Argh, I sold my Ref5se... what was I thinking!

[lloydelee21]

Originally Posted by guitardave

I sold my Ref5se this week, thinking I would find a gently used Ref 10 or be ready for the inevitable Ref 6, but I am having serious withdrawal pain. Does anyone know if a Ref 6 is coming anytime soon?

Wow...you have a Shindo V-R...great stuff. I have heard one of their lesser preamps which cost a fraction of my then preamp (CJ ACT 2). I was amazed at how addictive the Massetto was (i think that is the one i heard)...ultimately, i preferred my ACT 2...but retail to retail, the Masetto was an amazing preamp.

I can only imagine how good your V-R is. Over time, i have eventually upgraded to a CJ GAT so i am dedicated CJ fan i guess you could say...but i have always wanted to hear the greater Shindos. (FWIW, i respected the 5SE but did not love it nearly as much as my CJ GAT...but i COULD believe that one of the higher Shindos could tempt me).

What happens as you go higher up the Shindo chain? I have heard the voicing is identical...just better in every way...but i wonder if you can share anything more specific...extension, bass, clarity/detail?

Good luck finding a 5SE...but i am amazed after V-R you wish to have both!

[turntable]

100% agree with lloyd

the wisest choice you have ever made was selling the Ref5se. I owned one and hated it. Easily the worst piece of hifi equip I have ever bought. Sometimes you don't know how good you have it until you change.

The cj GAT is better in absolutely every respect whether it be SE or balanced.

there is one on audiogon for less tha 10k atm. Buy that and NEVER look back.

cheers

[guitardave]

The ARC experience and the Shindo experience are different. The VR-L is a great preamp, and an incredible value, as is the 5se.
The Shindo is riveting, and impossible to ignore. It is not for background music. Nothing would get done. It is full of nuance and expression, and of course musicality.
The 5se is a bit more analytic, but still more musical than the previous ARC preamps, and is a Swiss army knife for anything you want to connect to it, and also sounds great.
I like both.

[analog brother]

Originally Posted by turntable

100% agree with lloyd

the wisest choice you have ever made was selling the Ref5se. I owned one and hated it. Easily the worst piece of hifi equip I have ever bought. Sometimes you don't know how good you have it until you change.

The cj GAT is better in absolutely every respect whether it be SE or balanced.

there is one on audiogon for less tha 10k atm. Buy that and NEVER look back.

cheers

hahaha! was it really that bad?
you make it sound so bad!

[Number95]

Originally Posted by turntable

100% agree with lloyd

the wisest choice you have ever made was selling the Ref5se. I owned one and hated it. Easily the worst piece of hifi equip I have ever bought. Sometimes you don't know how good you have it until you change.

The cj GAT is better in absolutely every respect whether it be SE or balanced.

there is one on audiogon for less tha 10k atm. Buy that and NEVER look back.

cheers

Absolutely nonsense piece of information unless you had a faulty Ref5se.

[doggiehowser]

I disagree. If you have equipment that works best with balanced connections, a properly run in Ref 5SE IMHO bested the CJ through the same gear.

[2fastdriving]

Man, what has gotten into everyone on arc gear lately? We have this thread where people claim the Ref5se is horrible, and another thread that claims the ref75 and Ref 150 are worthless compared to the new "flagship" gs150! Gimme a break.

Nothing arc makes in this league is bad, it's all very, very good, and although there's always "better" and "worse", let's cut the hyperbole!

[2fastdriving]

Man, what has gotten into everyone on arc gear lately? We have this thread where people claim the Ref5se is horrible, and another thread that claims the ref75 and Ref 150 are worthless compared to the new "flagship" gs150! Gimme a break.

Nothing arc makes in this league is bad, it's all very, very good, and although there's always "better" and "worse", let's cut the hyperbole!

[2fastdriving]

Sorry, having phone issues.

[Alki]

Originally Posted by 2fastdriving

Man, what has gotten into everyone on arc gear lately? We have this thread where people claim the Ref5se is horrible, and another thread that claims the ref75 and Ref 150 are worthless compared to the new "flagship" gs150! Gimme a break.

Nothing arc makes in this league is bad, it's all very, very good, and although there's always "better" and "worse", let's cut the hyperbole!

+1, when individuals make the statements that caused you to write this response it reduces their credibility. IMO when you compare most well known components in a similar price range one will not smear, crush, aniolate, or mop the floor with the other. But every one is entitled to their opininion, my guess is that it helps them justify what they paid for their new component.