ARC Reference Anniversary preamp in 2011

I am glad to read about the 40ref being that good!
Can we expect this design to trickle down to the lessor priced preamps?
Let's hope so.
If the sound of this ref offends very few and gets things so right ARC can build their line around such a successful product and be heralded as the best preamp company in the world. Everyone wins the hobbbyist and ARC.
Then we can read and hear about ARC like we do Bose, in Time magazine, in Best buy, in Metropolitan opera house, in PLayboy and audiophiles will finally be mainstream--(never but wishful thinking).
Can one company dominate in an area such as preamps? Hasn't ARC been a leader in the past?

Wasn't CJ's ART preamp also priced at $25,000 way back when?

The first addition of Conrad-Johnson's ART was in the April 1999 issue of Stereophile P107 listed at $14,995. I did see the third addition at $25,000.
Nice mid fi stuff eh .

Nevertheless to be very honest - it is a benchmark preamp and maybe one of the three very best preamps
.
Fun Only - Thuchan

"Wasn't CJ's ART preamp also priced at $25,000 way back when?"

The CJ ART started out at 15K around 1997. The last 25 (called the ART 3) were made around 2006-7 and went for 25K loaded with CJ's propiety teflon caps in them.

The TOTL AR and CJ's would be my top choices for tube preamps (chose the ARTs myself). No such thing as a "best" preamp but I would nominate both of these for some of the best ever.

Tmsorosk, Nice hi end stuff eh :-)