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Old 01-22-2017, 10:44 AM
Harlequin Harlequin is offline
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Default The Absolute Sound Reviews ARC Reference 250se

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/arti...-se-amplifier/

Last edited by jdandy; 01-24-2017 at 11:25 PM. Reason: correct typo in title
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Old 01-22-2017, 02:32 PM
Harlequin Harlequin is offline
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Interesting that the reviewer comments more than once upon the tonality of the amp where classical as the genre is concerned.

Whilst I was considering whether to stay with ARC amplification, or go with D'Ag Momentum, during an A-B demonstration of the two it was the organic way the ARC portrayed stringed instruments that opened up a clear lead for me , in particular on the day Pierre Fournier's recording of JS Bach 6 Suites for Solo Violoncello BMV 1007-1010.
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Old 01-23-2017, 03:23 AM
tima tima is offline
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The reviewer wrote: "The unique virtues of the Reference 250 SE amplifiers held up through various changes of linestages and phonostages. Near the end of my review process I had the luxury of pairing the 250 SEs with Audio Research’s Ref 10 Phono and Ref 10 linestages. ... The Ref 250 SE’s strengths were magnified (backgrounds were blacker, frequency response even smoother, and details clearer) and the entire amplification chain did more of a disappearing act, drawing my focus more to the music and less to the equipment."

A little confusing and a wee bit unfair to the REF 250SEs. The ARC Ref front-end electronics don't magnify the 250SE's strengths. The amp is what it is. The blacker, smoother, clearer (than what?) is presumably a comparison of the ARC front-end gear with his Aesthetix Eclipse phono and line stages. In a roundabout way he's talking about synergy, but he should be comparing the 250SEs with his VTL 750s.
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Old 01-23-2017, 10:04 PM
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I found it interesting that he found a slight improvement using Stillpoint Ultra 6's. He says any improvement at that level is welcome. Well, for $5400.00-$6300.00 (before any discounts), depending on 3 or 4 per unit, I hope there is at least a slight improvement. I'd be interested in how using Ultra SS would work compared to the 6's.
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Old 01-24-2017, 03:24 PM
Harlequin Harlequin is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tima View Post

A little confusing and a wee bit unfair to the REF 250SEs. The ARC Ref front-end electronics don't magnify the 250SE's strengths. The amp is what it is. The blacker, smoother, clearer (than what?) is presumably a comparison of the ARC front-end gear with his Aesthetix Eclipse phono and line stages. In a roundabout way he's talking about synergy, but he should be comparing the 250SEs with his VTL 750s.
Hmmmmmm, I tend to agree with your point regarding synergy, I did find this particular review to be lacking a little meat on the bone, if you will.

I hope that further reviews are in the making, in particular from guys such as Jonathan Valin and Alan Sircom, both of whome reviewed the origional non SE'd 250 and therefore well placed to comment upon any evolution of this particular model.

Last edited by Harlequin; 01-24-2017 at 03:32 PM.
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Old 01-24-2017, 04:58 PM
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GaryProtein GaryProtein is offline
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I, like one of the people who commented on the thread were a little surprised to hear that $34,000 for a pair of amplifiers was considered to be "mid-priced".

I know there are amplifiers for $150,000 per pair, but still, $34k is an awful lot for anybody but the very wealthy and still fits into what I would call high priced.

The audiophile magazines certainly are NOT writing for average people interested in music systems.

Last edited by GaryProtein; 01-24-2017 at 05:02 PM.
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Old 01-24-2017, 06:00 PM
SCAudiophile SCAudiophile is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GaryProtein View Post
I, like one of the people who commented on the thread were a little surprised to hear that $34,000 for a pair of amplifiers was considered to be "mid-priced".

I know there are amplifiers for $150,000 per pair, but still, $34k is an awful lot for anybody but the very wealthy and still fits into what I would call high priced.

The audiophile magazines certainly are NOT writing for average people interested in music systems.
Agreed...they are definitely smoking the exhaust of the high priced gear and cable vendors who just keep coming up with higher and higher prices to have the best and latest audio parts every 6 months when its clear the only real thing that has changed that drammatically (and can be defended truly) are margin expectations.
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Old 01-26-2017, 02:42 PM
stjlinus stjlinus is offline
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Hi All:
I bought a pair of "B stock" ARC250SEs (used in shows(?) and retubed) about 6 months ago, so they were less expensive (but still a lot in any case.) I am trying to justify this as my last major audio purchase (ha ha).

But they are running with an REF6, (now sitting on a card table since I don't have a rack that fits them yet) and they sound quite incredible. With Classical (Beethoven Sonatas, Choral (John Rutter), Vocal (Allison Krauss, Louis and Ella), Jazz (Bill Evans), Rock (Moody Blues - yeah I know that dates me, Lakestreet Dive), Country (Johnson Mountain Boys) and on and on. Every piece of music is a delight, and so wonderful to listen to!

The combination of the REF6 and REF250SEs create music that is so realistic and enjoyable - fast, deep, articulate, spacious, inviting. I am sure that there is better stuff out there, and perhaps for less $$, but I am a happy guy with these pieces. Dave Gordon gave me a private tour of the ARC Factory back in April, and that really did it for me. I am a ham radio operator and it was heaven to watch the workers assembling each piece so carefully and logically. Quite amazing, really, that something could still be made and sold like this gear, in the states, in 2017.

I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you all for your thoughts and opinions on things - very enjoyable to read and connect with you.
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Old 01-26-2017, 02:54 PM
Randy Myers Randy Myers is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SCAudiophile View Post
Agreed...they are definitely smoking the exhaust of the high priced gear and cable vendors who just keep coming up with higher and higher prices to have the best and latest audio parts every 6 months when its clear the only real thing that has changed that drammatically (and can be defended truly) are margin expectations.
I have to agree on this one. When $34,000 is considered mid-range they are smoking way too much of the good stuff.... I understand that there are higher priced pieces out there, but very very few people can afford this gear, let alone the even crazier stuff.

So I guess this makes me think, what would they classify my system, which virtually every single person I know considers absolutely extreme, a complete POS system, or piece of garbage gear? I mean these amps cost more than my entire system ...
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Old 02-01-2017, 04:13 PM
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LovingMusic LovingMusic is offline
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Default The Absolute Sound Reviews ARC Reference 250se

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I found it interesting that he found a slight improvement using Stillpoint Ultra 6's. He says any improvement at that level is welcome. Well, for $5400.00-$6300.00 (before any discounts), depending on 3 or 4 per unit, I hope there is at least a slight improvement. I'd be interested in how using Ultra SS would work compared to the 6's.


Ok. I have to take back my comment here. I took advantage of Ivan's Stillpoints sale and purchased six Ultra 5's and installed three under each of my Mac 601's. They replaced three Mapleshade brass footers which, in turn, had made improvements over the stock plastic feet. The Ultra 5's improvement is dramatic, not subtle. I have had experimented with Ultra SS under my amps, speakers, preamp, PSA P10, and DAC, but nothing has been to this level. I have an in-home listen with the 250SE's tomorrow with the dealer bringing them out and evaluating my system. They are going to have to make quite an improvement to be worth the significant uptick in cost.

Last edited by LovingMusic; 02-01-2017 at 04:46 PM.
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