This may sound a bit silly but why are so many

Ok its a reference preamp at least that is the label given to it by Audio Research. Doesn't mean that it is leaps and bounds better than what it replaced. Maybe there was no improvement at all and if there was, maybe it was just marginal and resold. A couple of months ago I listened to the new top-of-the-line Reference Audio Research system, connected to Wilson speakers. It had a combined cost of one hundred thousand dollars. I walked away unimpressed and thought what I had at a much lower cost sounded better. Sometimes the law of diminishing returns does apply.

I'm having the opposite problem. Looking for a specific (which will remain unspecified) tube amp. Why so few?

Frank,

Here's the link:

http://www.audioaficionado.org/audio-research/16218-reference-10-preamplifier.html

Christmas morning is better than Christmas afternoon. AudioGon allows the buy/sell/buy thrill to trickle downward, allowing more to chase a high of high-fidelity. As with other things, the chase and expectation is often the best part. Don't buy a Cadillac and a gun on the same day because the expectation of happiness can turn quickly.

Sfstereo
Thanks for the link.That answers my original post.