Audio Research Reference 3 Seeking help

"I contacted ARC already by overseas phone call but they asked me to contact the local dealer direct and they do not deal with end consumer!!"

LOL!

ARC is too busy replacing burned resistors in their tube power amps!

Very poor customer service!

Don ... I must respectfully disagree with your comment that ARC has poor customer service. It's difficult to judge the situation described by the OP just comfortably sitting in my music chair ... so I won't.

But based on my personal experiences dealing with Kalvin Dahl and Chris Osanna, IMO, ARC provides top drawer customer technical support and product advice. Heck, when a pesky bias resister blows, a local ARC authorized service tech makes house calls. Saves me schlepping a bulky 75 pound amp around. Further, if you search the Forum archives, you will see that many others share my opinion.

I would be most grateful were any AG member to be in a position to advise me as to what voltages / loading ARC run the 6550 within the Ref5SE power supply circuit,
as It would seem that ARC Central forcibly lobotomize (other than their official service tech's ) anyone outside of the Program found to be in possession of 'Company' information of this nature !

Tsushima ... respectfully, don't you think that ARC is within its right to be discreet with the type of technical info that is the subject of the last posts. Seems to me that ARC, or any company for that matter, has a right to keep proprietary information out of the public domain if it so chooses.

Of course, I suppose that if one is so inclined, they can buy a Ref 3 or Ref 5SE and reverse engineer it. Of course, that may cost the curious $13K MSRP to but a Ref 5 SE as the price to sate their curiosity.

@Bifwynne
I have dealt with Chris Osanna several times over the years when I brought in ARC gear and every time he was a rude prick!

Where do you live? Not in the Twin Cities. ARC does not send out service techs to anyones home.

ARC has no service techs outside the factory. Store service techs communicate with ARC, but they are independent hacks.