AudioAficionado.org - ARC REF 10 Review (mini review)

Yesterday I received my ARC REF 10 preamp. This is a two chassis tube preamp, featuring tubes in both the audio section and power supply section. Audio Research designed the REF 10 based on things they had learned from building the Anniversary Edition, their previous flagship preamp. More on that here: Audio Research Reference 10 Company Letter | Dé Durob Audio blog – Le Blog de Durob Audio

The design, build quality and overall aesthetics are absolutely stunning. The new touch screen and overall new design characteristics are fabulous. The pictures don't do them justice. I absolutely love the new touch screen. The preamp is so configurable, from color to all normal audio preamp functions.

Although I only have about 6 hours on the preamp, let me give you my first impressions.

First off, this preamp is so musical. It casts the deepest soundstage I've ever heard. It has a beautiful flow to it, without being even the slightest bit slow. This preamp allows every recording (new, old, high res, vinyl, whatever) to achieve a level of completeness like I've never heard before. This preamp is so well balanced and presents a level of tonality which places it closer to a live performance than any other preamp I've ever heard.

Fleetwood Mac's Landslide starts with an acoustic guitar that reveals a level of tonality realism which literally gave me goose bumps. Norah Jones' voice was so real that I could swear she was in the room.

Clarity and resolution are at a level that makes many of my previous preamps seem broken, or highly veiled at best. At the finest level, this preamp exhibits control over music by placing each instrument in their own unique space. On Paul Simons Diamonds on the Soles of her shoes, each voice from the South African choir was unique.

When listening to Rod Stewart singing Fly Me To The Moon, the trumpet casts such a deep soundstage that I literally envisioned the trumpet player on a street corner about 50 feet away, up and off to the right.

This preamp is also very fast which likely has something to do with the monster tube power supply. It possesses such dynamics and control, while delivering a fluid and truly musical sound. I hear as much detail at a low volume as I do at higher volumes.

The ARC/Pass synergy is incredible, likely only bettered by an all ARC system. I would venture to guess that this is one of the best, if not the best Preamp on the market today. No, I have not heard every preamp, but I have heard a lot and this preamp is head and shoulders above anything I have ever heard.

I've always been a firm believer in a great preamp, and I have had many great preamps in my system, but nothing has taken my system to new heights like the ARC REF 10. Bravo Audio Research! Bravo!