Audio Research REF 6 Preamp

[MikeCh]

From another member i got this tip:

if you want to burn-in them just get some wires with alligator clips. If the preamplier is turned - off, the capacitors are in a medium -impedance state as the cathode resistor is around 10 kohm and the other wire of the capacitor is grounded by the mute relay.

That would be the best solution. I`m +/- 100% sure that I will not harm my beloved preamplifier ? I was also thinking about this, and even take out the valves out to be sure I don't damage anything.. Can another forum member approve this approach?

Reckless. You can't be serious.

Call or write ARC directly and ask them how to do the modifications & connections.

[La Dolce Vita]

Hi Andy,

You raise an excellent point. Some owners, like yourself, love the Ref 6's sound from day one. Other owners need to go fully through the break in process before they find audio nirvana. I would encourage those owners to withhold judgement until the Ref 6 has at least 600 hours on it.

I have loved the sound of my Ref 10 since day one. But I've been told that I will keep hearing improvement until about 600 hours. I'm currently at 250 hours and I'm still hearing consistent improvement in terms of smoothness, refinement and dimension.

Best,
Ken

Hi Ken,

Glad your experience with the Ref 10 is similar to mine. I do believe with use these components benefit from burn in and settle down to their in age character but the difference is subtle. Sounded great from day one and only better now. The Ref 6 now has a place in my reference system.

Best always...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[slowikpl]

Hello ,

I’m a proud owner of Audio Research Reference 6 Preamplifier. I want to combine this unit with SS Amplifier the Vitus Audio SM-011. The only question I have will it electric drive the SS- monoblocs via the XLR connection?
The Sterophile test of my Reference 6 says in the measurement: The balanced output clipped at 2.7V into 600 ohms; like the Ref 5, the Ref 6 should not be used with power amplifiers having an input impedance of less than 10k ohms.
Read more at http://www.stereophile.com/content/a...XSulREJtzz2.99

The XLR impedance of the SS Amplifier the Vitus Audio SM-011 is 10KΩ 10KΩ
Read more at: http://www.vitusaudio.com/files/4405...28-10-2016.pdf


And here the predecessor SM-010 was even tested with the Reference 5 Preamplifier with good results.
http://www.tonepublications.com/review/heavy-metal/

[Mike]

The REF5SE with my Vitus SS-103 worked beautifully.

[slowikpl]

Thanks Mike for the quick response. I think I will go “blind” for the SM-011 after you and many more people who have advised me this brand in Class-A amplifiers. I hope this will be major step up from my XA-160.5

[Mike]

Thanks Mike for the quick response. I think I will go “blind” for the SM-011 after you and many more people who have advised me this brand in Class-A amplifiers. I hope this will be major step up from my XA-160.5

I don't think you will be disappointed.

[mep]

I have purchased new Audiodharma Cable Cocke r. In the meantime I`m asking myself if the result will blown me away with the speaker-Capacitor burn-in , maybe I should also burn the capacitors of my new Preamplifier the Audio Research Reference 6 ? Thake them out and burn properly on the Cable Cocker ;-) Just a thought, the unit sounds great imho. I like soldering and make some test ;-) Does anybody know somebody done that ?

This is a joke right? Unless you hold IPC solder certifications and have a really good soldering station which includes a desoldering tool, you stand a good chance of causing damage to the circuit board. You will most certainly void your warranty and your value on the used market if you disclose your shenanigans (which would also prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are a crazy audiophile) would drop faster than a used prophylactic.

[slowikpl]

This is a joke right? Unless you hold IPC solder certifications and have a really good soldering station which includes a desoldering tool, you stand a good chance of causing damage to the circuit board. You will most certainly void your warranty and your value on the used market if you disclose your shenanigans (which would also prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are a crazy audiophile) would drop faster than a used prophylactic.

Hi Mep.

I was jest asking myself and also here if anyone has tried this. The outcome by cocking Duelund capacitors after one year of use was beyond my belief! I'm just thinking about speed up this process in Reference 6 and even my thinking is that good capacitors can never been broken in without this peace of treatment! Really! Voodoo equipment!
I will after this reactions not do this to Ref 6.

