IMO the 1A/166 is outstanding, having owned one. The 3A is able to move the listener to the 1st row from the 9th row with the 1A. I love being very close to the soloist, so the 3A is a blissfully satisfying musical component. If you enjoy sitting not all that far back at concerts, the 1A is absolutely the most muic for the money. I easily gave up my previous other manu., reference pre after a quarter century of loyalty (through a few previous pre mod. upgrades and one major model change). IMO Herron's preamps help define the ne plus ultra, I believe is a phrase not easily found in english, except for the Maine phrases " none bettah " and " finest kind "