ARC announces price increase effective Mid-March '24

caesar · Mar 25, 2024

tima said:
Don't know if it makes them unique but they survive and remain viable.

Say what you will, they survived the retirement of their founder (few audio comapnies do), they survived being bounced around by owners who saw them solely as an investment (Sonus Faber, McIntosh), they survived a rough financial period and now they return whole unto themselves in-house, and are still making fine audio gear. Imo, throughout it all Dave Gordon and Warren Gehl kept the flame and deserve a ton of credit for their continued viability.

Audio Research: What Makes Perfection, Perfection. – Audio Research

audioresearch.com

It's not realistic to expect small niche companies to survive their founders. wilson got lucky his son can do it. would his daughter be able to do it? maybe, maybe not.

Good for them. Don't misunderstand my posts. I hope they can make it, but the free market will decide, based on merit.

If not, USA has the greatest economy in the world today due to liberty and free markets. Everyone will survive. And many will come out even better.

caesar · Mar 25, 2024

Elliot G. said:
Caesar what is the most consistent thing in high end audio is your ability to want to start crap. I don't know you personally so I don't know if this is on purpose or you are trying to be annoying or that you are just having fun by starting a fire and then watching it burn.
ARC has been a staple and a foundational member of the HE community. People can argue forever about wha they like and what they don't like and that well never change. We cannot however deny their place in the history of HE Audio. I know the rewriting of history has become popular in other areas but here the past is truly the past.
I don't know the future but I think that the future is better with ARC still alive and involved. What you like or don't like personally is fine but the rest you really need to leave out the colorful insults with no or little factual backup.

I agree in this Industry that one may not be able to live in the past but we should not forget the past. We need to know and understand history , not only in audio but in everything.

God bless. No one is denying their history. Although as someone with non-audiophile tastes, I find it mind boggling they made it this far with a bleached sound and no jump factor.

Not sure what crap you are talking about. We are honestly debating their future.

Kingrex · Mar 25, 2024

Seems like Caesar woke up with a pine cone lodged uncomfortably in an orifice.

Elliot G. · Mar 25, 2024

caesar said:
I find it mind boggling they made it this far with a bleached sound and no jump factor.

Not sure what crap you are talking about. We are honestly debating their future.

that crap .LOL You are colorful for sure but 1000's of clients of theirs would disagree.

caesar · Mar 25, 2024

Elliot G. said:
that crap .LOL You are colorful for sure but 1000's of clients of theirs would disagree.

Elliot, sorry reality hurts your feelings.

let’s hope their 1,000s of clients keep them afloat!

Elliot G. · Mar 25, 2024

caesar said:
Elliot, sorry reality hurts your feelings.

let’s hope their 1,000s of clients keep them afloat!

I don't have feelings that you can hurt. The market will either support them or it won't however the history is clear and your opinion matters little. I am visible and more than happy to discuss any subject versus those on Forums that hide in the darkness and love to troll . Sad really that one behaves like that. I'm sure that won'thurt your feelings either .
You seem to follow the old expression that those who can do those who can't teach. The modern version is those that can do and those who can't troll.

caesar · Mar 25, 2024

Elliot G. said:
I don't have feelings that you can hurt. The market will either support them or it won't however the history is clear and your opinion matters little. I am visible and more than happy to discuss any subject versus those on Forums that hide in the darkness and love to troll . Sad really that one behaves like that. I'm sure that won'thurt your feelings either .
You seem to follow the old expression that those who can do those who can't teach. The modern version is those that can do and those who can't troll.

So why are you replying personally rather than addressing the issues facing arc?

Lee · Mar 25, 2024

I think the world of CAT. Their show systems with Magico speakers sound, well, magical. Ken is a brilliant designer and a nice guy. Build quality looks exceptional.

That said, Ken is asking six figures for his gear. It's probably worth it. But Audio Research offers somewhat similar sound quality for less than half the price.

ARC is a deal as reference amplifiers go in my humble opinion.

Lee · Mar 25, 2024

caesar said:
God bless. No one is denying their history. Although as someone with non-audiophile tastes, I find it mind boggling they made it this far with a bleached sound and no jump factor.

Not sure what crap you are talking about. We are honestly debating their future.

