Ref 6 coming...

[Sharp 1080]

Originally Posted by taters

I thought this pre-amp had a break in period of 600 hours? How could it sound so good after 20 hours?

From my phone conversation with Kalvin Dahl at Audio Research, the 600 hours was for the older units they produced with the older caps installed. He stated around 250 hours. I heard a change around 310 hours on my unit.

[Bobvin]

Originally Posted by audiohippo

Hopefully new versions of the REF75/150/250 are due early 2016 to pair with the REF6

Indeed, while I doubt I'll be parting with my REF10 anytime soon, I'm waiting to upgrade my Ref75 with the expectation the new line of REF amps, when they are announced, will have more of this Galileo styling. I'm eager to see what will be done to the REF250 replacements in terms of aesthetics. Whatever it is, I'm sure it will clash with the REF10

(By that time, my room remodel will be finished, and a pair of new REF300s(?) will look nice alongside the Alexias—the REF10 will be in a rack on the side of the room, far enough away the clash of styles won't be too apparent.)

[doggiehowser]

The REF75SE was announced not too long ago

[taters]

Originally Posted by doggiehowser

The REF75SE was announced not too long ago

And they plan on replacing it so soon. Leave it to ARC.

[doggiehowser]

Originally Posted by taters

And they plan on replacing it so soon. Leave it to ARC.

Is this real news? Or is this just mindless speculation?

[The Lost Bears]

The SE versions were introduced not that long ago. It is nothing more than ARC bashing. Taters loves to bash ARC, He does it all the time.

[doggiehowser]

Yeah and I thought the cost to upgrade to the latest versions were usually pretty cost effective.

So its not like the REF75 or REF5 were paper weights over night.

[2fastdriving]

One thing for sure, ARC is tight lipped about new products. I talked to Dave Gordon about the future of the Ref5 just a few weeks before the Ref6 dropped, and he didn't say a WORD about it. NOTHING. He's pretty good at his job I guess

[The Lost Bears]

The next ARC introduction is the matching Ref Phono 3, it will ship in February. After that my guess would be that the LS27 will be replaced, it was introduced in 2010.

[jpgr4blu]

I bet that within 18 months (if not 1 year), we will see a new Reference amp with 250 or 300 wpc in the GS style. The Ref 250se will be phased out as will the Ref 750. After that, a new 2 piece ref preamp in GS style and 2 piece ref phono in GS style.
After the merger of styles, there will be no more confusion as to which the best product in each line is.