Fo Audio Research Ref 10 owners, Best Amp?

It's difficult to recommend an amplifier without knowing the speakers with which it will be used.

Dali Epicon 8.

Well, I own an ARC Reference 6SE, and before a REF5se. In the past I have used Pass amps, like most recently the Pass 350. The moment I put a ARC Reference 160s and 160m mono locks I knew that was the end of my long relationship with solid state amps. Absolutely magical. I went from 45 minute listening sessions to three hour sessions.

In fact I then swapped my DAC for a ARC Reference 9CD SE DAC and the synergy became really obvious. While very detailed the overall musicality and natural character became even greater.

I have not heard the REF 10… however the LS 28SE and Ref 5 - 6SE clearly share the same sound signature, so I am sure this will be a nearly identical match.

Wattage matters a lot with solid state and is no where nearly as important with tube gear. 350 wpc sounded about right with my Sonus Faber Amati…~ 90db sensitivity… I am running them now with my Ref 160 in triode mode with 70wpc… more than enough power at any volume.

I have the Ref 10 and my amp is the Ref 75se. Speakers are Sonus Faber Olympica Nova III at 91db sensitivity. My room is 13 x13 and I don’t usually exceed 80db while listening with volume under 50 with the meters not reaching 1 watt. Great soundstage and imaging. I heard this preamp with the Ref 250 at the dealer in a large room and it was holographic. Any Audio Research amp will be great, just pick the power you need. You need way less than you think.

Phil

I have no idea, but it might help if you provided a list of the amplifiers you tested.

I use the Ref 10 with the Ref 160 S amplifier and like the pairing a lot. However, I recently heard the Ref 10 with the new Ref 330 monoblocks and it was sublime.

250.8 has nice but not great depth and little width and sparkle.

I had the 350.8 which I liked a lot(maybe it was this one because of the extra wattage.) But it was a heavy beast to have in an apartment though now I wish I had figured out a way to keep it.

30.8

Hegel 300 and a couple of others I can’t recall.

The AGD Duets and Audion are getting great reviews and in terms of weight look ideal. But would they do justice to a Ref 10 due to their size?

You can mix and match other brands with ARC components, but for the best system synergy, it has been my experience to stay within the ARC product line. They really do play nicely with each other. Save time and headaches and just get the best ARC amp(s) your budget will allow and never look back.

I've thought about it but I often read that they get so hot they need a fan behind them or they have a fan built in and when the music goes silent you can hear the fan! I am so sensitive to that kind of sound no matter how low. When there is no sound I want there to be no sound.

I’ve tried also the Pass xa 25 and the VTL S200.

Now the VTL was fantastic it was a keeper however I bought it as a demo and when I called them with a question the first thing I was asked very sharply was where I bought it from. I have never dealt with such an unpleasant person in all my years in buying audio equipment. I dealt with her once more and then I knew if I ever needed a repair she was going to do everything in her power to make it as unpleasant an experience as possible so I sold it. When you deal with Pass or Audio Research it is always a pleasure. And they don’t care where you bought it from. They don’t treat you like a criminal.

There is no such thing as preamp/amp synergy! That is another myth based upon subjective opinions. 

@roxy1927 I run my Ref 160 S with the cage removed and the fan on the low setting.  The only time I ever notice the fan is at the end of a listening session when I am standing in front of the amp about to turn it off, and even then I only notice it occasionally.