david_coppell

Responses from david_coppell

Wilson Sophia 2--- VTL S-150 or Ayre V1-xe?
Go with the ARC Ref 210s and you will be happy for some time. 
Audio Research Reference 3
Theo, there have been a more than few REF3s recently for sale. If you have not already viewed the other CHAT thread on REF5 vs REF3, you may find it an interesting read as certain opinions changed over the course of evaluations, etc. >>The s... 
Audio Research Reference 3
Apparently many are also concluding that the sonic differences of the Ref 5 do not justify the additional cost when compared with the Ref 3. Although obsessive compulsives will no doubt find it difficult to live without the sonic improvements rega... 
Heard McIntosh 275 For The First Time.
It's an Amazing amp, after all these years still a solid hard to beat class B performer. The stuff of legends. 
Audio Research Ref 5 preamp
Personally, I was never that motivated to spend time rolling tubes. I did it once with a PH3SE and sure, the Mullard NOS tubes I used did seem to improve things, etc. etc. I spent time analyzing the differences and how to quantify and qualify them... 
Audio Research Ref 5 preamp
Interesting question. I am happy with my REF210s however maybe there are silver handles on the horizon as one of the upgrades. A little beefier fan/cooling configuration would be a nice upgrade. Circuit boards are already horizontal, so no upgrade... 
Audio Research Ref 5 preamp
Micro, what was the change contributed by the ref5 before you moved to a new rack? I wonder if the rack then should be mated to the the REF5 to further improve it? 
Who has dumped the power conditioner?
Most of the power conditioning is a pile of hogwash. Another way to extract money from impressionable audiophiles. If there seems to be market for something there is always an entrepreneur who will have a crack at it. 
Audio Research Ref 5 preamp
Well Dev, this is a most interesting development indeed. For many of us who have been listening and participating in this thread with the attendant emotional fluctuations, re-evaluated cost/enjoyment ratios and personal reflections on what it all ... 
Audio Research Ref 5 preamp
Hi Unoear, no problem, I see your point, thanks for the clarification. 
Audio Research Ref 5 preamp
Hi Dev, I was responding to the near incomprehensible (at least to me) prose from Unoear.I am in agreement that one would need to hear the unit in one's own set up to justify the expense, at any level.Happy listening!  
Audio Research Ref 5 preamp
So in other words, if Dev were able to a get good price he could be more disposed to pick one up? LOL.... 
Audio Research Ref 5 preamp
Gentlemen, am I going to have to bring a REF5 home for a weekend to audition and settle this thing once and for all?:) 
Audio Research Ref 5 preamp
Dev, I share your sentiments and thoughts, and also own a Ref3. I actually prefer the horizontal board layout of the ref5, and in some ways cannot understand why they ever used vertical boards, however with the cover on the preamp, I usually do no... 
Audio Research Ref 5 preamp
Interesting. I never noticed any "electronic" artifacts in listening to the Ref3 (or any ARC tubed gear for that matter). I am not sure what you mean by "organic". OTH, I might be interested in the bass and mid-base especially where I think there ...