Audio research Ref.3 vs Primaluna Dialogue premium preamp

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

I just entered and know very little about this hobby/obsession but in my quest for understanding, I took the tour of AR on two youtube shows. I was struck by their attention to detail, commitment to quality(Woo), voicing their product AND their ability to service any of their machines since before AR was AR. I now aspire to own their product provided I like what I hear and someday the funds to afford them.
I might add the Nelson Pass interviews on yourtube were also very interesting and educational but in a different psychoacoustic and marketing way.

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

 I agree completely with the statement above.
I "could", make quite a long list as to the, "why's" of my thoughts.
 But after reading the above?
"I feel that it should quite suffice".
 Unless...Someone really wants a read where I merrily follow that "Rabbit Hole", down into a minutiae rich oblivion....

I will say that the "Prima Luna" products I have physically seen recently?
 They looked to be of a much lower build and material quality than I had remembered. 
 Did something change?

Ok, After fighting with myself for five minutes over whether or not I should say this....;
  The last units which I saw. "Just after unboxing". They all had a (definite), "Toys-R-Us" quality to them.  
"Clones", mayhap? But even then, they should have looked....much, much different to my eye's.