McIntosh C1000 tube pre vs. ARC Ref 3?

Hi Peter, could you give us some more detailed comparative findings? Unfortunately the terms 'better/worse' mean different things to different people. Please let us know how the two unit differed in several areas, and what made you prefer one unit over the other.

Fast forward a few years, the ARC Ref 40 leaves the C1000 in the dust.

Which one do you think is a better match in my system, the C500T combo or the ARC 3? My system is Esoteric K01 - preamp TBD (currently my friend's Jeff Rowland Capri) - Mcintosh MC 602 - Dynaudio C4.

Googleli, The ARC 3 is no doubt a top performer, but in YOUR system the Mcintosh c500 would be a natural match to the MC602 IMO.

I think you'll find the ARC/Mac combo to be a bit more transparent. It will change the character of your sound. If you like the Mac sound, complete the circle and go Mac. If you think you need a bit more bloom and transparency, go ARC. When I added an ARC pre to a Mac amp, I liked what I heard so much, I bought an ARC amp. Completely different sound which I now greatly prefer. Your opinion may differ.