Ref 5 SE Fever? I say wait.

[dmnc02]

Originally Posted by TOGA

But I think ARC make such a good sound for a very reasonable price partly due to cheap material they used on the case and remote. So we get great sound without spending to much $$$.

Toga, I do not believe the plexigas cover was ever intended to be a cost-saving measure. You could have specified your Reference Anniversary with a standard metal cover as a zero-cost option.

[guitardave]

The top on my Ref5se is very slightly warped, but not enough to bother me. I have 150 hrs on it. The warping occurred in the first hours, and has stabilized since. It is an extraordinary preamp. I am thrilled to have it. Mated with a Ref 150 has really shown the abilities of both products!

[jpgr4blu]

4" clearance on top of Ref 40 gives me slight droop on plexiglass top.
10" clearance on top of Ref Phono 2---no droop.
I'm not bothered by it.

[Ritmo]

Well, mine is also a little warped - right above the larger tube. I contacted the dealer yesterday. They are aware of the situation with the plexi top - it is not uncommon. Also, they offered to get me a metal top but also mentioned that the plexi sounds better.

Bottom line, while I'm not very happy about the top slight warp, I'm extremely happy with the sound of the 5SE and, yes, no regrets on this unit. Oh, BTW, I do plan to get the metal top.

Mike

[jpspock]

Hi Guys,

I am a very, very glad owner of a REF5 (900 hours) and I think I will upgrade it to SE. But I would like to profit of your experiences. What are the mains differences between both???

Many thanks.

jp

[enatai252]

I have a Ref Phono2 SE, Ref 5SE and Ref 40...all three have the plexiglass and silver attaching screws which have rounded tops and all warp down slightly...each with about 5.5" of clearance on top. I also have the metal tops for each unit. I have enjoyed the sound of each of these units so much that I have hesitated to switch to the metal covers....

For me...

1. I couldn't be happier with the sound
2. I have to look at an angle to see any signs of warping...so I don't
3. I don't fault ARC...as they could have just stuck with the metal...
4. My OCD fallback is I have the metal covers if I need them

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by Ritmo

Well, mine is also a little warped - right above the larger tube. I contacted the dealer yesterday. They are aware of the situation with the plexi top - it is not uncommon. Also, they offered to get me a metal top but also mentioned that the plexi sounds better.

Bottom line, while I'm not very happy about the top slight warp, I'm extremely happy with the sound of the 5SE and, yes, no regrets on this unit. Oh, BTW, I do plan to get the metal top.

Mike.......I hope you do a listening test comparison between the plexiglass cover and the metal cover when it arrives. I am curious to see if you can confirm or not whether the plexiglass cover actually sounds better like the AR rep said.

[Ritmo]

Dan,

I'll do that. Although I'm not in a rush to do a test. I only have about 3" of open space above the Ref 5 SE so I really had to look carefully to see the warp. So, I'm getting the metal top as a contingency.

Sound continues to be terrific and getting better by the hour.

Thanks!
Mike

[Banter]

First of all I have to concur with everyone that the sound from Ref 5se continues to be terrific and better by the hour.
As to some member’s annoyance at the Plexi dimple issue, I have to say this. Most of the high end products come with their share of quirks – we see this on BMW and Audi top end models and even Acura RL had more quarks than European models.
I measured the distance between the top of the 6550 tube and Plexi glass – a mere 5mm. This is too close for the plexi!
My guess is stay tuned for Ref 5SE MK II with a “Fat Boy” version of 6550 that will give higher highs and lower lows. But I think the solution may even come from our own community here.
I do not want to re-arrange my audio rack, and I am hoping someone experienced in tubes will find shorter version of 6550; otherwise it is going to be metal cover for me.

[Sharp 1080]

Why not just run the unit with the cover off? Especially if it is in a rack. If there are no small children or curious people with the temptation to stick their fingers inside the unit. I ran my Classic 120 monoblocks with the covers removed. I would personally stick with metal.