George, that's not going to happen.
He's perfectly content with the way his system has been voiced and the ARC pre amp is almost the least costly component in this set up.
As much as I would like to do the comparison, it's not going to happen, and I wouldn't even ask to do so.
It's always a great learning experience for me to bring over a few lps, or cd's and have a listen to them on his set up.
It is always as much a learning experience as it is a pleasurable listening experience.
Afterwards I listen to the same tunes on my system,making note of the areas that my set up falls short of his.
Then I experiment within my price range to try to improve what I have to make it sound similar to his.
Similar, yes, the same, never.
As much as the naysayers claim that only fools throw away their money chasing after the illusive absolute sound, money when spent wisely, does make for some very exciting listening sessions.
Most of the reviews people read are taken with a grain of salt,some cry foul and say they are bought and paid for.
However, until you hear some of these exotic items properly voiced, you will understand that fairy tales do come true.
You just have to pay hard coin for that experience, or find things that come close that cost much less.
The LSA is one such piece in my opinion.
I am certain Sam Tellig was never paid to say nice things about your Volume control,and it certainly isn't priced anywhere near most of the pre-amps it's been favourably compared to.
I would also like to hear what the ARC pre-amp would sound like in my system, but alas that's just a dream.My friend sets things up and that's the end of it.
I do have two friends with Acoustat speakers and the Acoustat servo amps, one a newer 3 panel (flat) and the other a 4 panel.
One uses an Atmasphere MP3, with Harmonic tech balanced cables into his amp which isn't balance, but was retrofitted with XLR jack, so it's quasi balanced and not the true measure of Ralph's genius(I used to own the same pre-amp, and it was great in a different set up with the Atmasphere S30 and stacked Quad 57's).
My other friend has the Audio Valve Eclipse, which I also owned in a different system.
So I do have personal experience with these two pre-amps when used with Acoustat amps and speakers, just not direct experience in my Acoustat set up.
Do my friends systems have anything that I think my system lacks?
Nothing, in fact, they always remark about how clear my system is.
But then I am more anal about stuff like fuses, and room treatment and the importance of clean power and using a good audio rack(Grand Prix Audio).
Because of my obsessive ways or their lack of them,I can say that the LSA is in no way shamed by either of these two very fine pre-amps, as it is set up in my system.
As I stated I've owned some pretty good pre amps(Conrad Johnson Premier two, Blue Circle fully tricked Galatea,Levinson ML2,Meitner,to name a few)but not in the system I have now.
I can only state that I have no desire to revisit them or seek out any others to replace the LSA.
It makes me happy,whether I paid $500.00 or $50,000.00,I would still find it hits all the marks that matter to me.
If I had one thing that I would change with the LSA, it would be to replace the RCA with the top of the line Rhodium RCA's from Furutech. These made a nice change on my Servo amps, and then my cables that use the 102 R Rca's would see a perfect match.I like consistency in connections,but I did admit to being anal.
