McIntosh C1000 tube pre vs. ARC Ref 3?

>>Hantrax your logic is nonsense. To post a strong opinion about something you never heard is absurd.

I posted no strong opinion on anything I haven't heard. You probably need to go back and read the thread.

I wouldn't say all that. The verdict on the ARC 3 is that it is "Audio Research's best preamplifier ever".

The C1000 got Stereophile's Product of the Year. I wouldn't even mention the two pieces in the same breath. The McIntosh is the clear winner here by a country mile, even though I will admit I haven't heard the ARC. I heard an ARC Ref 2 for a while, and the C200 murdered it IMO. The 1000 is so far beyond the C200.

Based on all the reviews out there, which the OP mentions, my statement was accurate. At least I admitted not hearing the Ref 3. That's probably more than most of you would have done.

You can surmise that the 1000 is ahead by a country mile just from reading the reviews. The same magazine picked one as Product of the YEAR. And of the other they say "the best preamplifier ever from Audio Research". Sounds like a backhanded compliment to me.

As I said, I've spent much time with the Ref 2 and the 1000. So I am quite a bit more qualified here than most.

>>I'm just trying to let the original poster know that a lot of hot air blows around these threads when it comes to opinions!<<

Which is precisely why I disclosed the fact that I had not heard the ARC Ref 3. We're on the same page here. I'm on your side.

Jim:

One product gets Product of the Year, and then the same reviewers declare the other "the best preamplifier ever" FROM ARC.

It's sort of like you dated around before you got married, and your wife is the one you married, but that one girl was "the best redhead" you ever dated. That's a slap in the face. They didn't say "one of the best preamps we've ever heard". They said "the best from ARC".

There is a massive difference, and I am sure you all see this and are just giving me a hard time for fun.

But I do agree with your need for a head to head comparison in your own system. There is also a need (for most of us) to get out there and gather as much info as possible from as many sources as possible. This is what GPGR4BLU did, and he made the correct decision.

How many people on the EARTH have done a comparison of an ARC 3 and a C1000 in their system? I would venture to guess that there are less than a dozen. The guy wanted info, and I provided that, WITH my disclaimer that I had NOT done a head to head comparison.

You guys just want to argue for fun, and that's cool b/c I can do that all day. But I'm right here.

And another thing. . . McIntosh doesn't ADVERTISE with the magazine in question. Not that it has any bearing on the topic at hand, but I thought I'd point that out based on your insinuation that they are buying these awards.