ARC Ref 75 vs. Ref 75 SE

I generally don't add thing here, but I wanted to say that I just traded in my REF 110 for a REF 75SE.   All I can say is that it more than exceeded my expectations.  Truth is that I got it because I got a slamming good deal and I liked the fact that I can adjust the bias without going into  the internals (I got zapped once when adjusting the REF 110 and it was not fun).   But I figured that I was trading down in power so, other than the convenience of the REF 75SE, I wasn't expecting a noticeable change in the sound.  And I do believe that in this hobby(?), addiction(?), compulsion(?) we have a tendency to rave when we cave into our incessant need to spend more money and buy new gear.    But the 75SE really was a game changer.  Like most, I have a series of "test albums."  When I put on Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat (running a Air Tight PC-1 Supreme through an ARC REF 2 phono, a ARC REF5 pre, and now the REF 75SE, into Sonus Faber Cremona M's), I heard things I never heard before.  I'm not saying that I was hearing things better than I had heard them before, I'm saying I heard things I never heard before.   A very low baritone voice in some harmonies...a soft triangle...all suddenly appeared in an album I've listen to scores of times.  Definition I had never heard before.   And then there was the bass.   Drums snapped.  BAM. Sharp.  It was amazing.   

With the meters, I also realized that in my admittedly small listening room (a dedicated room in which only vinyl is played), I realized that at my normal listening level and my fairly efficient speakers, I was never actually using the extra power my REF 110 ever kicked out.   

So, yes, the ARC REF 75SE is expensive.  And yes, Audio Research has its distractors, but I am quite happy with my upgrade.

Also, for all of you out there, all I can wish for you is that you too find someone in your life like Alison (my partner in all).   A partner who insists on having Sonus Faber Liutos as the bed room speakers and YG Acoustic Carmels in the family room, and who actually can tell and appreciate the difference in speaker cables.   I am a lucky person.  And for the record, my gear might be for sale, but she isn't :)

Co93: I believe what you are hearing, in the ARC REF 75se, is stability. The "new" sounds you are hearing have always been there but the instability in your former electronics was masking them. I'm not an EE, so I can't explain the particulars, but when we finally get ultimate equipment it will give us a feeling of natural stability. I think this is the biggest part of the new MQA technology. Mr. Stuart keeps referring to "temporal smearing" and how MQA eliminates it.

Dweller.   Take note, it was all done on vinyl.  Same gear except for the amp,  same album....  MQA is a digital thing, isn't it?

MQA is a digital thing, isn't it?

I guess it's obvious dweller is not an EE?

Um, same problem different medium. Sorry I didn't spell that out for you.

Same problem?   Didnt realize vinyl had a compression problem...  Imagine that.  I learn something new every day!  And here I thought it had something to do with the larger electron plate in the KT150s...

If you are hearing more information from the same vinyl, your new electronics are probably the reason? I'm saying the REF 75se has corrected whatever problem(s) were concealing this revealed sound from you. Try to keep up...