The Long Jump; from Project Tube Box SE II to ARC Ref 2 Phono stage!

Olskool

Olskool

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Dec 6, 2013
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Location
McKinney, TX
Well gang, Santa showed up at my house late but man did he show up with goodies! :D I ran across a very attractive deal on a Ref 2 Phono and it is now sitting in my stack and I am completely charmed!:rolleyes:Since it is only a Ref 2 and not a Ref 2 SE i won't try to bore or impress you with a long report: I have an entirely new library of previously unheard vinyl (same library of years just new unheard music in them!). Fabulous dynamics, very neutral and full of detail, rising out of an amazing black background with big amplification off hi 74db gain output, thanks to Heimdahl XLR interconnects. The soundstage is wide, deep, and nicely layered with excellent spacial imaging detail. Its showing me a very deft and delicate touch as I write this while playing my trusty Audition test album (The All Star Percussion Ensemble - GS LP 001 R). It rocked Count Basie and Duke Ellington's "First Time." In short, I LOVE IT!

I have one question you experienced ARC Ref equipment guys might be able to answer. The unit seems to be playing very well in every aspect but I noticed last night at the end of a very long session what smelled like cook-off from a transformer, not overly pungent but noticeable. Ive heard of this before but not sure if it is known to occur here with the Ref 2 or do I have something to be concerned about? I don't smell it now and have been playing for about an hour and a half or so. I'll try to snap of a shot or two. Olskool
 
Olskool - welcome! Congrats on the great new gear. Regarding the smell, check that the tubes are getting red or glowing overly bright. Could be a bad tube. Maybe.
Do you know how many hours the tubes have on them? How many hours on the phonostage itself?
 
Mike said:
Olskool - welcome! Congrats on the great new gear. Regarding the smell, check that the tubes are getting red or glowing overly bright. Could be a bad tube. Maybe.
Do you know how many hours the tubes have on them? How many hours on the phonostage itself?
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike, The phono stage has 3100 hrs and the power tube has about 400.
 
Could be hand grease burning from a tube, sometimes people don't use gloves to handle the tubes


ARC4LIFE
 
You got a great phono preamplifier - I also own the ARC REF2. :audiophile: Are you sure that the smell comes from transformer? If a tube equipment is kept unused for some time when you switch it on after a reasonable warmup time it smells "heated dust" - it is just the dust. I used my VTLs without cage and after holidays I always swept the tubes with a cloth before switching them on - otherwise it would smell "burnt".
 
Congrats! I really like ARC in general and have owned numerous pecs over the years.

Smell - if it's now gone I wouldn't be too concerned but if it occurs then I would suggest looking further into it
 
microstrip said:
You got a great phono preamplifier - I also own the ARC REF2. :audiophile: Are you sure that the smell comes from transformer? If a tube equipment is kept unused for some time when you switch it on after a reasonable warmup time it smells "heated dust" - it is just the dust. I used my VTLs without cage and after holidays I always swept the tubes with a cloth before switching them on - otherwise it would smell "burnt".
Click to expand...

You explained better than me, thank you
 
Thanks everyone. There has been no further smell from the the box at this time.

The ARC system is very very good. Until i got the Ref 2 I believe I under appreciated the performance of my VS-115 upgraded to KT-120 output. Both of these units really seem to compliment each other when paired together although the VS-115 benefitted most. I think this combo will tickle my musical fancy for some time now. Olskool (Larry)
 
Glad to read that you are happy with the changes. It's great when an upgrade exceeds your expectations
 
In: Inside my own refuge. ...Spiritually, and comfortably numb inside the music. ...My music. ...Even the one I create myself (my own playing).

Out: Outside my mansion is a bird's sanctuary. ...A natural habitat of peace, noise-free, beautiful trees and flowers. ...A lake just few feet down, an artist musician/painter right there, a winery just across the street, a ranch on one side, with beautiful horses, an air-field for small planes, beautiful women aplenty, and the ocean in my backyard.

Can you picture this Larry or do you need me to show you? Just trust me; it's not my style to show off.
When you live in constant ecstasy there's no need to show it; you simply live it, and share it the best way you feel it.
{Your 'sanctuary' room though is highly attractive and inspiring - she is deserving to be shown with full merit.}

I'm always in & out; peace inside and outside, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-six days a year.
It has been my ultimate goal in life and I finally realized that I was living my dream without seeing it.
It's just a question of opening my eyes, my ears, and my heart. Then everything comes naturally, in my soul. ------- :)

* Sorry for the small interlude; but I'm just human, when someone ask me a question.
Besides, what's the point of having a great phono stage if it doesn't provide the benefits of a sanctuary?

I'm in, the moment.
 
NorthStar said:
In: Inside my own refuge. ...Spiritually, and comfortably numb inside the music. ...My music. ...Even the one I create myself (my own playing).

Out: Outside my mansion is a bird's sanctuary. ...A natural habitat of peace, noise-free, beautiful trees and flowers. ...A lake just few feet down, an artist musician/painter right there, a winery just across the street, a ranch on one side, with beautiful horses, an air-field for small planes, beautiful women aplenty, and the ocean in my backyard.

Can you picture this Larry or do you need me to show you? Just trust me; it's not my style to show off.
When you live in constant ecstasy there's no need to show it; you simply live it, and share it the best way you feel it.
{Your 'sanctuary' room though is highly attractive and inspiring - she is deserving to be shown with full merit.}

I'm always in & out; peace inside and outside, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-six days a year.
It has been my ultimate goal in life and I finally realized that I was living my dream without seeing it.
It's just a question of opening my eyes, my ears, and my heart. Then everything comes naturally, in my soul. ------- :)

* Sorry for the small interlude; but I'm just human, when someone ask me a question.
Besides, what's the point of having a great phono stage if it doesn't provide the benefits of a sanctuary?

I'm in, the moment.
Click to expand...

Very cool Bob, I get it. It sounds like an absolutely lovely environment! My listening spot is one of the passage ways to my inner sanctuary. When the room is darkened down with just the right light and the music is just the right choice and the system brings all the best of it right to me, whoosh almost instant peace and serenity. It is the fastest route I have to get there as I can completely disconnect although I find plenty of peace and serenity, both spiritually and emotionally elsewhere. Like you, opening my eyes and looking about me will yield much.

I wonder what this would look like in a new thread? "Where do you go when you get into your music space?" I have to dash off to work now but unless someone else starts this one I'll ask it later tonight or tomorrow. By the way, going to work is why the space is important to me to shrug off the day passed at work. I love what i do but I can come home needing to go into the zone at times.

olskool
 
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