ARC ls26 vs.SF Line-3/se

I think what everyone tried to tell you is it is a lateral move at best. SF L3SE is a reference piece and still competes with the best today, comes down to what sound do you like. there is no two gears that sound alike and saying which one is better is more personal preference than anything else. If you do change, you might like the change for the next few months because it's new, different, and better in some area.

To better your L3SE, you need something like CJ ART II, Lyra, or something in that caliber.

Maybe your right Semi.If people are comparing my preamp to a ARC ref-3 maybe this would be a dumb move..

Here is what Semi states above: Which tube equipment does not have heat related damage?

The answer: Most tube equipment doesn't have heat related damage, particularly tube preamps, which produce limited amounts of heat. You want to know what was wrong with SF designs? Ask the head guru, Chris at PCX. PCX started doing mods on the SFL2 where they actually cut out small ovals of the circuit board material itself, claiming it eliminated heat damage to parts. Now, does this sound like a well executed design? Cutting holes into circuit boards to correct this?

You can have their mods; I want no part. As far as personal experience with their products, I do. My friend's SFL2 developed noises, and SFL found numerous parts that had become noisy and/or defective. Remember their highest quality parts philosophy?

I personally compared this unit to modest preamps, like the Rogue 99, and the SFL2 sounded dry and lifeless.

I owned an Power 2 and a VT-100 at the same time. Despite any tube changes I made, the Power 2 was too distant in the midrange, lacked air and definition, and had virtually no tube-like sonics to it. Others agree with this assessment.
I spoke to a very famous tube designer who laughed at SF designs, saying these guys were copying old textbook circuits that were like sow's ears, meaning no matter what parts you put in them, you were just putting lipstick on a pig.

I don't mean to imply the Power amps were bad sounding units, but they just didn't have anything special to offer, other than beautiful looks.

I agree that the VT series circuits were run at too high voltages, pushing components to the upper ends of their limits. ARC has had their own issues, and I'm not tooting their horn. In fact, I don't own any ARC products

Yes, I don't have first hand experience with their latest LS26 or Ref 3, but when I hear source after source talking about how good they sound, these pieces definitely deserve a listen. Which is what I would recommend to Spaz.

I'll admit I haven't personally evaluated a Line 3, and it has had a following, but there has also been written enough criticisms of it being dry and analytical, which is similar to the SFL2, which many considered the most musical sounding of the SF preamps. Not an opinion I share with them.