REF 6 v.s. REF 40

[TOGA]

Hi,
In short, I felt the 6 can replace my 40 easily, more solidity, more power and dynamic, way improved user interface and setting. 40 seemed to have more
ease though. But for excitement REF6 surpassed it far ahead.
Toga.
P.S. Ref40 was on 3000 hours old 6H30 gold pin. and 1500 hours 6550C SED.
REF6 was with std. tubes with 700 hours on the clock.

[JPrest]

My experience with the Audio Research tubes, (Ref 5SE) is that there is quite a bit of difference in the stock tubes verses the earlier released 6H30's (1988 through 1991) which are noticeably smoother without giving up any speed or dynamics. I'm wondering how critical this is in the newer Ref6 or 40?

[joey_v]

Originally Posted by TOGA

Hi,
In short, I felt the 6 can replace my 40 easily, more solidity, more power and dynamic, way improved user interface and setting. 40 seemed to have more
ease though. But for excitement REF6 surpassed it far ahead.
Toga.
P.S. Ref40 was on 3000 hours old 6H30 gold pin. and 1500 hours 6550C SED.
REF6 was with std. tubes with 700 hours on the clock.

Can excitement mean it is a bit on the brighter side rather than the more even footed Ref40?

Just curious

[PlanarSpeakerFan]

I had the opportunity to do a direct comparison of the ARC REF6 and REF10 preamps in a system that included an ARC REF CD9 player, ARC REF 150SE amp, Wilson Alexia speakers and Nordost loom of cables.

The REF10 preamp had a smoother and more refined midrange and treble, lower reaching and more robust deep bass, and a soundstage with substantially more width and depth than the REF6. However, what I wasn't expecting was the REF6 preamp's very different sonic signature. The soundstage was much more forward than the REF10, the attacks were more abrupt and the mid-bass was punchier, creating a very vibrant and more aggressive sound. In some ways this provided more immediacy to the music but at the expense of some edginess compared to the REF10's silky smooth midrange and treble. The best single word I can use to describe the REF6's sound is "ballsy", while the best single word to describe the REF10's sound is "refined". While I really liked and could be happy with the overall sound of the REF6, being a lover of jazz vocals, jazz piano, jazz guitar and small jazz combos, the REF10's sound really did it for me. Nevertheless, the REF6 is one of the best sounding preamps at its price point.

Ken

[elem79]

I had a REF 5SE and compared to that it just did everything more gracefully. Smoother, fuller sounding and a deeper soundstage. Like Michael Fremer said, it's the type of component you can drop in and be very happy with. One thing I'll never get is descriptors like , edgey and aggressive.

I'm sure the REF 10 is amazing and should be considering the price difference, but to that end the REF 6 sounds plenty smooth while retaining some excitement and dynamic propulsion.

I'll add that system context is always important. However ultra smooth is nice, but can become boring, and I suspect that brings us full circle back to the point the op was making about the REf 6 being more exciting.

Eric

[PlanarSpeakerFan]

On the other side of the coin, exciting can potentially become fatiguing over time. I did not say the REF6 was aggressive and edgy sounding, I said it was more aggressive and edgy in the upper midrange and treble than the REF10, relatively speaking. Keep in mind the REF10 costs more than double the price of the REF6 so it should sound a lot better, which it does. IMO, the REF10 is the best sounding preamp I have heard, regardless of price. My previous preamps were the Soulution 520, Pass Labs XP-30 and Cary SLP-05. I also had the opportunity to audition the VAC Master in my system as well.

Ken

[elem79]

Originally Posted by PlanarSpeakerFan

On the other side of the coin, exciting can potentially become fatiguing over time. I did not say the REF6 was aggressive and edgy sounding, I said it was more aggressive and edgy in the upper midrange and treble than the REF10, relatively speaking. Keep in mind the REF10 costs more than double the price of the REF6 so it should sound a lot better, which it does. IMO, the REF10 is the best sounding preamp I have heard, regardless of price. My previous preamps were the Soulution 520, Pass Labs XP-30 and Cary SLP-05. I also had the opportunity to audition the VAC Master in my system as well.

Ken

Well I've never been even close to fatigued by the REF 6. I happy you like your REF 10, but no reason to lead people to believe the REF 6 is fatiguing or edgey. Let's agree to disagree.

[PlanarSpeakerFan]

I know two people who have sold the REF6 for precisely the reasons I am describing. However, it very much comes down to component matching. With a forgiving digital front end such as the ARC REF CD-9, the synergy with the REF6 is wonderful and the overall sound quality is extremely pleasing with no fatigue. However, with some other high quality digital front ends, the pairing has produced some upper midrange and treble edginess that was fatiguing to the point that these two people sold their REF6's. So I would not consider what I am saying to be misleading at all.

Ken

[elem79]

Well I would take the " I know some people" comment with a grain of salt... most forums suffer from this comment. That's what I love about forums everyone knows someone who says this or that and then makes it their own experience. Probably best to speak to your own experience in the context of the conversation. The op posted that he preferred the REF 6 over the 40th anniversary. You turned this in to the REF 10 vs. the REF 6 thread again, thought we did that thread already. So yeah it's misleading to tell people what you heard around the internet unless you heard it in your own system and that's the place I'm speaking from.

[cleeds]

Originally Posted by elem79

Well I would take the " I know some people" comment with a grain of salt... most forums suffer from this comment. That's what I love about forums everyone knows someone who says this or that and then makes it their own experience. Probably best to speak to your own experience in the context of the conversation.

+1
There's no substitute for first-hand experience.