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

Very sorry to hear, OP. My girlfriend has 2 cats, and I mostly enjoy them, but they’re pretty dumb animals. Their curiosity serves more for destructive powers than intelligent learning. Yes, they have tweaked up a valued piece of audio gear I had here (clawed/torn rubber surround on a Tannoy Eyris DC3 speaker), but not $7K worth.

If it’s $7K in for repair, personally I’d put that same money towards a used/demo Reference 6 and a custom cover (acrylic or canvas) - that money takes you most of the way there, and everyone I’ve seen who’s moved from 5SE to 6 has claimed it’s a big upgrade. I haven’t heard the 5SE but have a 6 and love it - truly a wonderful sounding pre. The unfortunate reality is that $7K is a little above a 5SE’s used-market price now.

Of course there are always other interesting preamps to look at, some for much less than $7K. Don Sachs, LTA, Atmasphere, and Herron would be on my curiosity list.

Edit: Might as well give your dealer's tech a chance first, see where that goes!

Go pet free in your stereo room ASAP.

The Ref 5se is an exceptional piece. I love mine. I bought it earlier this year for $6K, and then put in new tubes. I usually see them going for $6,500 on Agon. I guess the advantage to fixing yours and spending $7K is that you get a new main board and the factory measures and listens to it to make sure it's running like new. 

@w

About 20 years ago we had a preamp out for review with Harry Pearson of TAS. His cat urinated in the preamp section. It came back to us to see what we could do- it was a mess. I took it to a car wash, the manual kind with the high pressure sprayers and gave it a good spray at close range- getting the spray beneath the tube sockets and the like. Then I took it to the shop, let it dry and then replaced a few resistors that were damaged. After that added a bit of contact lubricant to the volume control and gain trim controls; after that it worked just fine.

FWIW at the time we had our circuit boards made at the same place ARC did (Electronic Industries; if that name is familiar to some of you old timers it is in fact the very same Electronic Industries that spun off Audio Research). I think the Ref5 was made prior to Electronic Industries being bought out so there is a good chance the boards were made there. This might not be nearly as serious as you think!

To a fellow AudiogoNer who has had “troubles” over the years.  I have a few tube amps in the “bone yard” that might ease your pain until you find a solution.  PM me and we can work out a deal that will ease your pain.  Take care.