Audio Research Reference 5SE reliability

Anwar, check the input impedance of your sub. I suspect that the combined impedance load on your Ref 5 SE is less than 20K ohms. If so, you are overloading the Ref 5 and potentially degrading its already excelleant performance. Try Kal again. If you can't reach him, try Chris Ossanna.

Remember, the formula for combined impedance is:

CI= (Input device 1 - ohms x Input device 2 - ohms)/(Input device 1 - ohms + Input device 2 - ohms). So, if you do the math, if both devices have an input impedance of 20K ohms, combined impedance is 10K ohms . . . oopps.

Btw, are you symetrically loading the Ref 5's Main 1 and Main 2 outputs? That is are both Mains balanced or SE, or are you asymetrically mixing and matching the Mains: one balanced and the other SE. If the later, not a good thing to do.

That's why I worked with Tom Tutay in Florida. A great guy and very well respected in the audio hobby. If you do have an issue, check my threads for his number.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

Bruce

To add my 2c to Bifwynne's post and unless JL Audio has changed it, the JL Audio subwoofers impedance is an extremely low 1k Ohms.

Vladimir, if you are referring to a self powered sub, and you are sure that it has a 1K ohm input impedance, which strikes me as low, you are overloading the Ref SE by a very wide margin. Confirm your stats and call Kal at ARC. If he confirms my suspicion, better call Tom Tutay.

I don't want to hijack this thread as my original question was about how hot the Ref 5SE runs.

I want to correct a few things here. JL Audio f113 single-ended input impedance is 10k Ohms (balanced unspecificed). But the f113 sub was never connected directly to Ref 5SE but to Bryston 10B-SUB active crossover.

So here are my connections:

Ref 5SE ====> Bryston 10B-SUB XLR (impedance=20k)
10B-SUB low pass ====> JL Audio f113 (10k or 20k unknown)
10B-SUB hi pass ====> McIntosh MC452 (22k)

I've tried connecting Ref 5SE directly to MC452, then f113 to MC452 output, that means only one set of REF 5SE output used. There is no difference to 5SE running temperature. But I noticed less background noise.

Anwar, seems like you just squeeked under the wire. You might still want to call Kal to get his view on whether you might gain any further sound improvement if the output impedancce could be tweaked up just a bit more.

Cheers

BIF