Modding my ARC Ref Anniversary

[Audiophile Bill]

And what would be the point of doing that? To get 3 brand new Nichicons in the unit? Looking back... I'm almost glad those Nichicons leaked! That was a good kick in the but and a perfect wake-up call.

I understand but it is quite odd imho to buy a brand new preamp and then decide the only way one can live with it is to mod it. Unless I didn’t understand you and you acquired it used a great price.

Anyway - of course you are entitled to do what you wish but personally I would have wanted a refund and then bought a different preamp altogether.

Anyway. Looking forward to reading about how it sounds.

 

[microstrip]

I understand but it is quite odd imho to buy a brand new preamp and then decide the only way one can live with it is to mod it. Unless I didn’t understand you and you acquired it used a great price.

Anyway - of course you are entitled to do what you wish but personally I would have wanted a refund and then bought a different preamp altogether.

Anyway. Looking forward to reading about how it sounds.

Modifying gear is another way of practicing and enjoying our hobby - some DIY people built their gear from scratch, others just change the components.

Although I currently do not have the time I find the DIY way fascinating - I sometimes spend an evening reading the https://www.diyaudio.com/ and get envious ... I have listened to home built systems sounding really good - and it is a long lasting hobby, there is always something to perfect.

Surely the modified gear always sounds much better than the original - in an hobby mainly ruled by preferences this should never be questioned! In DIY audio we become the client, the lawyers, the jury and the judge in an unique case ...

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Modifying gear is another way of practicing and enjoying our hobby - some DIY people built their gear from scratch, others just change the components.

Although I currently do not have the time I find the DIY way fascinating - I sometimes spend an evening reading the https://www.diyaudio.com/ and get envious ... I have listened to home built systems sounding really good - and it is a long lasting hobby, there is always something to perfect.

Surely the modified gear always sounds much better than the original - in an hobby mainly ruled by preferences this should never be questioned! In DIY audio we become the client, the lawyers, the jury and the judge in an unique case ...

Hi Micro,

I totally agree. I actually did some earlier this week! I also completely redesigned / built some speakers last year. That hobby is one of the most fun for sure.
I just don’t understand wanting to do that to an expensive NEW preamp like the ARC Ref and immediately destroy all warranty and resale value but each to their own. I am not dissing this - it looks a nice job has been done. On the other hand, I do get buying saying an Anni now USED for super cheap price out of warranty and then modding.

Anyway - there’ll be no more from me here as I don’t wish to piss on someone’s bonfire.

 

[jdza]

Although I currently do not have the time I find the DIY way fascinating -

I am sorry but I find this statement hilarious.

Dear Microstrip,If you spend 5 minutes per thread reading, then decide to respond to one in four threads, spending 10 minutes per response that means 30 minutes spent on Whats Best forum per response. As you have 14 000 posts on this forum it means you have spent 420 000 minutes here in the past 9 years. . That is 7000 hours or 291 days.

Surely you could have built something in say half of that time?

 

[bonzo75]

I am sorry but I find this statement hilarious.

Dear Microstrip,i f you spend 20 minutes per thread reading, then decide to respond to one in four threads, spending 10 minutes per response that means 30 minutes spent on Whats Best forum per response. As you have 14 000 posts on this forum it means you have spent 420 000 minutes here in the past 9 years. . That is 7000 hours or 291 days.

Surely you could have built something in say half of that time?

Forum is another hobby, different from DIY, and financially not as productive

 

[ayreman]

Impressive modification. Congratulation.

I have ARC Ref40 before and use Ref10 now. I found changing the 6550 tubes to Tung Sol black plate bring very large improvement.

Since so much resource and effort has been made to improve your Ref40, you should consider changing the tubes too.

What makes you think I haven't done that yet? Didn't you see the photos?

I've done much better than merely changing stock Sovtek 6550 for supposedly better 6550. I've gone away from 6550 altogether. KT 90 is the way to go! A much better and a more powerful tube.

 

[microstrip]

I am sorry but I find this statement hilarious.

Dear Microstrip,If you spend 5 minutes per thread reading, then decide to respond to one in four threads, spending 10 minutes per response that means 30 minutes spent on Whats Best forum per response. As you have 14 000 posts on this forum it means you have spent 420 000 minutes here in the past 9 years. . That is 7000 hours or 291 days.

Surely you could have built something in say half of that time?

Wow! You would not get the position with Fermi with such wrong assumptions ... It took me 30 seconds to see where your calculus was wrong ...

And even so, I am a firm believer that in 291 days I would not build a better preamplifier than Bill Johnson, Warren Gehl or Ward Fiebiger!

BTW, this post took me three minutes!

 

[microstrip]

Forum is another hobby, different from DIY, and financially not as productive

No, it is very productive financially - when we are writing posts we are not spending money on equipment!
(For jzda, this was a 30 seconds answer)

 

[jdza]

Of course it’s wrong,delberately so. Just like those calcs that says an employee works effectively one day a year and I’ll be damned if he gets that day off,or depth of horse manure in city streets by 1940.

The point was that if one is wasting time debating nonsense and at the same time claiming not to have time to do something you really want to ,you are lying to yourself.

 

[thedudeabides]

What's left of the original preamp that wasn't modded?

 

[thedudeabides]

Of course it’s wrong,delberately so. Just like those calcs that says an employee works effectively one day a year and I’ll be damned if he gets that day off,or depth of horse manure in city streets by 1940.

The point was that if one is wasting time debating nonsense and at the same time claiming not to have time to do something you really want to ,you are lying to yourself.

Why are you in attack mode? Are you an angry person? What did Micro ever do to you?

 

[analogsa]

What's left of the original preamp that wasn't modded?

This is still to be disclosed, have patience. I fear it would be the weakest part of the design: the cathode follower and the volume control.

 

[jdza]

Why are you in attack mode? Are you an angry person? What did Micro ever do to you?

I found his statement amusing in light of Microstrip’s amount of posts that’s all. No attack attempted or offence intended.

His posts are generally well considered and informative . I assumed they would take some time to construct as,like me, he has stated that his first language is not English. Could we drop this now?

 

[thedudeabides]

Understood. I obviously missed the humor.

 

[ayreman]

Hi Micro,
I just don’t understand wanting to do that to an expensive NEW preamp like the ARC Ref and immediately destroy all warranty and resale value...

Resale value??? You obviously don't realize yet what I've done. This preamp will outperform anything with $300K price tag. Who in their right mind would contemplate selingl this jewel?

 

[bonzo75]

The biggest problem I have with this hobby is that everyone seems a bit weird. No normal people on this forum

 

[ayreman]

Now for preamp proper. This is how it came from the factory.

 

[ayreman]

Preamp mods (top view).

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Resale value??? You obviously don't realize yet what I've done. This preamp will outperform anything with $300K price tag. Who in their right mind would contemplate to sell this jewel?

Ahahahahahaha - that is the most absurd thing I have read in a long while.

Enjoy

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Preamp mods (top view).

Looks very nicely done in there. Are the Audyns your favourite caps of all? I would like to hear the True Copper. Think Barry uses that in his 45 amps.