CJ ACT 2 v. VTL 7.5 v. ARC Ref 3

To all,

Thanks for your advice. I should add the BAT to the list. Guidocorona, I will check your link. Reading others' comments and getting a cross-section of impressions is very useful because listening to these pre's in another system is not really very revealing on how it will sound in one's own.

Scott, I originally bought my Krell as a 200c and used it with a Hovland HP100 with no problems. After a few weeks I had it upgraded to a 300cx at Krell and they did the internal adjustment for tube pre's. No problems using it with the Wyetech Opal, which is single-ended so I use Valhalla's with an XLR on the amp end. I have heard of others who used the 300cx with tube pre's without the internal adjustment and have had no problems. I think you have to check whether the impedances match up but I do not have the technical knowledge to elaborate. You might want to just give Krell Tech Support a call or send an e-mail. In my experience they have been very responsive.

Hi Nglazer,
I compared CJ ACT II to ARC REF3 in my system. I bought ARC Ref3. Can't comment on VTL 7.5 or BAT

Let me know please what Valhalla and Elrod Statement power cords connected to in your system?

Regards,
Eugene

Eugene, could you comment on the audible differences between Act 2 and Ref 3, and what where the key factors that made you decide in favor of Ref 3?

I also was able to auditon both the CJ and the ARC Ref3 in my system at the same time from two different dealers. I found them both to be first class pre amps. However, I went with the ARC. As good as the Act ll was, it did have the CJ house sound which is a little to warm for me while the ARC simply disappeared.

Guidocorona,
ARC3 had better image density, presented lager, deeper soundstage and had better harmonics. On some CDs instruments seemed better separated with CJ. But overall Ref3 was a clear winner.

There were two more candidates during my test – Aesthetix Calisto Signature and dcs Elgar DAC with variable output. Aesthetix couldn’t compete with others with its factory Sovtek tubes. In regard to dCS Elgar, it was connected directly to CAT JL2 and on some good recordings surpassed my system with Ref3 in it. But that was only with two CDs out of ~ 30 good recorded CDs I played those days. dCS could never play piano right and didn’t present soundstage as good as preamps did.

Other components during auditioning were:
Avalon Eidolon
CAT JL2
Meridian 508.24
Stereovox IC and speaker Cable
Nordost Vishnu, Shunyata Anaconda Alpha and NBS Serpent power cables