Conrad Johnson ACT2 against Audio Research Ref 3

I might be able to answer Guidocorona's question. I had a CJ Premier 17LS and explored the Act 2 as a upgrade. I liked the Act 2 and it was certainly a upgrade from the Premier. I felt it increased the detail heard in my system and there was a increase in bass weight but, it did share the same sort of laid back warm sound that the Premier had. I can see how a system with speakers that are a little on the bright side and very revealing would sound good with this preamp. Especially if it is a all digital source system. The "warmth" would make the music more listenable in such a system. However, my speakers are already in the "laid back, warm" camp (Vandersteen 5A) and the ARC Ref. 3 matched much better with them. It really isn't which is better, they are both great preamps. It is what matches best with the rest of your system to acheive the sound you want.

Thank you Agaffer, much appreciated. Your observations confirm my own guess about the sonic signature of the ACT 2. As I said. . . I am 'expecting'. A stork may be finally in the process of leaving the frozen Minnesota tundra with an ARC 3 baby bundled under its beak just for me. In the meantime, there exists a rumour that just before Christmas there was a backlog of more than 30 Ref 3s, and dozens of 'expectant' 'fathers ' are succumbing to the most audiophilic of uncontrollable cravings.
What would OneObGin prescribe to palliate our growing anxiety and discomfort, while we wait for the great bird from the North to land on our roofs and deliver our tubed bundle of joy?

"What would OneObGin prescribe to palliate our growing anxiety and discomfort, while we wait for the great bird from the North to land on our roofs and deliver our tubed bundle of joy?"

I would recommend reading the book "What To Expect When You Are Expecting"

Guido...I was under the impression that you had the Ref 3 in your system.

Oneobgin, I ordered my Ref 3 only in December. I am not surprised you thought I already had one in my system. After all I have been ranting about it since August; heard it in several dealerships; flew out to Aris Audio's open house in Salt Lake just to listen to it again in October; parked myself for ungodly number of hours in Babybear's listening room and listened to it there; finally once brought home Babybear's ref 3 to listen on my system, just to make sure that my infatuation for Ref 3 was not a short term hallucination... finally broke down and ordered in December, once all spousal vetoes were lifted. . . and now. . . I am 'expectant!'
Oh yes I was forgetting. . . went back to Babybear's place for his Christmas party and spent 5 more hours till past 3:00 a.m. in his music room in perfect antisocial rapture. How is that for having audiophilia nervosa?