Audio research REF 5 SE / REF 40th Ann compared ?

I totally disagree with the whole "The more you spend, the better your system will be" ethos-

I believe the art of being an audiophile encompasses the skill of how to get excellent sound at a reasonable price...

That includes learning how to shop for forgotten gems of yesteryear, learning to embrace dated technology, and possibly building a piece or two of your own gear every now and then!

You folks who are always buying the latest and greatest- thank you so much!

My system is built of top quality gear that you no longer wanted.

I agree with Theduker, and attribute much of the price bubble of high-end to this myth that price buys sonic superiority. The price trajectory of AR preamps tracks the Dutch Tulip bubble.

The myth is not harmless. The shows are still being held and attended, but the pricing has made more of us Audio Tourists, even if we have the funds. Pride of ownership, faith in the vendor, love of music, and the illusive sense of quality, begin to collapse when the price is 4X common sense.

I am an unbeliever that any stereo component deservedly costs more than a Toyota.

curmudgeon_off

I have spent some time w/ the Ref5 SE, it is better than the Ref3 model. I would stop here. I am not sure the price difference of the 4oth anniversary model is warranted.

Still, it is more of a skill to piece together an audiophile system on the conservative side. Happy Listening!

I agree with Theduker. I was about to drop some major bucks into my rig by picking up a pair of Magico S3 or S5 to upgrade my speakers. I think I figured out a way to squeeze a lot more OJ out of my Paradigm S8s (v3) by buying a DEQX Premate.

The short version DEQX explanation is that it corrected time incoherencies inherent in my speakers caused by the common use of passive high order crossovers and driver misalignment. The DEQX also EQ's for room effects on frequency response.

For those interested in learning more about the DEQX device and the importance of time coherence, look over the "Sloped Baffle" and "DEQX Game Changer" threads. For a very good technical explanation of time coherence, check out Roy Johnson's articles on the subject on his Green Mountain Audio website.