Listening to a Ref 75 looking for advice

[pete6737]

Hello All
I got my hands on a broken in off the rack Ref75 in my system, pairing with. ref5se and Revel Salon2. Coming from a Bryston 14bst, (500W X2)I was concerned that the Ref75 would not be enough power. Surprisingly, I got as loud as I want with only getting the meters mid way. The dealer will send it off for the SE upgrade if I decide to purchase. So far I'm very pleased with it over the Bryston. My question is whether the ref 150 would be a better choice. I have been told that the ref75 and ref150 sound different so I'm not sure to opt for more power of the "finesse " of the ref 150. Thanks in advance, Pete

[Down Under]

I'd keep the Ref 75,because that Bryston amp is no slouch.

[BillK]

Most reviewers (and I) feel that the Ref 75 provides a sweeter sound than the Ref 150 does.

If you can get away with not needing the extra power, the Ref 75 is truly a wonderful amp.

However, if you dealer has a Ref 150, when playing at this price level you owe it to yourself to compare, otherwise you'll always wonder.

[pete6737]

The more I listen, the less I think I need more power. Plus the amp will get the SE treatment which should improve the sound even more. The Ref 150 is not available to audition. I can get pretty darn loud without getting past the 30 watt mark on the meter. The amp does not misbehave at all when pushed. I was thinking for headroom sake to have more power but I may just send this one off for the SE upgrade and quit micro picking my brain about it.

[RLF]

I found that the SE upgrade to my Ref 75 gave an improvement accross the board with apparent increased headroom and better bass. I feel that it is more than sufficient to power my system. However, as BillK suggests, if you have the opportunity to compare it with a Ref 150, by all means do so. Just my 2 cents.

[suburban]

I have a pair of Salon 2s. IMO, I do not believe that you are getting near their full potential with the REF75 or REF150. Not even close.

[Bavarian05]

Originally Posted by pete6737

The more I listen, the less I think I need more power. Plus the amp will get the SE treatment which should improve the sound even more. The Ref 150 is not available to audition. I can get pretty darn loud without getting past the 30 watt mark on the meter. The amp does not misbehave at all when pushed. I was thinking for headroom sake to have more power but I may just send this one off for the SE upgrade and quit micro picking my brain about it.

Can you deal with the fans on the Ref 150?
The Ref 75 will be quieter so that would be a very big decider for me.
If you only listen to rock music, you may not care, but if you enjoy "the music between the notes" of Jazz and Classical, you will likely hear the fans on the Ref 150.
Just my two cents.

[jpgr4blu]

You can adjust the fan speed on the ref 150. I have it so low that I cannot hear the fan with my ear 2 feet from the amp. Of course, if the amp is not in a tightly enclosed space and/or the top is off, there is little need for the fan to be on anything but the lowest setting.

[Harlequin]

Originally Posted by jpgr4blu

You can adjust the fan speed on the ref 150. I have it so low that I cannot hear the fan with my ear 2 feet from the amp. Of course, if the amp is not in a tightly enclosed space and/or the top is off, there is little need for the fan to be on anything but the lowest setting.

Pretty much my experience also blu during my time with the Ref150, on min setting the fans were inaudible (to me)from the listening position.

[Ritmo]

Pete - Great dilemma. I used to have the Salon 2s. They absolutely love power and sound their best with high quality power. However, if you are pleased with the loudness and musicality of the Ref 75, then go for it - specially if you are getting it upgraded to SE.