PH 5

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PH 5

Postby dafos » Mon Oct 18, 2004 1:43 am

Got to try the PH 5 phono stage and whew! that was a breathtaking experience. While the Black Cube SE gave it a good fight, it simply could not match the PH 5's low and high frequency extension, dynamics and clarity. Thats what you get when you more than double your cash outlay. And anyone out there who likes to fiddle around with his mc's loading, this is remote controllable!
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Postby arnoldc » Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:58 am

how much is this selling for?
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Postby dafos » Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:38 pm

I think you'd better give senor sensible (lito) a ring at 8404095, he's very accomodating. Lots of the latest mouth watering audio research gear now in his possession.
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Postby Killer Mike » Mon Oct 18, 2004 9:37 pm

where is it made? :)
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Postby arnoldc » Tue Oct 19, 2004 8:32 am

mike, PH 5 is a product of Audio Research Corporation, a U.S.A. brand

jerryalz, can you say that the PH5 blew away the Black Cube? at $1,995 list price, i expect it to trounce the much cheaper Black Cube.
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Postby jo2 » Tue Oct 19, 2004 10:08 am

Talk about diminishing returns...

But squeezing the last iota or note or information on your Vinyl collection,

unfortunately YOU have to spend a LITTLE BIT more!!!

And it doesn't come CHEAP!!! :(

Tell me, what tubes are you using for the ARC PH5? :)
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Postby jadis » Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:21 pm

We need to clarify the price of the Ph5 from Lito himself. I thought the Ph3 was already
in the $2000 list price range when I bought mine 2 years ago. I believe the Ph5 should cost more, just a feeling. And the PH5 uses 4 pcs 6922 tubes,the PH3 uses only 3.
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never said blew away black cube

Postby dafos » Wed Oct 20, 2004 6:57 pm

Hi arnoldc, if you read my post carefully i did not say that the ph 5 blew away the black cube. Indeed, regardless of price, i thought that the black cube performed very convincingly. What I want to know is if anyone out there has any experience with the EAR 834?
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Postby arnoldc » Wed Oct 20, 2004 7:07 pm

hi jerryalz, i know you did not say that, hence the follow up Q and i apologize if it seems like feeding words in your mouth.

i have auditioned a modded EAR834P (the caps were replaced with Auricaps from Audience) that is owned by fellow forumer joe3rp. i did not post my observations though, but at that time, it was the best of the bunch that i have tried.
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Postby dafos » Wed Oct 20, 2004 7:10 pm

arnoldc I misread your post, as it was in fact a question. No, the ph 5 did not blow away the black cube, it simply squeezed out and laid bare more information out of those lp grooves. Percussion instruments and complex musical passages with lots of high frequency information was more cleanly and clearly rendered. But the point is, one can comfortably go back to the black cube knowing that it is not giving up too much to the more expensive phono stages out there.
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www.arcdb.ws

Postby dafos » Wed Oct 20, 2004 11:00 pm

Philip, try this website, its a database of all arc models since the company's inception. The PH 5 lists at 2K, and ARC claims it beats the the PH 3SE. But if you know ARC, that's what they always claim when a newer model or a mark 2, 3, etc version to drive the consumer crazy is introduced!
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Postby jadis » Thu Oct 21, 2004 6:03 am

Jerry,

Ok. I know that website, very informative. Good to know though that ARC has cut
its prices down to very competitive levels. And yes, I agree that they always claim
the newer models are so much better etc. But one thing I wouldn't condone is that
they do not allow emails from consumers, a horrible atrocity in this day and age.
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Postby arnoldc » Thu Oct 21, 2004 8:38 am

hi jerryalz, thank you for the additional observations ;)
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Re: never said blew away black cube

Postby Racio » Thu Oct 21, 2004 1:19 pm

jerryalz wrote:Hi arnoldc, if you read my post carefully i did not say that the ph 5 blew away the black cube. Indeed, regardless of price, i thought that the black cube performed very convincingly.

When I auditioned the Francis' Lehmann BlackCube, I certainly felt that in my system, it blew the socks off my old MF XLP V1 in terms of shifts in dynamism, detail retrieval and frequency extension. But I never thought it would hold its own against the much expensive phonostages in the market. Thanks for sharing jerryalz.
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Postby dafos » Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:55 pm

Racio wrote:
jerryalz wrote:Hi arnoldc, if you read my post carefully i did not say that the ph 5 blew away the black cube. Indeed, regardless of price, i thought that the black cube performed very convincingly.

When I auditioned the Francis' Lehmann BlackCube, I certainly felt that in my system, it blew the socks off my old MF XLP V1 in terms of shifts in dynamism, detail retrieval and frequency extension. But I never thought it would hold its own against the much expensive phonostages in the market. Thanks for sharing jerryalz.
Speaking of component's blowing away another, I guess I'm a bit uncomfortable with the term "blew away," which, as in anything audio, is relative from one listener to another. In my case, a given component "blows away" another when after going back to the "inferior" component, one can no longer listen contentedly without constantly entertaining thoughts of how to squiggle the new piece of equipment into your rack knowing full well that its acquisition will create a serious fiscal crisis!
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Postby Racio » Fri Oct 22, 2004 12:37 pm

jerryalz wrote:
Racio wrote:
jerryalz wrote:Hi arnoldc, if you read my post carefully i did not say that the ph 5 blew away the black cube. Indeed, regardless of price, i thought that the black cube performed very convincingly.

