Best ARC Solid State power to match ARC Ref 5 Pre

Raquel, with all due respect, I cannot join with your opinion about ARC amps. I own an ARC VS 115 amp and I love it. Perhaps I think it sounds so good because I drive it with an ARC Ref 3 line stage and I am benefiting from synergy. I can't say.

Now . . . as far as negative feedback is concerned, I raised this question before on A'gon Forum. I also asked about other "specs" such as damping factor, rise time and skew rate and so forth. I mention this because the consensus opinion that was offered by the techies was that one should not rate the quality of an amp based upon any spec in a vacume. The techies explained that amp electronics designers have to weigh and balance many attributes when designing an optimal architecure. Thus, even though the VS-115 employs 12 db of negative feedback, one of the commentators said that it was not a lot in light of the amp's other attributes. I tried to find that post for you but couldn't find it in a pinch.

The techies also said that what's most important is how does the amp in question sound. Based on that standard, IMHO, the VS-115 sounds great. A number of knowledgeable members, including one who is an ARC dealer, said the VS--15 sounded about 85% as good as the recently discontinued Ref 110.

Now, I wax so much about the VS-115 NOT because I am looking for anyone's buy in or approval. Instead, I have owned the amp for about 2 years and am thoroughly familiar with it. Oh, BTW, ARC just released the new Ref 150 which is supposed to be phenominal. Per ARC's web site, the Ref 150 employs 14 db of NF, so I guess that means my VS 115 is better than the Ref 150. NOT!

Rapogee, I don't recall seeing that you mentioned how much you want to spend for your SS amp. As I recall from the "buzz," I have a faint recollection that ARC amps mate very well with Wilson speakers. In fact, if you check the ARC and ARCDB web sites, I believe ARC uses Wilson speakers in their sound rooms. Check it for yourself, but I think you would be happy with an ARC amp, be it tube or SS.

One last comment if I may, I believe that system synergy is very real and very important. My bias (pun not intended) is that if I owned a Ref 5, I would try to mate it with an ARC amp. Right now, used Ref 110s are finding their way into the used equipment market, especially as ARC continues to roll out the Ref 150. As I said, I don't recall you mentioning how much you want to spend, but if you already own the Ref 5, IMHO, I would really think about an ARC amp, especially tube.

Rrog, I promised that I was not going to add anything else to this thread . . . but your comment set me off, not in a bad way but a good way. I looked over the thread yesterday and saw, as usual, everybody chiming in with their favorite amps. To me, it's like asking what is the best speaker . . . and there is a thread running asking that very question with over 1300 hits. My point, if it's not clear already, is that there is a lot of fine equipment out there. I happened to wind up with Audio Research, but that's me. I freely acknowledge that many other makes are just as good or better. I also want to reiterate what I said about system synergy. Some amps will will work better than others when driving a particular speaker, e.g., electrostats, horns, dynamic cones with unusual impedance curves and phase angles, and so forth. That's why, IMHO, I don't make equipment recommendations. Of course, if someone makes an unfair comment about a particular piece of equipment that I familiar with, I will respond, as I did above.

FWIW.

Rrog, I couldn't have said it better!! That is why I tried to respond to the OP with the same thoughts you just expressed, namely offer some ARC amp recommendations and observations, particularly mentioning the possibility of ARC tube amps. Further, I also agree that system synergy is an important consideration.

Finally, I couldn't help myself with respect to responding to the post which discussed interpreting and making purchase decisions based on electronic specs. I freely admit that I am NOT an electronics techie, but I have learned alot from A'gon members who are. And one thing I learned is that amp designers take a lot of factors into consideration, like the use of negative feedback, distortion, slew rate, rise time and so forth, when designing equipment. So . . . IMHO, if one is looking to buy electronics gear, I DO recommend that he/she should stick with good to excellent quality stuff from companies with good reputations (like ARC, among many many others), audition it if possible, and most importantly, make sure it will do a good job driving the speakers.

Sorry to wax philosphical again, but as I said above, when I read the various threads here and elsewhere, I find it difficult to apply advice and recommendations about gear that seems to be someone's favorite stuff when it may be impossible to even audition it, least of all understand the specs. JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION.