McIntosh C1000 tube pre vs. ARC Ref 3?

The original poster did not ask about the ARC Ref. 2! The Ref. 3 is so much beyond the Ref.2. Even the LS 26 is beyond the old Ref.2 and by a wide margin! Plus, if you depend on audio rags to justify your audio gear purchases your in for a big let down. I've not heard the Mac.the poster is asking about but, I'm not stating that the Ref. 3 is better. 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!

>>So I am quite a bit more qualified here than most.<<

No not really. Lots of us haven't heard a side by side comparison of these two products.

You are one of us.

>>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.

"At least I admitted not hearing the Ref 3. That's probably more than
most of you would have done"

Really? Do you Hantrax have priviledged knowledged of what I or anyone else has heard. . . Or may this be a minor case of Messianic fixation?

Sad reality is that you seem to be as qualified as I am in drawing a direct comparison between the two units. . . which is not qualified at all. . . i.e. I know Ref 3 very well, but C1000 not at all, thus I won't be caught dead commenting on the prowess of the latter. Yes, I do admit of having heard other McIntosh linestages Over the years. . . but that is not at all relevant, as none of them were a C1000.

Hantrax your logic is nonsense. To post a strong opinion about something you never heard is absurd. I have owned many ARC and Mac products through the years and although there tends to be a house sound, The Ref3 has been touted to be a break through product. The best to come from ARC in many years. Come back after you've done yourhomework! While brand loyalty is something we can all relate to, your post is hard to swallow.
Jeff