After carefully inspecting my unit versus your excellent photo I can see that the only difference in the board are the capacitors and the blue wires are now brown. I find curious that although the PCB has a new copyright mark it still carries the fixing wholes for the plastic supports of the large white Teflon capacitors. Perhaps just in case someone wants to upgrade the REF10 to the Anniversary version!
I've pointed it before and I'll say it again, those gold caps were used in the older ref 3/5 line and the ref 110/210/610. For some reason, and it had better be for better sonics, ARC reverted to them in their newest products, the ref 10 and the ref 75. I have not seen the innards of the new ref cd9 but I'm curious to find out what output caps they used. If the gold caps do indeed sound better, why does the upgrade for the ref 5/ref phono 2 to SE status include the white Teflon caps? And your right, micro, the audio board of the ref 10 looks like a clone of the ref 40. I wonder if the 5k premium is for better sonics or that fancy touch screen display?
Dafos,My mistake for jumping into conclusions based on the color of what could simply be just the color of a components outer skin. Regarding the ref 10, I've seen and even heard one (not in ideal conditions though) and I must say, at least for me, it's a beautiful looking design. The thing is, I don't believe ARC feels it owes its customers, current or potential, any explanation on why they use a certain component, save for want is claimed in their website. Seems they prefer to let their products do the talking thru reviews and of course, personal auditions. At the end of the day, who gives a hoot on the dielectric of a capacitor, similar to what does it matter on what material a speaker driver or enclosure is made of, so long as it sounds good.
They are very slow updating the website.
Now they have a new product, the CD9, and no info what so ever from them.
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