Audible Illusions Modulus 3 Audio Research SP-11

That is an interessting answer.

According to some reviews it is also said that the Modulus 3 adds more detail is more transparent and adds backround information in the music by pushing it to the foreground which is bascially what I am looking for.

I am not sure if I can be wrong with it.

On the AI website they list which tubes will perform with their preamp. They state that most NOS tubes are not a good match.

I'll throw in my perspective, (for what it's worth). I was an ARC dealer for many years and an AI dealer for a few years.

I have personally owned an AI 2C, 2D, 3 and 3A. I have owned almost every preamp that ARC made back in the day.

I would take the SP-11 or SP-15 any day over the AI 3A. This is just a personal preference.

Since we are taking used here, the price difference is pretty large. The ARC SP-11/15 are still going for around $3000 and I've seen AI 3As for around $1000. So that would have to be a factor.

It seems to me that nobody can describe the sound or make any direct suggestions.

I have heard the SP-11, SP-10 and Sp-15 as wel, but it seems that some folks still say that

the Modulus 3 has

- a quieter background
- better details
- better focus background info is pressed to the foreground( that was basically what I was looking for)
- no bubbled edges
- Tubey in terms of depth, but not warmth

Can anyone make some statments about the sound how he or she thinks about this after having had a comparrision with those units.

@ Mofimadness: Did the Audio Research really sound so much better? or was it just becouse Audible Illusions had bad service?