ARC REF250SE vs. GS150

[stjlinus]

After a lot of deliberating and listening I decided to go for the ARC REF 6 and REF250SEs. (The deciding factor was that the RFE250SEs were "B stock" (used units with new tubes) so the price was discounted by a fair amount.) I really liked the GS150, so listened to the GS150 an REF250SEs back to back and heard a fair amount of difference between the two in terms of detail, clarity, and depth. Not to take anything away from the GS150 - it sounded really terrific, but since I probably won't be buying new electronics for many years (if ever!) I went for it.

I was finally able to set up the REF 6 and REF250SEs with a pair of B&W 802D2s this weekend, and they sound, right out of the box, incredible. (I had a Parasound JC2 with JC-1s, previously, same CD player, a Marantz reference unit, with Audience conditioner and power cables, Kimber interconnects and speaker cables.) The musicality, detail, delicacy, nuance, and just about everything else I can think of is hugely different, so it is pretty cool. (This is all with the REF 6 mounted essentially on a "card table" since I need to buy a new rack that fits the units!)

I really could not imagine that music could not sound this good, so am very thankful.