Do NOT audition the Audio Research Reference Phono 2 SE

[BillK]

Why? It's dangerous.

As you may have seen elsewhere, I was auditioning a PH8 to replace my PH5, and after a week in my home I thought it was a good upgrade, improving on my PH5 in many areas, and I was ready to pull the trigger and purchase it.

By a fluke, my dealer just happened to get in a Ref Phono 2 SE last Thursday, and since my loan was over Saturday I just had to A/B the two.

What I found was not subtle at all.

There was such a difference between the PH8 and the Ref Phono 2 SE that despite the doubling of the MSRP, I just had to have it.

From soundstaging to air above and below the notes to sounding that much more like music - more than really the Ref Phono 2 SE had any right to make, it was a revelation. At this level I expect differences to be tiny - a more realistic triangle here, a hint of roughness in the voice there.

You could hear how vast the difference was between the PH8 and the Ref 2 SE from the third note I ever heard played through it.

We're not talking neo-tweaky differences here, we're talking "sit your non-audiophile friends down and watch their jaws drop" differences. We're talking I will need to re-listen to all the vinyl in my collection differences.

So that's why I say do not audition the Ref Phono 2 SE; your checkbook may not be able to stand the hit it will take and/or may never recover - especially as you'll very likely feel that such an amazing piece of electronics deserves to be fed by a newer, better cartridge as well.

(Can it be long before I determine my preamp really needs to be replaced by a Ref 5 SE as well? )

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by BillK

(Can it be long before I determine my preamp really needs to be replaced by a Ref 5 SE as well? )

Resistance is futile

[joeling]

Congratulations !

Regards,
Joe Ling

[Jerome W]

Congrats !

Although mine is not the SE version, I fully subscribe to your analysis.
Enjoy it in great health for many many years !

[chessman]

BillK, a BIG congrats!!

[Ritmo]

Congratulations Bill!

BTW, thanks for the warning!

Mike

[TMcD]

Great stuff Bill. Don't think you could go wrong with a Ref 5SE.

[Fabiano]

I knew I shouldn't open this thread, even though I was warned not to!!!

[BillK]

You can read about it, just don't listen to it or risk damage to your checkbook.

[piolaxo]

This was coming: