Audio research Ref.3 vs Primaluna Dialogue premium preamp


Looking for opinions on which you would chose and why? Thanks
rvito
Just looked over some specs of the AR3, db gain 11, thats much lower than Cayin's 15, = huge points there. and I love the variety of tubes in the AR..
If you get the AR3, ship it to Richard Gray and have him upgrade with my Mundorf Silvergold EVO Oil caps, 
Huge gains there, = far superior to stock AR3. 
My choice is AR3, super tube circuitry. 
But ona  budget,,I'd go cayin SC6 Mark2, and ship to Richard have him swap caps out for M EVO Silver Oil.
New high quality caps is a real ~~game changer~~
The principal reason I'd probably select a Primaluna over the ARC is that with the ARC is what you hear is what you get. You really can't change the tone by rolling tubes. With the Primaluna you can change the tone quite effectively by simply changing tubes. The ARC output impedance will be an easier load for many amps. This might be a problem for some Primaluna users. It was so for me on an earlier Primaluna pre. 

There are other issues which would probably push me toward the Prologue as well but for me those are the relevant ones, and frankly if I were to buy one now I would probably not buy either. 
The principal reason I'd probably select a Primaluna over the ARC is that with the ARC is what you hear is what you get.
That is exactly why I'd choose the Ref 3.  

I owned the Ref 3 for a half dozen years and found it to be extended, fairly detailed and accurate.  Overall sound was a lot like solid state.  I wanted it to sound special but couldn’t quite pull it off.
REF 3 definitely

If you can do a side by side A/B comparison in your home system, you will see/hear that there really isn't a comparison.

Don't get me wrong.  The Primaluna unit is very nice.  But, it isn't on the same level with the REF 3.

enjoy