Audio Research Ref. 3, Ref. 5, or the Ref. 5se.

If you buy a REF 3 or 5 just replace the current used tubes by 6H30P-DR
and the powerreg. tube by a NOS Tungsol 6550 black plate . Do add the
powerbank upgrade as used in the REf 5 SE , and you will be amazed !

tsushima1,

Much appreciated on the tube replacement advice. In regards to  the fuse replacment, I'm not going to touch the fuse, I am happy the way it is! No offense, but I am no longer OCD driven and am content with my system within reason. However, I must add I am sort of let down by the Sovtek 6550 tubes that were with the unit upon purchasing. I developed a noise in the right channel attributed to a noisy output stage tube. Not the intermittent burps tubes occasionally develop, this was constant! This only after 150 hours on the unit. I called Audio Research and asked for 2 replacements just in case I had another issue.

 I replaced the right channel tube and was back to happy listening when suddenly around 300 hours the left channel did the same exact thing! I then replaced it with the spare tube. I am glad I asked for two instead of the one that they were going to originally send out. Since replacing the two that were bad, I have not had any other tube noises since then. I have around 480 hours on the unit now. 

Congrats Russ!  You are going to love it.
 
Please come back to this thread and give us a review.

I tend to recommend the GE 6550A as it is to me the best *All Rounder* its accuracy and neutrality certainly makes an excellent choice for Classical, Rock, Popular, Singer Songwriter, Film Scores etc .etc.

Were I to be contemplating an evening of Sinatra, Ella, Lady Sings The Blues, Jazz, Blues, etc. Etc. then I might swap out the GE for an Tung Sol Solid Gray Plate or an late 50's Black, introducing a touch more palpability, Tonal density and Harmonic bloom