I owned the Model 3 Signature a few years ago and sold it to begin a foray into a variety of tubed preamps. With a recent amp upgrade to monoblocks with only balanced inputs, I found myself in a position of trying to find a good balanced preamp. My preference was for something with dual differential circuitry and not simply a single-ended preamp with balanced outputs, or one that uses transformers to provide a balanced signal. Unfortunately, I could not find a balanced tubed preamp I liked as well as my favorite single-ended preamps.
I had a recent opportunity to purchase as a pair, a used Muse player and (standard) Model 3 preamp at a relatively attractive price. I sent the Model 3 in to MUSE and had it upgraded to a Model 3 Signature with the outboard display-power supply. MUSE has an outstanding upgrade program to help owners of their products have the current models. I am strongly considering upgrading the player to their latest Erato II. In general, having owned several of their pieces, and listened to a whole bunch of other stuff, I have to say the MUSE gear sounds very good. In the case of my recently upgradaded Model 3 Signature preamp, it literally passes the sound from source to amps with very little of it's own sonic signature. Compared to my Lamm LL2, the MUSE is a touch more open at the very high end, has better defined bass, and has a slightly wider but slightly flatter soundstage. The Lamm (and most tubed preamps) is just a bit more dimensional and has fatter bass and a bit more mid-bass richness. I would judge the Model 3 Signature to be primarily neutral, with a very very slight touch of warmth, but generally even-handed across the frequency spectrum. It is indeed grainless, assuming the source is good, but shows a touch less dimensionality than a tubed preamp, as most SS preamps do. Features are excellent, with balanced and single-ended ins and outs, 31.5 dB of gain, output impedance of 50 ohms, or 130+130 ohms balanced, polarity change control, mute, tape, volume adjusted in one-half dB increments via a 255 step digitally controlled analoge attenuator, and gain matching for each individual input. Inputs and outputs are connected directly to the board for short paths. The optional display/power supply provides a nice large automatically dimming volume display graduated in 0.5 dB increments for both left and right channels. Ergonomic downsides are that the remote is a bit chunky and there is no volume knob - just up down buttons via the remote or on the preamp body. If you buy the Model 3 Signature, you can always add the detached power supply/display at a later date through MUSE. I will not say it is a "better" preamp than my favorite single-ended preamps (such as Lamm LL2 Deluxe, CAT Ult Sig II, TEAD Vibe/Pulse), but IMO it knocks closely on the door of those preamps, betters some of them in some ways, sounds quite musical and is a bargin for the money.
I had a recent opportunity to purchase as a pair, a used Muse player and (standard) Model 3 preamp at a relatively attractive price. I sent the Model 3 in to MUSE and had it upgraded to a Model 3 Signature with the outboard display-power supply. MUSE has an outstanding upgrade program to help owners of their products have the current models. I am strongly considering upgrading the player to their latest Erato II. In general, having owned several of their pieces, and listened to a whole bunch of other stuff, I have to say the MUSE gear sounds very good. In the case of my recently upgradaded Model 3 Signature preamp, it literally passes the sound from source to amps with very little of it's own sonic signature. Compared to my Lamm LL2, the MUSE is a touch more open at the very high end, has better defined bass, and has a slightly wider but slightly flatter soundstage. The Lamm (and most tubed preamps) is just a bit more dimensional and has fatter bass and a bit more mid-bass richness. I would judge the Model 3 Signature to be primarily neutral, with a very very slight touch of warmth, but generally even-handed across the frequency spectrum. It is indeed grainless, assuming the source is good, but shows a touch less dimensionality than a tubed preamp, as most SS preamps do. Features are excellent, with balanced and single-ended ins and outs, 31.5 dB of gain, output impedance of 50 ohms, or 130+130 ohms balanced, polarity change control, mute, tape, volume adjusted in one-half dB increments via a 255 step digitally controlled analoge attenuator, and gain matching for each individual input. Inputs and outputs are connected directly to the board for short paths. The optional display/power supply provides a nice large automatically dimming volume display graduated in 0.5 dB increments for both left and right channels. Ergonomic downsides are that the remote is a bit chunky and there is no volume knob - just up down buttons via the remote or on the preamp body. If you buy the Model 3 Signature, you can always add the detached power supply/display at a later date through MUSE. I will not say it is a "better" preamp than my favorite single-ended preamps (such as Lamm LL2 Deluxe, CAT Ult Sig II, TEAD Vibe/Pulse), but IMO it knocks closely on the door of those preamps, betters some of them in some ways, sounds quite musical and is a bargin for the money.