Audio Research Ref 5 preamp

Hi Bvdiman, really like your set ups and enjoy reading your threads, only wish you were close enough to be able come and listen, no one around me has such and I'm sure sounds marvelous.

Regarding the Ref3 and Ref5, please if you or anyone can do so send me a personal message because I would be more than pleased to intertain such, I would still want to hear one within my set-up to see if it justifies even that amount though.

Samual I just want to let you know I think you have a marvelous system also and enjoy reading your thoughts but when others like my self provide info. you shouldn't take it so personally as I was not addressing you directly but for what ever the reason it went that way but hopefully finished and we can move on.

Dev,
Since you prefer the Ref 3 to the Mbl 6010D, why not sell the latter (for a
lot more than the former) and get a Ref 5? I've actually been considering the MBL for quite some time; it's lack of a mono switch is distressing to me. I had a
disappointing experience with the Ref 3 which I attribute to the usual problem of dealing with the impedances of 2 amps (I have a bi-amped system) that ARC
has always had. Even though I'm in the 'safe zone' of about 33K (according to
Ohm's Law), there is a reason that ARC amps all have very high input impedances....150K-300K. I know this is getting somewhat off topic, but I
wonder if you can tell me the sonic differences between the Ref 3 and 6010D? Or, perhaps e-mail me privately. Thanks.

So in other words, if Dev were able to a get good price he could be more disposed to pick one up? LOL....

Hi David_coppell, no that is not what I wrote so lets not get mislead, I clearly wrote;

"I would still want to hear one within my set-up to see if it justifies even that amount though."

Hi Dev, I was responding to the near incomprehensible (at least to me) prose from Unoear.

I am in agreement that one would need to hear the unit in one's own set up to justify the expense, at any level.

Happy listening!