Has anyone heard the Ref 3?

Looks like I'm getting a Ref 3.

Thank goodness for stock options. :o)

I own a Ref 3 and IMO it is simply the best preamp I have ever owned. Prior to that I owned a Ref 2 MK ll which I thought also to be excellent but when put up against the Ref 3 it sounded broken.

Those who pontificate about preamps rate the Ref3 as one of the top 3 in the market today--the other two being VTL 7.5 and the CJ ACT 2. Bear in mind that ARC recently did a rolling line change on the Ref 3 by adding 4 bypass caps and switching from the 6L6 tube back to a 6550C

Here is a look at the Ref 3 in my room

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vaslt&1049587927&read&3&4&

http://homepage.mac.com/imacdoyou86/PhotoAlbum52.html

I ordered mine yesterday. Stay tuned...

>>Oneobgyn writes .....Those who pontificate about preamps rate the Ref3 as one of the top 3 in the market today--the other two being VTL 7.5 and the CJ ACT 2.

Obviously you haven't heard the Audio Note Kondo M-77, Supratek Grange, Lamm L2, and Aesthetix Callisto or you wouldn't have made such an uninformed post. I'd be more careful about posting absolutes; they are seldom correct.

Judy426: "Obviously" you like to put your foot in your mouth. The "uninformed" pot is definitely calling the kettle black. Before posting such ignorance, why don't you ask Oneobgyn about his experiences with the other preamps to which you make reference.