The threat of excessive repair costs is why I build my own audio whenever reasonably possible to match or exceed far more expensive factory made amplifiers and preamps using the same parts and design. Often you can use better parts than the manufacturers use. If something goes bad you can easily identify it and replace it, but more than that, you can always use heavier duty parts rated to several times the current and power at which they will operate.
You do not always get what you pay for. One $10,000 tube amp uses electrolytic filter capacitors in the power supply, For less of a price they could afford polypropylene capacitors which have a better ESR and do not go bad after a few years of limited shelf life.
Thanks for clarification. These are led lights indeed, not halogen as I mistakenly said and the dimming part is causing the amp buzzing. Without dimming them, zero buzz.
De-lamination of the transformer is very likely. I owned a Counterpoint 5000 preamp years ago that started to develop a mechanical buzz that didn’t come through the speakers. It turned out that this was a known problem with this transformer. And it was not a cheap Chinese unit, but a high end made in USA transformer. Sh_t happens!
Ask seller if it possible to look inside…so you could figure out where the buzzing comes from…. buzzing could come from one of the warming up tubes… if so that is not a problem at all.
talked to the owner of the Ref75 se he connected it for 5 hours in seperate place and he said there was 0 noise after 4-5 hours of running. anyway im taking it for a verfied ARC mechanic to check it out. then im gonna do a sound test compare to the VX-5 twenty and choose 1 :D
If you are dead set on that direction, you might reach out to Paragon as they likely have some ref75se’s new in box for a little more than you are looking at preowned. It would have a warranty and it is an end game amp.
I own that amp. Agree with others; there shouldn’t be a buzz/hum. I’ve had issues with other ARC amps, and it was miserable. (Brand new 160S that had to get a new PCB after a few months, which took several months). FWIW, I also ran it with Treo CTs for a few months. To each his own, YMMV, and all that, but I did not think the REF 75 was enough for those speakers. They sounded dramatically better — liberated — with the 160S. Until it broke.
Used to sell ARC. There should be no noise heard from that amp.
Also, if you prefer clarity, reality, correct timbres and detail, Arc is tough to beat. If you like "beautiful, smooth and sublime and "weighty" or in other words distortion added to harmonic orders, you'd be happier w something else.
It all depends on taste. Some people are bothered big time with the ARC sound and some people don't like spaghetti which is unfathomable to me.
I did, im staying with the Vandersteen model 2 sig3 for now
Cool. There was a time a couple of years ago when you could buy a ref75se and a ref5se for a combined price of between $10,000 and $11,000. That was a great value. Today that combo will set you back aproximately $13,000. If you are dead set on that direction, you might reach out to Paragon as they likely have some ref75se’s new in box for a little more than you are looking at preowned. It would have a warranty and it is an end game amp. I drove Wilson Sasha 2’s and Devore O96’s with mine and it was sublime. You will hear your Vandersteens at their very best. You will also have an amp that is far, far more capable than your speakers but thats ok. Buy the best preowned ARC preamp you can afford…a ref 5se, ref 6 or 6se…even a ref40 if you can swing it. You will have your amp/pre for the long haul. When you someday upgrade your speakers, the electronics will scale. You wont have a wonderful match but it will be very good. You wont have tremendous synergy or volume headroom but it will still be very, very good.
For what it's worth. I have a halogen light set up on top of my TT with two settings. One medium light, the other one full bright. Bottom line is set on medium light I get a buzz from my amp but when switched to full bright, the buzz completely disappears. Don't ask me why, that's just how it is.
Sure sounds like a transformer buzzing☹️. Bummer, I would pass. But that model is such a tremendous amp… I really recommend finding another. That is the kind of product that can change your audio life and every purchase in the future… in a good way.
Unplug all the inputs and see if it still hums. If not, you might be hearing a humming phono input or cables that are picking up electromagnetic noise.
@mike30the LS27 is a fine preamp. The se versions are exceptional as well. The ref series, end game. If you have to make a financial compromise, buy the best preamp you can afford. It will make every amp better…but the inverse isnt always true. Hanging an amazing amp off of an average preamp doesnt necessarily yield the superior results…
good luck. The 75se can be end game, it is already a classic and it is a really nice amp across a broad spectrum of speakers.
I would bet money it isnt either loose screws or delam, I would bet its power related. Is it that system, that plug, that home, that transformer on the pole, that region of your town? Its worth having it checked out but the deal you describe in the other thread isnt so amazing that you should take a flyer on this amp. What preamp will you be utilizing if you buy the ref75se?
+1 hififan! Loose laminations will cause buzzing. Can't be fixed! Loose mounting screws are any easy fix! The OP should take the cover off and check for this. Otherwise pass because ARC will want way too much for a new transformer.
My friend own a ARC ref 75se for many years and doesn't experience any hum/buzzing noise from its transformer.
Transformer hum/buzzing could be due to DC offset in AC mains, or the transformer loosen itself from the chassis, both can be easily fixed. But if the transformer hum/buzzing due to the transformer core adhesive starts to break apart and the laminated layers separate from each other slightly, the vibration of these layers is the cause of the humming noise, once the adhesive starts to break, the noise will gets louder over time and need to be replaced with a new transformer eventually.
my suggestion is bring it home for audition, if it still buzzing return it to the seller.
@mike30what I was getting at is that you dont have enough data. Ive owned this amp on multiple occasions, it shouldnt have noise. What power treatment were they using? Was the amp plugged into the wall? What about the circuit? What kind of power cable? Is it a dedicated or shared circuit? Shared power strip with switched mode devices?
you really should utilize the dealer channel. You think it will cost you more but it will save you money in the long run.
Probably why the party in question wants to sell it. ARC is subject to as many problems as any other brand but cost x times more to repair. No practical experience, just my impression to what is written here.
Next someone who has had no problems will chime in and say otherwise, and that's ok.
It is NOT normal BUT…how do you know the buzz can be traced to the ref75se? Could be the pre, the power, the source, the turntable, the refigerator, the phono stage. Was the system fully balanced and wired with xlr cables? Were they using xlr to rca adapters at the ref75se? You dont have enough data yet.
It should be fairly quiet, especially from your listening position. If you hear it from your listening chair (or further than a couple of feet away) it could be abnormal.
A small amount of noise is normal but it shouldn't raise your noise floor noticeably.
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.
