Conrad Johnson ACT2 against Audio Research Ref 3

"I am just happy that we have the choice between fine components such as the REF3 and ACT2."

I totally agree.

Well my vote goes the other way but not before acknowledging that the CJ ACT 2 is a superb preamp, however IMO the REF 3 is for my money simply the best preamp that I have ever owned. It is magic in my system. I owned the Ref 2 Mk ll which I thought was good but just nowhere in the league of the Ref 3. To me the Ref 3 is what a tube preamp is all about.

I have heard the ACT2 and find it to be exceptionally wonderful BUT for my ears and my system I just have not heard a better tube preamp than the Ref 3.

Interesting in the "who's who of tube preamps.

I have heard that the people at Wilson Audio view the 3 best Reference tube preamps to be the
ARC Ref 3
CJ ACT 2
VTL 7.5

I also listened hard and heavy to the Lamm L2 preamp hoping that it would add synergy to my system using the Lamm ML 2.1 monos and I found it very cold and very sterile.

I just feel the Ref3 is for "my" ears the best tube preamp that I have ever owned

Ginas

FWIW.... the perfect preamp is no preamp at all

Hi Albert

I usually agree with you as well but your analogy is wrong in this case.

Having said this however I really would never part with my ARC Ref 3 in my system.

"ARC has more detail up front, IMO ARC can be more hi fi sounding.
Overall cj easier to listen to over a wider range of recordings.
let the flames begin:)"

It is not an issue of flames but an understanding of what flavor for each of us rocks our sonic boat.
CJ ACT 2 is indeed a fine preamp. Just not my flavor. The ARC Ref 3 for me and my tastes simply lights up my ears.

There is nothing I don't like about it. I just like the Ref 3 better. As I said it is a flavor thing and the ARC sonic signature for me is what excites my auditory nerves.

"What would OneObGin prescribe to palliate our growing anxiety and discomfort, while we wait for the great bird from the North to land on our roofs and deliver our tubed bundle of joy?"

I would recommend reading the book "What To Expect When You Are Expecting"

Guido...I was under the impression that you had the Ref 3 in your system.

C'mon guys.

Now it is getting into a pissing contest

It is as I said before a flavor thing and all of us should be happy with what rocks our sonic boat.

Ref 3 for some. ACT 2 for others and Aesthetix for still others.

Whatever works is OK.

"What Guidocorona said was that he had the wrong setting for the type of I.C. that he was using. You don't set it for S.E. and then use balanced cables or set it for balanced and then use single ended cables."

Guido as much as I am a believer in the Ref 3, Agaffer is right on and absolutely correct in his observation. There should be absolutely no difference in SE vs XLR balanced output on the Ref 3 other than approximately 6 Db of gain

Guido

I understand completely what you did with the remote. There is a button that determines SE vs balanced. Your demo was running balanced cables but you hit the SE button which reduced the gain in your system demo. I am not even certain because I haven't tried it with my Ref 3 (but I will) what happens if there are only balanced interconnects and not SE and you hit the SE button on the remote. At the very least you will suffer a 6 Db drop off, but maybe even worse because you had no SE cables.

I disagree. IMO you had a REF 3 using balanced cables and not SE cables. Switching to SE with the remote resulted in faulty signal. I am surprised that you even heard any sound at all

Simply put......The deficiency that Guido heard was a human error based on his activating SE and not balanced outputs on the Ref 3. It has nothing to do with a fully balanced system. Having said this however I rest assured that Guido is going to love his Ref 3 as I do.

Guido

Perhaps I am too simple a person here or are you just missing the point?

To me it is very simple. If your system uses balanced interconnects that is the option you select on the remote control and if you are using SE interconnects, this is what you select on the remote. Of course there will be a 6 Db dropoff from XLR to SE.

You seem to be complicating what in my mind is something very simple.