General Asylum: REVIEW: Audio Refinement Complete Integrated Amplifier (SS) by sheppard

Model:	Complete
Category:	Integrated Amplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price:	$995
Description:	SS integrated amp,50/40W into 8/4ohms
Manufacturer URL:	Audio Refinement
Manufacturer URL:	Audio Refinement

Review by sheppard ( A ) on March 11, 2002 at 01:20:57
IP Address: 65.184.15.217

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I listened to the Vecteur Club Six and Cambridge Audio A300v2 before coming to the Audio Refinement Complete so this review will be with respect to those other two amplifiers. If you want to jump straight to my views on the ARC then skip to the bottom.
I originally had the A300v2 before trying out the Vecteur Club Six and the difference between those two was night and day. I didnâ€™t realize when I only had the A300v2 the detail and graininess it introduced into my system. The A300v2 had been my first foray into something more than the integrated amplifiers in computer speakers so it sounded heads and shoulders above anything I had heard previously. Itâ€™s an engaging amp that while not very smooth, is enjoyable to listen to IF youâ€™re not looking for every last ounce of detail and refinement. I think I now have an idea of what people mean when they say a â€œBritish soundâ€ â€“ the A300 pushes out the mids a bit to cover for the lack of smoothness. Not enough to be tiring to listen to and still a good entry-level amp for itâ€™s price.
When I first plugged in the Club Six, there was a noticeable difference in detail and a better sense of timing (compared to the A300). The Club Six just seemed to control the speakers better. The level of detail was such however that I found myself getting distracted by it at times. Though it didnâ€™t color the sound in any way I found my system tiring to listen to with the Club Six and had to turn it down periodically to rest my ears. Analytical may be the word Iâ€™m looking for.
At this point I had listened to two amps neither of which I was happy with. Reflecting on my experience with those amps I realized I was looking for something with more refinement and detail than the A300v2 and also smoother and less analytical than the Club Six. After reading some reviews I decided to give the ARC a try. After two weeks of listening I can safely say itâ€™s lived up to all its hype (which as it turned out may not be what Iâ€™m looking for). Itâ€™s silky smooth, slightly warm (still nothing compared to tubes), and never tiring to listen to. The level of detail is nowhere near that of the Club Six but then again that detail was making my listening experience tiring. Ultimately Iâ€™d like to be able to keep that level of detail while keeping the sound untiring (probably require more $$$ than I have).
Unfortunately, my system now sounds so smooth that I could use that word bland to describe it, particularly in the midrange. This is probably my listening preference talking so take it with several grains of salt. Vocals that stood out with the A300v2 and Club Six are pulled into the stage with the rest of the instruments. It makes for a very balanced presentation. Was this the way it was recorded? Perhaps. I believe this is system synergy at work as Iâ€™m using the Axiom M3Tiâ€™s which are known to have a slightly recessed/smooth midrange. The music is enjoyable to listen to and that for hours on end but itâ€™s simply not engaging. Again, Iâ€™ve only been listening to this for two weeks and perhaps Iâ€™ve simply yet to be acclimatized to a balanced sound. I had the same experience with the Senheisser 580 and Grado 125 and eventually preferred the 580â€™s but only after a long period of acclimatization.
One other note, I immediately confirmed the signal noise across the line inputs mentioned in a previous review. It took me seconds to confirm this by choosing an input other than the one I had a signal coming into and turned the volume up -viola! I actually emailed the distributor of the ARC in North America and hereâ€™s the cryptic response I received:
"As strange as it sounds, it is normal. This amp is
hand made and doesn't have the sort of
micro-processing (and therefore, inferior sound) that
would allow for perfect silence. This is a frequent
occurence in other high end hand made designs. And
shielding would not help...
What we recommend to end users is to kill the power on
the other sources- "
If somebody could tell me what they mean Iâ€™d appreciate it! I donâ€™t really care too much about this flaw since I donâ€™tâ€™ normally have two inputs turned on at the same time.
Overall I think itâ€™s a well-built amp and whether or not you will like it is a matter of taste and system synergy.

Product Weakness: Details aren't as fleshed out as with other SS amps.
Product Strengths: Smooth sound. Good value for the money. Well-built

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Audio Refinement Complete
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Cambridge Audio D300SE
Speakers:	Axiom M3Ti
Cables/Interconnects:	Monster
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical, Jazz, Alternative
Room Size (LxWxH):	11 x 11 x 10
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Details aren't as fleshed out as with other SS amps.
Product Strengths:	Smooth sound. Good value for the money. Well-built