in price between the 6 and 6SE. As the next step for the 6 series would probably be a new model (Ref 7?), the upgrade would also increase the 6SE's resale value if and when one decides to trade up. It would be nice though to hear a review of how the new 6SE compares to the 6.

A very good point - there are definitely times I've had systems "locked in", and any change, even those "can't miss" upgrades, could upset the balance. Right now is one of those times. In fact, this is the best my system has ever sounded. I am incredibly satisfied by it. I have worried about whether the voicing has changed in any way that could me meaningful to my current sonic balance, as well as whether new caps would need arduous burn-in again. Though from what little I've read, the output caps that were subject to the "600+ hours burn-in" mantra have not changed in this upgrade?

Also a bit disheartening to hear nobody's been upgraded yet. I'm definitely OK to sit tight for a while!

Well surprise surprise! After 7 months of whining, my preamp is headed to ARC tomorrow ! So I guess they really have started upgrades.

Cool beans! :thumbsup:

2fastdriving,
Did ARC give you an estimate of the turnaround time for the Ref 6SE upgrade?