- Thread Author
- #1
Well, I have had my Audio Research Reference 10 and I am fast approaching the magical 600 hour mark. I can honestly say, it is one of the single best audio purchases I have ever made.
In the beginning, the ARC REF 10 had some good days and average days (but never bad days) as it was breaking in. Sometimes, I could literally hear it hit the next level in performance, I would click over to the hours meter and see "103" - and know that the ARC manual was right. At about 100 hours something did happen. It's quite amazing to be honest how gear - especially tube gear - has to break in.
After about 450 hours, the preamp rarely had any more "average" days and sonically produced fabulous music every time I turned it on. The ability of the preamp to be seamlessly transparent from top to bottom, with such lucidity and resolve, is just amazing. Fed a good source (such as DSD or Vinyl), the REF 10 has the ability to provide three-dimentional imaging like no other preamp I have heard. The ARC REF 10 also truly lacks any coloration and provides an outstanding degree of punch, speed and articulation. The REF 10 resolves timbres in such a way, that acoustic guitar, piano and voices sounded more real than with any other preamp I've had in my system.
Overall, at the magical 600 hour mark, the REF 10 has exceeded my wildest expectations of what a preamp can do in a system. I am certainly now, more than ever, a believer in the value of a great preamp and a believer in the new wave of ARC gear - which to me - sounds richer, fuller and more realistic in timber than with previous ARC preamps I've heard - and come to think of it - any other preamp I've heard.
In the beginning, the ARC REF 10 had some good days and average days (but never bad days) as it was breaking in. Sometimes, I could literally hear it hit the next level in performance, I would click over to the hours meter and see "103" - and know that the ARC manual was right. At about 100 hours something did happen. It's quite amazing to be honest how gear - especially tube gear - has to break in.
After about 450 hours, the preamp rarely had any more "average" days and sonically produced fabulous music every time I turned it on. The ability of the preamp to be seamlessly transparent from top to bottom, with such lucidity and resolve, is just amazing. Fed a good source (such as DSD or Vinyl), the REF 10 has the ability to provide three-dimentional imaging like no other preamp I have heard. The ARC REF 10 also truly lacks any coloration and provides an outstanding degree of punch, speed and articulation. The REF 10 resolves timbres in such a way, that acoustic guitar, piano and voices sounded more real than with any other preamp I've had in my system.
Overall, at the magical 600 hour mark, the REF 10 has exceeded my wildest expectations of what a preamp can do in a system. I am certainly now, more than ever, a believer in the value of a great preamp and a believer in the new wave of ARC gear - which to me - sounds richer, fuller and more realistic in timber than with previous ARC preamps I've heard - and come to think of it - any other preamp I've heard.