[Golum]

After chasing and thinking of swapping my long time companion in form of ModWright LS36.5DM with REF5SE and unsuccessful chase for it across Europe I've stumbled on almost new REF6 which I could not resist to, so as of today I finally have an ARC preamp from REF series. Previously I had LS2B and LS16mkII so this should be, from my point of view, a big come back to the ARC family. Unfortunately I'll have to wait for a few weeks to plug it in due to planned trips, but the longer you wait for something to happen the sweater it gets when you get it .

[Mike]

After chasing and thinking of swapping my long time companion in form of ModWright LS36.5DM with REF5SE and unsuccessful chase for it across Europe I've stumbled on almost new REF6 which I could not resist to, so as of today I finally have an ARC preamp from REF series. Previously I had LS2B and LS16mkII so this should be, from my point of view, a big come back to the ARC family. Unfortunately I'll have to wait for a few weeks to plug it in due to planned trips, but the longer you wait for something to happen the sweater it gets when you get it .

Congrats!! Great preamp.

[hifinutt]

After chasing and thinking of swapping my long time companion in form of ModWright LS36.5DM with REF5SE and unsuccessful chase for it across Europe I've stumbled on almost new REF6 which I could not resist to, so as of today I finally have an ARC preamp from REF series. Previously I had LS2B and LS16mkII so this should be, from my point of view, a big come back to the ARC family. Unfortunately I'll have to wait for a few weeks to plug it in due to planned trips, but the longer you wait for something to happen the sweater it gets when you get it .

interesting , I absolutely adored my ref 5 and ref 5se [ couriers lost my ref 5!] it had a beautiful textured sound . sadly had to sell for financial reasons but gradually working my way up again . had the 36.5 modwright for a while and then most recently got the 36.5dm . its good and beautifully made but aiming for the ref 6 . now they are VERY rare s/h in uk so waiting for the se to come out . anyone know when that is ?

however a well meaning dealer lent me a grandinote proemio [Italian ] pre and my word that is easily up to the dm level so might persue that as well as the ref 6 as the proemio is SS and no valves to worry about

an engineer I know is currently working on an arc anniversary pre which I saw last week , fabulous engineering !

[bonzo]

Phil, see if you can find the Ref 40 used. It has a separate power supply and if the ref 10 was anything to go by, it will be the dog's bollocks. Just one thing, if you are driving a SS amp (in case you still have your MSB) you might want to check impedance match and the VTL will be better to drive a SS amp.

interesting , I absolutely adored my ref 5 and ref 5se [ couriers lost my ref 5!] it had a beautiful textured sound . sadly had to sell for financial reasons but gradually working my way up again . had the 36.5 modwright for a while and then most recently got the 36.5dm . its good and beautifully made but aiming for the ref 6 . now they are VERY rare s/h in uk so waiting for the se to come out . anyone know when that is ?

however a well meaning dealer lent me a grandinote proemio [Italian ] pre and my word that is easily up to the dm level so might persue that as well as the ref 6 as the proemio is SS and no valves to worry about

an engineer I know is currently working on an arc anniversary pre which I saw last week , fabulous engineering !

[hifinutt]

thanks kedar . yes ref 10 are still extortionate prices and having seen the complexity of the anniversary I am a bit nervous if it needs repair . yes still using the amazing msb s200 , it really does sound good . I bet the high end grandinote would give arc pre amps a real run for their money . have you ever heard any ?

good to know re the vtl powering the ss amp

[bonzo]

thanks kedar . yes ref 10 are still extortionate prices and having seen the complexity of the anniversary I am a bit nervous if it needs repair . yes still using the amazing msb s200 , it really does sound good . I bet the high end grandinote would give arc pre amps a real run for their money . have you ever heard any ?

good to know re the vtl powering the ss amp

The ref 40 is similar to 10 and discontinued so available cheaper. 10 is more user friendly and a couple of caps. There is an article on audiobeat describing sonic differences but I understand they are minimal. VTL 7.5 mkII and III have low impedance and put out a lot of current to drive SS amps. I personally haven't compared VTL to ref 10 but you will see that in Roy Gregory's review.