Audio Research Ref: CD8

My CD8 is sounding better than ever. I am currently hosting a pair of JM Labs Grande Utopia Be - great speakers, that have a tilted up balance in the upper frequencies above 2 kHz. Until two weeks ago I could not listen for longtime to to the CD8, as the sound was very clear an defined but too bright, I even preferred a CD3 mk2 for longtime listening. However, currently the CD8 evolved in a sweeter sound, matching the tweeter of the GUB perfectly. I feel the same as Elberoth2 concerning resolution, but I reserve my comments to a direct confrontation of my old CD7 versus the CD8, to be done soon.
Beware that during burn in the sound of the player will become dull during at a certain phase before stabilizing at its definitive (I hope!) balance. Even with the Purist Audio System enhancer CD burn in took over 600 hours.

Dave, you make no sence: Ref2-MkII is 6H30+jfet based, by far the most SS like tube gear ARC ever made, also VT100MKIII and VT200MKII are 6H30+Jfet based.

I had the REF2MKII and it took 500 to burn and a lot of setup to play well, after sometime played really well. All reference gear from ARC are top sound they are only different versions. Funny the CD8 take 600h to burn since it does not have Jfets in the path of sound. The 6H30+Jfets worked very well in ARC Power Amps not so easy in the preamps.

Dave maybe you should check the cables or room acoustics, I had some problem with Synergistic Cable and was thinking it was my gear in the end was a damaged cable.

A very tube sound is good to cover bad links in the chain of sound, to use less tube gear sound like (Hi-Resolution) you have to have everything correct. ARC made a choice about 10years ago, they made the gear sound less tubed in order to gain in other aspects.

Here the REF3 and the CD7 upgrade, folowed by a 300.2 bi-amplification just play LIVE!

Ossocao, I am sorry! My VT200 was the original 6922 based amp. I had the Ref 2 and Ref 2 MKII. I started to fall out of love with the ARC sound around that time and definately didn't like my ref 3 ...thanks for pointing out my mistake:O)

Dave, you cannot make general statements like that. Ref 3 and CD-7/8 sound very different to each other, in terms of overall balance - and both are tube based, and both use 6H30 tube.

There is a general consensus that the Ref 3 is a much better preamp than both Ref 2 and Ref 2 mk II, although I can understand that some ppl, in some systems may actually prefer the Ref 2 over Ref 3 for its specific "flavor".

You are right of course...Happy Listening!