I have about 60 hours on the new Ref 5, enough to know that the differences and improvement between the new model and the Ref 3 are striking; almost to the point that the two seem to have been from different ends of the same line...
Comparatively, looking back the Ref 3 has more of a classic tube design pre-amp sound. It imbues music with great body, texture, warmth and dimensionality in the midrange and has good if slightly overgenerous mid-bass, gently losing authority and articulation toward the lowermost octaves.
The Ref 3 treble had nice extension with emphasis on lower and mid treble contrasts. Sharply drawn upper octave information was present but pushed back and warmed up a bit. Finally, recreating realistic dynamic shifts, timing and that "you are there" sense of immediacy are realistic but not what I would term SOTA through the Ref 3.
Going to the Ref 5 was very much like marrying the best qualities of ultra-linear or solid state mono's to a tube based amp design. Pitch articulation in every frequency range was dramatically improved. Through the lower octaves it was as if new amps were at play with greater damping factor and control over the Maxx 3 woofers. This in turned opened up and better defined the lower midrange. Imaging became more specific and instruments more whole, more completely realized within the frame of the sound stage. The sound stage itself expanded and contracted on cue per recording and sounded as real to each different recording as I have experienced.
Overdubbed recordings and voices with added reverb were more obvious as were differences in recording techniques, mic's etc. The sound on all recordings is entirely more vivid and sharply drawn without sounding lean, forced or bright. That holographic three dimensional quality of the Ref 3 is still apparent and made even more believable by what must be a measurably, dramatically lower noise floor. Low-level, quietly drawn micro detail and the decay of sound in space raised the hair on the back of my neck, even on familiar recordings. The treble is far more extended with more tonal shades and varied timbral signatures becoming obvious upon contrast with the 3.
Having gone from the CD-7 to the CD-8 a few months back I was impressed at the definable improvements the new CD8 model brought. This Ref 5 difference is in another class from that. The Ref 5 improvements are more dramatic and all encompassing-- system wide. As stated earlier, I would have guessed from listening that the upgrade was to higher current, all around better performing mono-blocks instead of a pre-amp change.
At only 60 hours thus far, I expect things will get better. There are a lot of great all-time classic designed pre-amps out there of course. I haven't heard them all but I have heard enough to at least class this among the greats.
