My #@%$ Cat Destroyed My ARC REF 5SE. Soliciting Suggestions.

Unless parts are unobtainable, anything can be repaired.  It's just up to you whether it is worth it to do so.  If it was me, I wouldn't hesitate.  You would spend approximately the same for a used REF 5SE vs getting this one repaired. 

I would bite the bullet (never understood what that means) and get it repaired.  But, that's me.  

As for the cat, well, you have received lots of "advice" from cat lovers and non cat lovers alike.

Take your choice. However, this is a part of the family and an animal.  They, like children are trainable and will let you know when they are unhappy.  I would never allow a cat anywhere near my audio equipment.  But, that's me.  This is what happens when you have pets that aren't trained, or want attention.  Well, it got your attention.

My question to you is, what are you going to do about cat so this can't happen again?  no joke.  The cat (like children) must learn that it isn't okay to do this.  So, what will you do?  If you do nothing, then the cat (like children) will run your house.  

If the urine problem was that severe, which I doubt, I would get a new stuffed board and you are done.   First, since this is what I do also, I would inspect the board and diagnose the problem and try to fix it before replacing the board.

I'm not a cat person.  But, I've lived with them and know they have attitudes and issues like any other animal.  But, if you don't teach this cat to never do this again, then guess what?  it will.  

So, here are your options.

1.  Sell the pre-amp as-is with full disclosure.
2.  Buy a used REF 5SE or better yet, just get a used REF 6, or
3.  Keep the pre-amp as a paper weight and go to 2, or
4.  keep the pre-amp and get it repaired.
5.  Train that cat!!!!!!!!  Because if this happens again or something similar, then it really is your fault.

Anything is repairable. 

enjoy

@goldenear19;  What's with the Audio Research bashing? It's okay that you don't like Audio Research for your own personal reasons.  However, in my opinion, most things are over priced and over hyped.  So, include all the other items out there in your response.

Audio Research, like Atmosphere, and many others make excellent products and they keep people employed.

Audio Research quoted the OP a price for repairing the device.  They are one of the few companies out there (Martin Logan and Atmosphere comes to mind) that will still repair just about all of their previous products.  That is saying something.  A complete stuffed circuit board ain't cheap.  To take apart and test individual components and also a multi layer circuit board that may have fried internal traces is just to complicated and expensive, so they quoted replacing the entire board.  At least they still have that board around to replace.  That is also saying something.  If there are very small on-board circuits instead of through hole components, that also adds another costly level of diagnosis and repair.

Lets put aside the fact that we have a completely untrained cat that urinated on a very expensive piece, or a cat that was seriously trying to get the OP's attention (which the cat did), if by some other means a person fried the entire circuit board, it would still cost a pretty penny to either repair it or replace it.  I don't care who the manufacturer is in this case.  It's going to cost serious money to repair.

Get if fixed, or replace it, but definitely train that cat.

enjoy

I took the plexiglass cover off my REF 6 and took a look.  If the REF 5SE is anywhere close, then Audio Research used through hole parts on the circuit board.   Also, on the REF 6 main board, I didn't see any logic circuitry.  That was on other boards.  This makes it easier to disconnect and test traces and individual components to see where the problem is.   But first, I would check to tubes to see if they are working, by bring the power up slowly with a variac.

If a schematic is available (which it is not), then testing for voltages and signals at certain places on the board is what is next.

If the logic circuity was damaged, then that is an entirely different problem.

it is time consuming, but doable.  If you don't want to spend the time and money to get it fixed, then maybe a REF 6 is the next logical step. 

For me, I would be taking it apart now and checking components.  after thorough cleaning, and inspection, it may come down to a shorted diode or some such.

I can definitely see and understand why Audio Research said that a new circuit board is the way to go.  I can even understand why it is expensive, but $6,000 for a stuffed circuit board with removal/installation and test?  

Hmmmm?  But, I'm assuming that the circuit board is indeed stuffed.  If it isn't, then there is substantial time and effort involved in stuffing a circuit board by hand.  

Quite honestly, if I didn't want to diagnose and repair it myself, I would send it to an authorized Audio Research repair center like George Meyers AV in Los Angeles and let them figure out what the problem is and the costs to repair it.  I wouldn't tell them anything about the cat issue.

you might get an entirely different response and lower costs to repair.

Unplug it, spray it with electronics parts cleaner and ship if off for diagnosis and repair.

enjoy