I own an ARC LS-25 and I love it... I feel it is pretty neutral... A friend of mine and I did a "shoot-out" with ARC pre-amps on about 60K of other gear, and the ARC Ref 2 was the best!! Between the Ref 1 and the LS-25..... If you like more detail, the LS-25 is the way... If you want a bit more "tube seduction", try the Ref. 1. Between the LS-25 and the Ref 1 -- if they weren't together, you probably could tweek the one to sound like the other with NOS Tubes (Amperex). I have not heard the CJ gear... but others tell me they are a bit colored and provide a "lush" tube sound.
Whats a good tube preamp?
I'm considering the VTL 5.5 TL the Audio Research Ref1, LS25 and LS16 amd the Conrad Johnson Premier 14, 17LS and 16LS. Which of those do you think to be the more transparent with Electrostats such as a Martin Logan Aerius being driven by a conrad Johnson Premier 11 tube amp