ARC REF Phono 2 in and it's outstanding...

[turntable]

Originally Posted by C220MC275

Shane,

If you ask my friend JM, he will tell you that he heard a poor bass in my system.
Yesterday evening was interesting for me because my best friend, who owns a complete top of the line Linn system, with Komri speakers, Klimax amps and active filters and a LP12SE ( around 150k euros of gear ) came to listen the REF 2.
He always found my system very nice but lacking bass and warmth compared to his.
Yesterday evening, we spinned around 8 records and he told me that for the very first time, my system was sounding better than his. He found the REF 2 incredible both with the Clearaudio TT and the P9.
He had only praise about the bass and the Komris are able of an incredible and tremendous bass.
And also for me, I had some kind of revelation telling me : "Don't move an inch". This system is sounding just right now, thanks to the REF 2.
My friend is now seriously thinking of selling his Urika phonostage and buy a REF2. My small P9 / Exact cart sounds much better with the REF 2 than my friend's Akiva and LP12 SE / Urika / Radikal. My cart costs 400 euros.
His MC cart costs 3000 euros.
This says everything.
Now, if you have Jean Marc's ears, don't believe a single word of what I said here.

Thanks Jerome, much appreciated.

I can only ask for honest opinions of owners. I have not heard the Urika phono stage. Clearly in your system the ref2 has no problems with loose bass.
What phono did you have before the ref2?

[Rafale]

hum...Urika costs 3000 euros and ref 2 near 15 000 euros ....

it would be interesting... Jérôme to compare in your own system with P9/Apheta/ rega top phonostage....I think that you will be very surprised...

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by Rafale

hum...Urika costs 3000 euros and ref 2 near 15 000 euros ....

it would be interesting... Jérôme to compare in your own system with P9/Apheta/ rega top phonostage....I think that you will be very surprised...

That's right.

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by turntable

Thanks Jerome, much appreciated.

I can only ask for honest opinions of owners. I have not heard the Urika phono stage. Clearly in your system the ref2 has no problems with loose bass.
What phono did you have before the ref2?

Before the REF 2 I used the internal phonostage of my C1000P.

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by Rafale

Jérôme
You can conclude only with a direct comparison both deck and phonostage in the same system, otherwise that wants to say nothing....

Philippe,
You're right once again but here the situation is a bit different. I know very well the system of my friend and he knows very well mine. Moreover, we listened to records we know perfectly. So that is more easy to compare even if we don't have the sources side by side. And I have to add that the active Komris are much more high end than my PMC's.
We arrived at this conclusion : REF 2 + P9 /Exact is clearly superior to LP12 SE / Akiva, in terms of dynamics, speed, but also resolution, details and 3D sense, and finally better musicality.
He heard recordings he knows by heart like never before.
But we also thought that LP12SE / REF PHONO 2 could be one of the best analog system in the world.

[Rafale]

Jérôme, imho, you can end on no account unless 2 sources are in the same system and same room.....

[enatai252]

I just recently bought the Ref Phono 2 SE. It's not fully broken in yet so I can only speak to its current performance. System is LP12 SE/Radikal/Akiva source and Ayre KX-R/Ref250/Sasha. Primarily 180g pressings. I don't hear any issues with loose or muddy base. This system produces a wide and well defined soundstage and one of the most natural presentations I have heard. Extension, Air, Resolution, Dynamics...awesome. I also have an ASR Basis 2010 phono...which excels at the extremes...I prefer the ARC. It offers most of the ASRs strengths but presents a soundstage and the performers within with a sense of realism I find unmatched. I have not put the SME 20/3 in that system yet....it's more refined and extended than the Linn...giving up just a little in rhythm to the Linn. Two very different flavors. the SME/ASR combo is extended and more accurate...well defined but not at all clinical....the Ref Phono2/LP12 is that at a slightly lesser degree...but so musical. I know many disagree, but excluding the LP12 from consideration in the $15-20k options is a mistake. Picking it or the SME will provide much enjoyment. Picking the Ref Phono 2....is a no brainier...good luck

[jpgr4blu]

My Ref Phono 2 has excellent bass in all respects. In fact, when playing redbook on my BelCanto PL-1 and the identical album on vinyl, I usually get more impact and more natural sounding bass from vinyl on the Ref Phono 2. Like Jerome, I have had other phono stages in my system including the Mac C1000 internal phono stage which MF raved about when it came out and which I raved about as well for the years that I owned it. Then I got the Ref Phono 2 and can agree with Jerome that the Ref Phono 2 is simply in another league.

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by jpgr4blu

My Ref Phono 2 has excellent bass in all respects. In fact, when playing redbook on my BelCanto PL-1 and the identical album on vinyl, I usually get more impact and more natural sounding bass from vinyl on the Ref Phono 2. Like Jerome, I have had other phono stages in my system including the Mac C1000 internal phono stage which MF raved about when it came out and which I raved about as well for the years that I owned it. Then I got the Ref Phono 2 and can agree with Jerome that the Ref Phono 2 is simply in another league.

I agree 100% too !

[Puma Cat]

If you guys want to go all in, you can get the Vitus MP-P201 phono stage!