Sold a Ref 1 and got a SF line 3. Am very happy with the trade up. Ref 1 and a previous LS2B were both too bright. The SF is totally neutral, cheaper, has better definition, resolution, and base. The one area that just can't be a matter of opinion or taste is S/N ratio. Both ARC products had ground loop problems that gave totally unacceptable 60Hz hum. I corrected the problem somewhat by using a cheater plug. When I connected a video source that was connected to my cable TV (AT&T) the hum came back big time. This means if you plan on using the preamp as any part of a home theater system... don't buy ARC..
