Can I Pair Audio Reseach Ref 3 w/ the McIntosh MC2505 Poweramp?

I've owned a few Mac amps in the past and have paired them with other preamp brands, tube and solid state with very good results. The Reference 3 is a very good choice but the Hovland HP 100 may be a better sound and is in your price range if you can find one.

Enter your text ...Really?  Even better than the ARC? Should I be concerned that I havea vintage Mac Power amp? It has a very warm, tube-like, sound meant to mimic the early tube power amps that Mac originally produced. I hoped a well-matched tube pre and warm sounding solid state power amp could complment each other.

Sorry, IMHO the 2505 is not one of Mac's better efforts.  Matching a high end pre will not make the Mac 2505 any better, but only highlight it's shortcomings. You may taking a big step backwards.

You don't have your system posted or say what kind of sources you prefer to use, so it's difficult to give precise input.  If you're a vinyl junkie with a hot table, arm and cartridge, that's one thing.  If you're all-digital and into streaming, that can often be something else.  Much (if not all) also very much depends on your speakers.

Given what you've said, I'd have to agree with brf that making a major upgrade to your preamp could well reveal weaknesses in the MC2505.  It's not a bad amplifier as such things go, but it is quite a bit older and limited in power.  

You might be better served taking the ~$5000 total budget that would include the sale value of the 2505 and looking at a MC7100 and C2200 combo, for example.  Talking to the guys at Audio Classics could give you other ideas, too.

Good luck & happy listening!

You do have a point, I haven’t mentioned many details about my current setup. My goals here are to eventually upgrade my entire system to something much more refined and detailed, with an expansive soundstage and full bodied midrange.

Here it is:

Tannoy XT6f floorstanding speakers
Rotel RDD-1588 DAC
Blue Sound Node 2 Media Player
Rega Elex-R Integrated Amp (Preamp out)
McIntosh MC2505 Vintage Power Amp (68 WPC)
AudioQuest RCA Cables Panther

I’d Like to start my upgrades with a very capable tube preamp. I already have a system with a polished top end (which I love), and descent bottom end (could be a little tighter). I’d love to improve the soundstage depth and width, as well as the midrange response and detail.