ARC Ref 5se VS ARC Ref 6


Ok i need some help and opinions. I just auditioned at my home the ARC Ref 6. All i can say is WOW. !!!!!!!!! I was truly blown away with the sound. Everything is truly there . To me there are no short comings. Ok let me start off by saying that originally i was looking for a used ARC Ref 3. Then i started reading on some forums and on here that the 5 was very close to the 3 and the 5se was truly a great sounding unit and upgrade from the 3. I really wanted to audition the 5se at my home but unfortunately he just sold his demo and only had the 6. I really cant afford the 6 right now brand new But after hearing the 6 with my system im wondering if i purchase a 5se would i be disapointed after hearing the 6. Like the 3 vs the 5se i read it was a very big difference , Is the 6 a really big difference in sound ? Should i wait for a used 6? I know that i have read great reviews on the 5se. I just wish i could of heard the 5se also in my system to compare / decide for my self. Any help would be very much appreciated . 
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Showing 10 responses by tattooedtrackman

lostbears. I was also thinking about doing that about buying a used 5se for now and later on when the price drops on the 6 can always upgrade. I also heard that replacing the power cord makes a big difference too lime you said. I will also look into the other tweeks you said with the tube dampers and fuse. Thank you much..
jimgrogan2   Basically you are saying that the 3 compared to the 5 was not much of an improvement and the 5 compared to the 5se was not much an improvement either? I can get a new 6 for 1200. Almost double in price of a used 5se which im looking at about 6500. Would that mean that the 6 would sound twice as good? I have the 6 in my system right now to audition and like i said i was really blown away with the sound . But i cant compare it to the 5se. Thats why im asking you guys ..Im thinking with changing the PC , Fuse dampers and fuse i would be very happy with the 5se for now. lol. And then later on down the road if i really want the 6 the price should drop on the used market and then pick one up. Thanks jim. 
jmcgrogan2 . John , Yes i was comparing the ARC 6 to the ML 38s, as that was my only preamp i had been listening to for about a year and a half along with my Krell FPB 600. I too am sure the ARC ref 3 would of also blown away the ML 38s. Originally i was looking for the ARC ref 3 for about $4600 but for about 2 grand more  i could get a nice used 5se , I think thats worth it. Now with that said spending another $5500 for the ARC 6 compared to the 5se.  As much as i LOVED auditioning the 6 in my rig the last 2 days ,running my Krell FPB 600 and B&W 800 matrix , I dont think i would ever want to upgrade from the 6. Im sure i could live with the 5se until the 6se or 7 comes out and then upgrade to the 6 when the price drops. BTW have you noticed any used ARC 6 listed on AG recently?  
statman , Thank you for your input ..I am sure i will be very happy with the 5se. I am looking for one with a green board also. The one i am looking at has the metal top. Could i buy a plexi glass top from ARC? 
jmcgrogan2 Thanks for your info. I want to ask you a question. Someone emailed me from here and said i should look for a 5se with the green circuit board and bot the brown. He said the green is the newer and modified with updates. Like the last year of the 5se they used the green and not the brown. What is your opinion on that? 
jmcgrogan2  Besides the motherboard being made green with the extra caps on the left wall they also changed their remote to the metal one. It makes you think why ARC did that ? I personally like the changes ARC made from the older brown version of the 5se to the green newer version of the 5se. 
@russellrcncom ............Yes i am using a Krell FPB 600 with my ARC ref 6 with superb results ...