Audio Research Ref 3 Opinions

Ok guys: you bring up some valid arguments!

Jafox: I'm 100% sure of the power amp in that the technology of the flagship line has (so far) trickled down to my model # of power amps. I know this 'cuz the person I bought my amps from upgraded to the flagship line. I conversed w/ him after he had the amps for a while. 2ndly, I've chatted w/ Odyssey Audio on this matter: I was told the same thing. Hence I'm inclined to believe it.
Yes, I, too, did not like the sound of his stock Linn Sondek LP12 thru the PH3. Clean sound but same sort of flat/2-D sound as thru the CDP. OK, I admit, it could have been the room.
Maybe I'll get to hear this ARC Ref 1 again. Suffice it to say that this time around it was not my cup-of-tea.

Any updated findings on ARC Ref 3? In particular, Marcelo, how are you liking yours after several months of breaking?

All, just yesterday I spent three hours comparing the ARC Ref 3 with the VAC Ren Sig II. Front end was supplied by the new DCS P8I single box player and by the Accuphase DP-77. Ref 3 was stunning and had no obvious problems driving the relatively low input impedance (22K Ohms) of the Rowland 302. Amazingly DCS P8I was also extremely good when driving the amp directly. You will find my rather detailed findings at:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1123254379&openfrom&58&4#58
See you all there. Your opinions welcome!

Hi all, Hi Guido! I missed this post, sorry!

Well, I've lived with the REF3 now for a while, and can only confirm what I initially sensed, it is a great linestage, detailed, open and rich.

If I were to find a weak point, it would only be the input gain (yes, I know I mentioned it before, but it didn´t stopped bugging me). This is not related to its performance though, more likely to my own tastes as user. I don´t like to increase the volume well above 50 to have some significant SPL out of the Martin Logans. So, I decided that I needed to use high output phono preamp and also add a high output DAC in between my CDP and the Ref3. Well, I bought a phono pre with enough output to drive the power amps (Aesthetix Rhea) if it only had volume control.
Gain is an incredible 75 dbs!
And, for the CDP I bought at first a Krell Stealth DAC, but this one didn´t really had the fire, so today arrived a Theta Probasic IIIa that a fellow A´goner sold to me last sunday and it did the trick. Now I really feel like the Ref3 sings!

What else can I say? That I think it will be hard for me to get a better rig for my system. I´m really really pleased with it.

brgds, Marcelo

Marcelo, 'bingo' on all counts! Detailed, open and certainly rich define the Ref 3 for me as well. And yes, gain seems a little low: with DCS P8I, REF 3, Rowland 302, Totem Manitoo, to get good sound pressure I had to raise the volume to 7. This may not be a problem though. If I recall correctly my Rowland 7M monoblock amps have a couple different gain settings.
Are you still using the Ref 3 with its original 6H30 tubes, or have you sent your unit to get the 6550C tubes and the bypass caps? Sonic differences?
Lastly, for me the 'fat lady has not sung yet!' I did A/B Ref 3 with the VAC Ren Signature II , however the real comparison will be against the much newer Ren II and Phi 2.0. Still lots of fun to go through!