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Old 02-25-2019, 06:15 AM
tima tima is offline
Living La Vida Vinyl
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PlanarSpeakerFan View Post
Not saying that the Ref 6 isn’t an excellent preamp at its price point. It most certainly is. It just isn’t in the same league as the Ref 10, as one should expect at one-half the price.

Ken
Exactly.

The overall presentation of the Ref 6 and Ref 6 Phono are different from the Ref 5se/2se and Ref 10/Ref 10 Phono. I suppose the 6-series is an evolution from the 5/2 series, but it's not a straight line evolution. But, it's nowhere near a black/white contrast - they both share many ARC traits: clarity, spaciousness/dimensionality, relatively neutral tonality. The 6-series is bold, vivacious, music jumps off the speakers; the 5/2-series is seductive, intimate, drawing you into the music. The words are stronger than the reality. All four units are top notch and pair up well.

The 10-series is considerably more refined, transparent, dynamic, with fleshed out detail and less grain, better highs and more articulate lows. It's overall character leans more toward the 5/2-series and that's not by accident. The Ref 10 linestage is, at its core, two mono Ref 5ses, just as the Ref 10 Phono is two mono Ref 2ses. That means the design of the gain stages is almost the same. The dual mono power supplies are a major influence. As Ken, gadawg and airess suggest, you're getting what you pay for. If ARC takes the same approach (they may not) with the Ref 15 series (or whatever culturally appropriate numerology is in play), we may already have a handle on its architecture.
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