Bleached sound and no jump factor? That is not at all the sound I'm getting with my ARC gear.

andromedaaudio · Mar 25, 2024

I heard ARC pre amp / 160 M amplifiers on various speakers and WADAX digital .
I think that combo produces the best vocal rendition in the bizz , period .
I think the 160M monos are a great buy

Another Johnson · Mar 25, 2024

Dierkx1 said:
What if his system is modest? There are many incredibly good "modest" products and components that, if well curated, can create sonic magic.

It wouldn’t matter to me. It would just be a data point for understanding his more off the wall comments. I am curious … not about the cost of his system, but about his musical palate. It has proven to be very different.

Another Johnson · Mar 25, 2024

Lee said:
Bleached sound and no jump factor? That is not at all the sound I'm getting with my ARC gear.

I think he is using bleached as a synonym for uncolored. I think he is using “no jump factor” as a synonym for accurate.

He wants something that will color the performance and goose the performers.

tima · Mar 25, 2024

Kingrex said:
Seems like Caesar woke up with a pine cone lodged uncomfortably in an orifice.

That's tacky.

Dierkx1 · Mar 25, 2024

Another Johnson said:
It wouldn’t matter to me. It would just be a data point for understanding his more off the wall comments. I am curious … not about the cost of his system, but about his musical palate. It has proven to be very different.

Fair enough. I chafe at the notion (I'm not saying that this was your intent) that we are defined by our hardware. how we perceive sound, our listening rooms, the power supplying our systems, how well we've optimized the equipment within the environment , etc... significantly impact the end result. Thanks.

Kingrex · Mar 25, 2024

tima said:
That's tacky.

I fully agree. But my god, Caesar's over the top obnoxious dribble is tough to read.

Kingrex · Mar 26, 2024

I think the comments about what is your gear can be a serious, do you even have a stereo. To some degree it matters. It.would not be unusal for someone.with nothing much to speak of to bash on premium equipment out of jealousy.

tima · Mar 26, 2024

Dierkx1 said:
Fair enough. I chafe at the notion (I'm not saying that this was your intent) that we are defined by our hardware. how we perceive sound, our listening rooms, the power supplying our systems, how well we've optimized the equipment within the environment , etc... significantly impact the end result. Thanks.

I understand and agree that we as individuals are not defined by our hardware -- the quality of one's character is not the quality of one's stereo. Nonetheless this is an audio forum (that sometimes resembles a French salon) so to me it does not seem odd that people are interested in what others use for gear. In my opinion, if someone is around here regularly or over some time and they comment on other systems, gear, manufacturers, product lines, or use the WBF social credit system as a weapon, etc. they should not conceal their systems, rooms, music taste, etc. To an extent and imo, the forum member who is open about themselves is much easier to relate to as a person than the anonymous troll who makes no contribution, who only offers snarky or negative comments and hides their equipment and tastes. And fwiw, I am not commenting about Caesar.

tima · Mar 26, 2024

Kingrex said:
I fully agree. But my god, Caesar's over the top obnoxious dribble is tough to read.

He can be hyperbolic -- that's part of his style. But he does ask hard questions and make pointed comments without being malicious. And there is always the ignore button.

Elliot G. · Mar 26, 2024

tima said:
He can be hyperbolic -- that's part of his style. But he does ask hard questions and make pointed comments without being malicious. And there is always the ignore button.

There are a few , not mentioning anyone by name, that are here just to stir the pot. Asking hard questions and having meaningful discussions are great. In fact as a country and a world we need to get back to this, however calling stuff crap, garbage, using inflamatory nicknames, accusing malicious behavior without facts and these are just some of the things that are far from helpful or even real.
We seem to have this widening divide with the " i have my opinion and therefore its true" people versus let's understand the history and get the facts right. Opinions of sound are fine and welcome the rest is just BS.

Kingrex · Mar 26, 2024

tima said:
He can be hyperbolic -- that's part of his style. But he does ask hard questions and make pointed comments without being malicious. And there is always the ignore button.

Really. He sounded like a troll. Full of false claims and insulting owners. I agree with Elliots response post 139. I have heard AR a few times and found it full of life. So do the owners who have had a parade of other amps in their room that were sent back due to lower performance. And the ones that did not cut it are well known. There was nothing factual or hard hitting in his slander.

ARC announces price increase effective Mid-March '24

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