McIntosh C1000 tube pre vs. ARC Ref 3?

Just to keep this thread in perspective, the Mac cost almost double or triple (depending on options) the REF-3. I would hope for the extra spend that the MAC is better.

To me, the Mac is a bit gimmicky. In that they offer both a tube and SS option. So that tells me they admit there is a sonic difference between the two and want to offer the customer a choice in sonic character. Otherwise, they would have offered only one topology which would have been based on a straight wire with gain principal (Pure Accurate Amplification).

I contend when spending this kind of money that all these items are of very high quality and that in critical home listening they both will sound great.

At this price point, I doubt that anything blows any other thing "out of the water". But I am sure that there will be sonic differences that any individual can have a preference for.

I have the REF-3 and feel it is very accurate and faithful to the recording. I do not feel that it adds or subtracts anything from what is on the recording.

I am sure the MAC is a fantastic piece of equipment as any statement product should be. But since both of the products are very well designed and intended to produce the music as accurately as possible. I expect the differences to be shades of gray. Sometimes these discussions sound just like sports car discussions. My Ferrari is better than your Z06.

The bottom line is we become passionate about a given brand and all else pales in comparison regardless of objective thought.

In the end, unless someone with a remarkably high resolution system compares the two together under equal circumstances everything said on this thread is personal speculation....Steve

Straight wire with gain is the ideal. I would expect that is the design goal for high-end design as opposed to creating a device that has a purposely built in sonic signature/style. Again if you like MAC, buy it. Since the debate for you personally would be over.

But many with unlimited funds; I am sure will make different choices based on both sonics and brand loyalty.

In the end it will be a subjective and emotional choice based on each individual....Steve

Without having been at the concert or recording session for comparison. I look for how natural instruments and vocals sound compared to my experience to live music. Most folks have a good feeling for what things sound like in real life.

There is no way to tell on overproduced and massaged recordings, but when listening to purist recordings of single or small groups of instruments and vocals you can get a feeling for how close to real they are sounding.

I know it is not scientific, but I know that my system is getting much closer to reproducing the essence of the performance and the realism of the vocalist and instruments.