New Audio Research Reference 150 SE

I've been advised by Kal that my unit has been completed and tested and should be shipped back to me over the next few days.

My Ref 150 is at AR having the upgrade installed. I had a long talk with Kal who insisted that the upgrades to the Ref 75, and the Ref 150 were quite significant and apparent on first listening. I will report what I hear when the unit returns, should be within two weeks.

I am just a few days ahead of you. I plan to call Kal next week to see if he can give me a projected completion date.

I took delivery late this week, but have been out of town for the weekend. Sounded fine but listened for less than ten hours. Serious listening will begin tomorrow. Interesting that ARC decided to replace my outer carton and ship via a trucking company, feeling that this was safer. Shipping and the new box was at their cost. After I removed the heavy shrink wrap the new carton's damage during shipping was apparent (a dent on one side on top). However the amp was not damaged. Will report sound later this week.

Thanks.
I begin the week with 11.2 hours. Sounds good, but of course I am expecting more, probably within the next two weeks.

Now at 13 hours I am willing to state that comparing the 150SE to my Bel Canto 1000Ms, which were in my system for the weeks when the 150 was missing, the difference is dramatic. More air, deeper and better control of bass, and a removal of additional veils between me, the listener, and the musicians,or less subtle distortion.
I first heard this dramatic improvement in the system when I installed the Ref 5SE preamp. Then came the 150 last year which moved the sonic presentation closer in all dimensions to a live presentation. I look forward in the days ahead, as I add playing time to the 150SE, to listen again to recordings not played since the 150 was last here.
Will continue to report as I listen

I wish that I had taken a picture of the amp before it was shipped. Unfortunately I did not so I am not in a position to describe apparent changes in parts.
Late yesterday afternoon I played a cd that I played a few days ago using the Bel Canto amps. The presentation of that disc was more detailed through the Bel Cantos, so this may be an indication that the amp running 10-15 hours is far from what it will be capable of after 100-200 hours.
I will continue reporting what I hear.

I now agree. That disc which sounded better through the Bel Cantos, hours 12-15 on the 150SE, now being played at 25 hours sounds better, though still without the clean detail that I expect. Yes, the sound got more congested, but now is beginning to clear.

I now going to 50 + hours on the amp. Right now all cds sound as good as I ever heard in my system, very detailed and extended, bottom to top, incredible staging. How much better will it sound when I head past 100hrs? Time will tell. But, I am so very pleased with the present sonic presentation.

I am now over 70 hours and sonically I am at the point where I can say that the resolving power, detail, staging, lower distortion level (which I usually describe as the lowering of veils between the listener and the musicians) is noticeably better than the amp was before the upgrade.
What additional levels will I hear when the amp approaches 150-200 hours the burn-in time that Kal referenced?

It also took 3 + weeks from shipping to return.
I'm at 123 hours and the sound seems pretty stable.
What I am noticing is that the system is noticeably more revealing, pulling out a bit more detail, deeper and more realistic staging from even poorer recordings. The system is just so delightful with which to listen to music.

Good luck, continued good listening.