REF Phono 2 review in this issue of TONEAudio

[Tonepub]

In case you haven't downloaded issue 33, we have an extensive review of the REF 2 phono as well as a tour of ARC, for those of you that haven't been there.

enjoy....

[cmalak]

Thx Jeff...looking forward to read it.

[turntable]

Nice review Jeff. I think I am going to have to try and have another listen, the dealer should have moved it from 200 to 400 hours by now.

How does it compare to the Burmeister 100 ?

[Tonepub]

The Burmester has a little bit more bass slam and ultimate dynamics. The ARC has a bit more midrange magic. The ARC has more image depth and the Burmester has a little more width. (in my system) Both are equally good with resolution and detail. The Burmester requires you to decide whether your 2 inputs are MM or MC, where the ARC lets you configure the inputs on the fly.

The Burmester is just a touch quieter, but we are splitting hairs here.

Both have fantastic build quality, but the Burmester (without the ADC) is about $17k and the REF is only $12k, that's a lot of records...

I'll have a full review in Dec issue of the 100.

I think it would be down to system synergy, whether you'd eventually want an ADC to digitize your vinyl and whether you want to screw around with tubes or not. As the rest of my system is SS (Burmester), and I probably listen to digital 60% of the time, the tube thing wasn't an issue.

Also, I already have a great 2ch digital recorder, the Nagra LB, so I don't really need the extra functionality the 100 offers.

The Burmester 100 and the ARC REF Phono 2 are both fantastic. I could live happily ever after with either, but in my particular combination of gear, I chose the REF, but if I didn't have the Nagra, I could have been swayed to the Burmester too.

[turntable]

Thanks for that, nice summary. Tubes are not a problem, my whole system is tubes. :-)

is either unit any more forgiving of of not so great / some alternative records ?

The importer of ARC is also the Burmister importer.

cheers

[Tonepub]

Both are pretty neutral, in my opinion, the ARC has a little more midrange "Magic".
Not sure what you've done with your ART 3, but you can always voice that a little more towards the romantic side, depending on your tube choices there....

[turntable]

Jeff, I just re-read you MM or MC comment re Burmester. thanks for mentioning that. So it has to be either or, not a combo or both the same?

I want to have MM or MC or any combo of both. I will run definately the MM technics P100C mk4 and Ortofon A90, but want the option to have run any combo of MM's and MC's if I desire. ARC Ref2 phono it is.

ART3 is stock. I do have some JJ 6922 tubes that are a little more mellow.

I did not find the Ref2 phono bright when I listened to it, nice and extended.

[Tonepub]

Each input has to be defined when you order it, so you can have any combination of MM or MC inputs on the Burmester 100. However the ARC lets you set gain on the front panel or via the remote, so if you start out with say, 1MM input and 1MC input it's just a flick of the switch to change it to two MC inputs, etc etc. With The Burmester if you order it with one MM and one MC input and decide you would like 2 MC inputs it has to go back to the dealer and I believe the cards have to be swapped.

As I'm always reviewing a fair amount of cartridges, I like the added flexibility of the ARC, however not everyone will need that.

[howiebrou]

Jeff,

How do you compare the Nagra VPS with the Ref 2 Phono?

howie

[Tonepub]

Well, that's what I sold to buy the ARC....



The REF definitely has more weight and more dimension in all three areas. Think of the VPS as a 330i and the REF as an M3!

And I'm looking at your table in the next couple of weeks, as soon as it gets here!