M3000 MK2 Vs. ARC Ref 150SE

[Olskool]

Need your thoughts and considerations on this: my entire system is based on ARC Reference (Ref5 SE, Ref2, VS-115). I am about to bring my amplification up to Reference level (Ref 150 SE or Allnic M3000 MK2). I recently heard a system (based primarily on Allnic) powered by Allnic M3000 MK2 Mono blocs. That system provided a wonderful, full range, musical and neutral sound! A few weeks prior I heard the same system with ARC 250 mono blocks and the sound was similar but the Allnics seemed to me to be more realistic and inviting! I must add that full Allnic system had very high end peripherals; power cables, speaker cables and speakers.

I've built a pretty good sounding system if I do say so myself, and it remains primarily about the music for me. This is the time for reasearch and your experinces are key research tools.

I'd like to hear from others with Allnic experience as well as those with ARC Ref 150 / 150 SE experience for any thoughts I may want to consider? Allnic seems to have comparatively little press and is not as widely discussed. I have little experience to draw from regarding reliability, or value for Allnic. It is a question as well about mixing brands and symetry considerations. Obviously though, the sound it produced has not left me but I am not unhappy with ARC at all. Looking forward to your responses. Thanks in advance. Olskool

[The Lost Bears]

I don't think you can make a true comparison without hearing both amps in your system. You don't know how much the speakers in the Allnic system were contributing to the sound. Or the rest of the system for that mater. I would bring home an Allnic amp and try it in your system. The next weekend I would bring home a Ref 150se and see how it sounds. That is the only way to know for sure.

I would also consider that the preamp has more impact on the sound than the amp. So would you want to also change your preamp? There is a synergy in an all ARC Ref system that I like. You might also consider changing cables. I tried Nordost Heimdalll 2 along with a number of other cables. In my all ARC system I preferred Shunyata by a large margin. I did not try Wireworld so I am not sure how they would sound compared to the Shunyata.

[Olskool]

Thanks for that. Yes a demo is in order and in the plans. Interesting to hear about Shunyatta cabling and power. I was all Heimdahl then upgraded to Tyr level interconnects from Nordost and thought I was in tall cotton (that's Texan ) . I then discovered Dueland DGA15 & DGA20 cables which is silver wrapped copper cables with oil baked cotton covers and I never looked back. I had them made up XLR for my entire mains suite of interconnects. I tried them first for speaker cables but my speakers are not efficient enough for them to really shine. I ended up getting Tyr speaker cables and man am I happy with that combination!

I suspect the all ARC synergy will ultimately win me over, but I intend to check them both out thoroughly. By the way looks like you have a fantastic system, and you're right, life is too short to have ugly speakers! Thanks for the reply! Olskool