Audio Research REF 10 phono

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
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New York City
I am using a 750 Ohm Vishay to load my Benz. This is a big improvement on the standard 47K with this cartridge.

Which is 10X the internal impedance IIRC.
 

wizard

Member
Oct 17, 2010
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wizard-highend.blogspot.com




At Highend 2013.
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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I am using a 750 Ohm Vishay to load my Benz. This is a big improvement on the standard 47K with this cartridge.

Who ever said 47K was a "standard" load for any Benz MC cartridge?? 47K completely unloads a MC cartridge so basically, you are not loading it at all.
 

tdh888

Well-Known Member
Nov 4, 2010
298
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Philippines
Hi to all,


I had the opputunity to listen t the Ref Phono 10 last night and even w/ just 9 hours out of the box its way better than the Ref Phono 2SE. Its soundstage is deeper, wider and broader. Its not dark sounding but it has more body and imaging and musical instrument are more delineated and better separation. Its more dynamic and even w/ complex musical information retrieve from the vinyl there is no compression. There is increase detail retrieval w/ out being analytical. I wonder how it will sound if its matched w/ the Ref 10 linestage. The associated equipment used are the following. VPI HRX, JMW 12.7 w / super platter, Clearaudio Statement cartridge loaded 50 ohms, ARC Ref 40 Anniversary, Ref 750 monoblocks, B&W 800 Signature. JL F 212 subwoofer.
 

Frank750

VIP/Donor
Jul 8, 2011
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I don't know the answer to loading it that closely however I have been told by my "sources" that this unit is going to blow away all the analog guys. It will be a bigger difference than a REF 10 or REF 40 to a REF 5 and will make your turntable and cartridge sound just otherworldly.
I ordered one for a client this week and I cant wait to hear what it does with his Goldfinger/Graham arm combo into a REF10/REF750 combo.
My loading expertise is limited since I mostly liked my cartridges run into the 47k input however I look fowarded to trying the different combinations.
Myles perhaps you could write a note to ARC with suggestions?

Elliot, have you had a chance to listen? I'm considering the Ref 10 pre and phono. Any feedback would be appreciated.
 

Frank750

VIP/Donor
Jul 8, 2011
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Is 600 Hour breakin a reality ? Seems awful long to me. You end up using almost 1/2 a cartridges life before it's broken in...

You can connect your CD player and use the Granite Audio phono burn in disc. It really is 600 hours though. At least it was with the Ref 5, Ref 2 phono and Anniversary pre. I believe it's the caps that take the longest to burn in.
 

asiufy

Industry Expert/VIP Donor
Jul 8, 2011
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almaaudio.com
Yes, they were sold, a while ago actually. Now part of Fine Sounds, same people who own Sonus faber, McIntosh, Wadia, etc.

The old line is still there. It's just the website that kinds of "hides" them. If you click on the tiny dots below each line, you'll see the rest of the products in each segment. Or you can click on "View All".


alexandre
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
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I
Yes, they were sold, a while ago actually. Now part of Fine Sounds, same people who own Sonus faber, McIntosh, Wadia, etc.

The old line is still there. It's just the website that kinds of "hides" them. If you click on the tiny dots below each line, you'll see the rest of the products in each segment. Or you can click on "View All".


alexandre
So the new g line shares none of the old ARC tech ? Are the hidden older Reference series products still being sold ?
 

DonH50

Member Sponsor & WBF Technical Expert
Jun 22, 2010
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"Are the hidden older Reference series products still being sold ?"

They aren't really hidden, just click on "view all" next to the product category title on the Products page and they appear along with the rest of the components in each category. All still available. According to the website the G-series are just the next evolution in ARC.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
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So the new g line shares none of the old ARC tech ? Are the hidden older Reference series products still being sold ?

As far as I know the new power amplifier is a disguised REF150 with a few improvements, such as the KT150's. I may be wrong, we will have to wait until we have access to some photos of the internals. Do you know that the REF10 used the same PCBs in the audio sections that were used in the Anniversary Preamplifier?
 

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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As far as I know the new power amplifier is a disguised REF150 with a few improvements, such as the KT150's. I may be wrong, we will have to wait until we have access to some photos of the internals. Do you know that the REF10 used the same PCBs in the audio sections that were used in the Anniversary Preamplifier?

I had the gs150 in my system for a few days and have listened to it for a considerable time driving speakers I'm familiar with. It's substantially better than the Reference amplifiers. The preamp isn't even close to the REF10.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
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Portugal
I had the gs150 in my system for a few days and have listened to it for a considerable time driving speakers I'm familiar with. It's substantially better than the Reference amplifiers. The preamp isn't even close to the REF10.

This was my problem. The REF amplifiers used with their matching REF40 or REF10 show an extreme coherency. Although the GS150 sounds more "alive" and different from the REF's it did not operate the magic of removing the electromechanical aspect of sound reproduction in such a good way. My auditions of the GS150 were however carried in shop auditoriums, not in my system and the preamplifier was the REF5SE, not the REF10 or REF40.
 

Frank750

VIP/Donor
Jul 8, 2011
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I'm planning on demoing the Ref 10 Phono with the Pass Xs preamp and the Ref 10 preamp in my system sometime soon. I've had both Ref pieces in before but that was before I installed the big Torus panel and changed my cables from MIT to Odin. Only problem will be the 20A IECs on the ARC units.
 

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