Reference 750 demo-ed today

[TOGA]

Hi,
Today I have a very good chance to hear new ARC REF 750.
ok, the show condition is not ideal, far from it. But mid and high was pristine.
CDP was EMM XDS1, Ref 40 as pre and YG ANAT REFIII+ Kubala cables.

CMALAK helped me post photo of them in the following post, thanks a lot. Oh, They had different shade of front panel color than other ARC lines. It looks more like gray rather than silver, similar to titanium gray.

[cmalak]

Here are the pics:

[TOGA]

Thanks Cyril,
Sorry for the very poor quality of photo, it was raining so I didn't carry my DSLR.
I was hoping to listen to Ref 250 and didn't prepare to see these monster welding machine.
In a few day they will replace ANAT with Aida, but not sure if I will have time to visit the show again.
end of Feb they will send Ref 250 for me to try at home. But right now I have my radar target to Magico Q3
rather than new amp.

Toga

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by TOGA

Thanks Cyril,
Sorry for the very poor quality of photo, it was raining so I didn't carry my DSLR.
I was hoping to listen to Ref 250 and didn't prepare to see these monster welding machine.
In a few day they will replace ANAT with Aida, but not sure if I will have time to visit the show again.
end of Feb they will send Ref 250 for me to try at home. But right now I have my radar target to Magico Q3
rather than new amp.

Toga

Thx for the pics TOGA and let us know what you think of the Ref 250s.

Sounds like you are having a lot of fun trying out different gear

[TOGA]

I have been stressed due to work for months. I have to reward myself after this stressful ended at end of Feb. Unfortunately budget is limited. So I have to pick one. a pair of new speakers or a pair of mono blocks. Right now I am so impressed with something that Magico Q3 do. Can't say more until I try them at home with my lower-than-stratosphere gears. About sound of ARC Ref 750, I really can't say much, the room was too large, amp were so new, music was not familiar. Let's just hope Ref 250 is powerful enough for me, really don't like the welding machine look of 750.

TOGA

[dmnc02]

Toga,

Thanks for the pictures. As for the Reference 250's, I use them with speakers that have lower sensitivity than your Salon's and I have not managed to get the meters to show full power output.

[TOGA]

Hi, dmnc02, but yours have built in amp for sub woofer right ? That will help reduce current demand a lot. But well If Magico Q3 proved to be more musical than Salon2 in every way, I may sell Salon2. Then I will have fund for these tube beauties. But again
Q3 don't seem to be easier to drive than Salon2 anyway.
TOGA.

[dmnc02]

Toga, you are right: the Vandersteen's have a high-pass crossover before the amps that reduces the current demand, although I am not sure if that is enough to compensate for the almost 3db lower sensitivity relative to the Salon's.

[darkstar]

Originally Posted by TOGA

Hi, dmnc02, but yours have built in amp for sub woofer right ? That will help reduce current demand a lot. But well If Magico Q3 proved to be more musical than Salon2 in every way, I may sell Salon2. Then I will have fund for these tube beauties. But again
Q3 don't seem to be easier to drive than Salon2 anyway.
TOGA.

Toga,

Have you heard the ARC with the Magicos? I ask because my experience wasn't a good one when I heard the REF 210/REF5 through the V-3s. With that said, the 210s are not the 750s and the V3 is not the Q3, so this combo may sound totally different.

Rich

[howiebrou]

Originally Posted by cmalak

Here are the pics:

A pity they didn't take the opportunity to change the looks a little. It just looks messy to me, like some sort of Medieval Chinese torture device!