When I auditioned the Francis' Lehmann BlackCube, I certainly felt that in my system, it blew the socks off my old MF XLP V1 in terms of shifts in dynamism, detail retrieval and frequency extension. But I never thought it would hold its own against the much expensive phonostages in the market. Thanks for sharing jerryalz.
Speaking of component's blowing away another, I guess I'm a bit uncomfortable with the term "blew away," which, as in anything audio, is relative from one listener to another. In my case, a given component "blows away" another when after going back to the "inferior" component, one can no longer listen contentedly without constantly entertaining thoughts of how to squiggle the new piece of equipment into your rack knowing full well that its acquisition will create a serious fiscal crisis!

Oh, believe you me bro, I'm also quite aware of how such a purchase can create not only a financial crisis but a scandalous domestic squabble as well. Hence, I try to avoid those kind of conflicts as much as I can. :wink: But yes, guilty as charged w/ that "blew away" thingamaging there. I guess it would have been more appropriate and precise to say that I was the one who was "blown away" when I auditioned the Lehmann in my setup (in fact, I've been a happy BlackCube touting camper since). My apologies then.
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Postby noctilux » Wed Nov 10, 2004 5:18 pm

jadis wrote:We need to clarify the price of the Ph5 from Lito himself. I thought the Ph3 was already
in the $2000 list price range when I bought mine 2 years ago. I believe the Ph5 should cost more, just a feeling. And the PH5 uses 4 pcs 6922 tubes,the PH3 uses only 3.


Jadis,

Don't be surprised that the pricing now is more competitive. I wouldn't complain. We should be rejoicing than bewildered that a new product's price is close to that of the one it had replaced. Unless there's a rule in the hobby that says every equipment we upgrade to should be priced 500usd more than the current equipment.
There actually is a precendent to ARC's pricing scheme. If you get your Audio Buyer's Bible, the defunct Audio magazine annual buyer's guide issue, you may find out that the cost of the old PH1 was 1,500usd. The PH3 which replaced it was around that price as well and the PH1 did not have a single tube in it. I'm actually still using it to this day and gives me hours of joy. I may be cheating since I did a few mods on it.

rgds
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Postby jadis » Wed Nov 10, 2004 5:53 pm

noctilux,

I just had a notion that in the past, ARC would price the newer models higher
than the older ones. Like my SP10 MKII brand new cost 50t pesos and I believe
the SP11 cost a lot more than that, probably almost 100t, if I'm not mistaken,
because a friend of mine bought a used one for like 80t. If the PH3 cost then $1500,
then it is my mistake because I thought it was $2000. Then, the PH5 really costs $500
more than the PH3.

I wouldn't complain too if prices would drop to very affordable levels. That would be
a joy to all audiophiles. My feeling simply stemmed from my recollection that most of
ARCs new model are priced higher than the one it replaced. But I have heard from the
HK dealer of ARC that Bill Johnson is lowering their prices of current models without
sacrificing any part nor technology, a welcome news to its buyers and prospective buyers.
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Postby ihatejazz » Mon Feb 27, 2006 7:18 am

noctilux wrote:
jadis wrote:We need to clarify the price of the Ph5 from Lito himself. I thought the Ph3 was already
in the $2000 list price range when I bought mine 2 years ago. I believe the Ph5 should cost more, just a feeling. And the PH5 uses 4 pcs 6922 tubes,the PH3 uses only 3.


Jadis,

Don't be surprised that the pricing now is more competitive. I wouldn't complain. We should be rejoicing than bewildered that a new product's price is close to that of the one it had replaced. Unless there's a rule in the hobby that says every equipment we upgrade to should be priced 500usd more than the current equipment.
There actually is a precendent to ARC's pricing scheme. If you get your Audio Buyer's Bible, the defunct Audio magazine annual buyer's guide issue, you may find out that the cost of the old PH1 was 1,500usd. The PH3 which replaced it was around that price as well and the PH1 did not have a single tube in it. I'm actually still using it to this day and gives me hours of joy. I may be cheating since I did a few mods on it.

rgds
Nocty


Hi Nocty,
I am not new to newer products maintaining or sometimes even lowering prices of newer models. It could be parts used were from a cheaper source, lesser R&D compared to totally innovative design(sometimes a simple mod can warrant a mk2 status), or simply downsizing aesthetics.
As an example, look back at your old Audio price guide and check out price of the TNT3 back then. The TNT is now on its 6th series yet prices keep going down inspite of the fact that the $1000 SDS replaced the $400 PLC etc. etc. etc. But on cost-no-object items we keep see prices skyrocketing. What could it be?
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Postby m_shoe_maker » Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:06 am

ihatejazz wrote:But on cost-no-object items we keep see prices skyrocketing. What could it be?


IMHO, in this market lies a big chunk of the gullible and or status conscious audiofools. :twisted: With all the money in the world, these people just buy the most expensive stuff thinking that its the best, and or would give them the most pogi points to probably to cover up their ugly looking faces. :twisted: :lol:

Manufacturers simply love preying on this bunch. :twisted:
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