audio reseach ref 3 or krell KTC...?

Yes, I had both home and wen't with the Evo 202 as a replacement for my KCT. ARC is amzing and full but still has a tube signature..akin to a Monet' painting! KCT and especially evo 202 is very close but without the tube signature..i.e. slight sense of something between the music and the listener..ever so slight. Can't go wrong with either..matching the system and the cabling is everything however.

By the way, if you think cast sounds the best...well, maybe you have had a limited experience with high end cablees and equipment...I've done extensive a/b testing with balanced vs cast(including siltech)..cast is average sounding at best. The new evo rig is for advanced musicaly that my FPB/KCT setup sounded hard and thin in comparison. I had the ref 3 as well for awhile...the 202 krell is globaly more lifelike..the ref 3 is audio surrealism!

Have had many ARC/Krell combos and never a problem...the caps will kill the krells sound!!

ckoffend, I have used an LS25, RefII and RefIII with Krell 600, 400 and evo 402 amps..no problems. Caps will kill tone color, soundstage and transparency.

Is it a 300cx or just c?

Ckoffend, get the upgrade done to 400cx..that was my favorite FPB amp of all (better than monoblocks). Krell ended their golden age of audio design with the FPB cx series amps! You must get a Transparent MM reference power cord for it..you will crap your pants after hearing how huge a difference it can make.

Microstrip, ckoffend...not better but slightly more laid back and less aggressive in the upper midrange. Krell monoblocks have always had a bit more hardness and leanness in the upper mids compared to the stereo units! By the way, the FPB300 will actually sound more rounded and "tubelike" compared to the 400cx so maybe standing pat will be more your cup of tea anyway..depends on the synergy of your system and cabling. Bigger power supply in 300 vs later models and 400cx!!