Quote:
Originally Posted by 2fastdriving
I Decided to try several audio research preamps and compare with my c2300 with psvanes installed.
First up is the DSPre, which is solid state and has a built in dac. I have to say that it betters my c2300/d100 combo in every way except one. Hard rock. I'm not sure what it is with arc gear, but it doesn't like to rock in my experience. Lacks bass drive and speed. However, on every other type of material, separation is greater, voices more lifelike, instruments portrayed more realistically. It's really a great preamp! The bass is actually very good until you try to play hard and fast rock. Something seems to be missing.
I'm going to try using my d100 as the dac with this thing and see if it's the dac or pre section.
Next week, I'm getting a Ref5SE . That will be interesting. Then I get the brand new SP20.
I am not sure if I have the funds to do this for a while, but trying to chart my course for the future. I think it has ARC in it!
But for looks and build quality...the mcintosh kills ARC. All of them.
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I don't play in the same rent district, but I did do a general though brief comparison of the C2300 and the ARC LS3 (solid state) a while back. The main difference I heard was that the 2300 was smoother, more open, with a bit more detail than the LS3, but the LS3 is a bit more dynamic. That gap is narrowed by using JJ tubes over the stock ones; low-end weight was about the same, subjectively, after that.
The JJs have broken in well now, and when a friend from church came over two weeks ago, I found there was nothing in the sound to complain about. The one caveat is that I have to turn up the 2300 a bit to get this sound. The LS3 is solid state and plays louder; to get the volume of the LS3 at 1/3, I must turn up the 2300 to almost 1/2 (42 out of 100 steps, vs. 8 out of 30 steps).
in my dealer's showroom I heard a 2300 and an ARC LS27. The 2300 seemed more dynamic, but the LS27 tamed some system brightness and, in that system, was easier to listen to. It was a bit darker by comparison than the 2300, I guess. I did quite like the LS27's silver faceplate. I thought it looked elegant.
Also, no two recordings are recorded at the same levels or in the same way, be it CD or DVD. Some are louder than others. That may be a factor also.