Seriously? Why Buy ARC Ref 6SE? seems Benchmark LA4 is a better choice.

Ahhhh, thoughts from true marketeer.  Maybe take a poll.  Most will say they can’t hear diffs.  High end dealer conveyed that most can’t hear diffs, including reviewers paid to write fancy prose.

Yes, I understand about amps not part of the benchmark.

but, it remains totally unclear what is achieved within the arc 6se box. It’s a simple preamp.

There is value in a dac, in an amp, speakers and even an avr.  These are complex electronics devices with much going on inside.  I am getting more hard pressed to justify a $17k spend on a stereo preamp.  I would prefer to devote resources to a better main speaker with larger drivers. This follows an especially helpful discussion with a high end dealer who said it is very difficult discerning a diff between stereo preamps.  Much easier to pick out a diff in speakers.

it’s all marketing funny business.  If there truly were diffs there would be all kinds of efforts to have AB testing reviews and in store comparisons.  They don’t do this.

It’s a quandary. And leaning more toward tubes seems to offer more musical fun, especially vocals.  I can’t leave my home to go visit listening rooms due to an injury so I am learning what I can.  Although not sure if this would help.  
Buying an Audi or Mercedes clearly has considerable value. A recent Volkswagen may also be just as good, but it’s a Volkswagen.  A Volvo is a lot safer but doesn’t look as nice. I buy used cars, ie. audis, they perform quite well longer term.

I think it boils down to a segment of market that is ego driven, knows quality, kinda naive, wants to feel comfortable with a purchase, likes to be admired by peers, and has the means to spend some money.  I don’t mind the price differential, as long as I receive value, can understand what I am buying, and don’t get taken advantage of.

a product like the Benchmark la4 throws a big wrench into the fan.

Big diff between Sony ps3 and better boxes for creating sound..

all about diminishing returns as audio gear gets higher, which trails off as human hearing declines when we get older.

sounds from high equip may be great, but our ability to hear can’t resolve a lot of these great sounds

many of us, older beyond 35, have hearing loss to a certain degree

And I don’t like listening to music very much.

waiting to hear something of value about high end preamps.  Very thin.

lots of marketing hype 

Great article about preamp.

anybody ever see a more detailed overview of internal components and how all are connected together?

Odd that there is limited info available about internal design flow of a preamp.  Maybe a diagram showing signal flow.

this would be of interest to many. or maybe not.