Audio Research Ref 3 Opinions

Thank you Agaffer, keep us posted.

Last night I sat down for a couple of hours of listening. The 6550WE tube was so hot in the preamp it seemed like you could fry hamburgers on the lid. I found that worrisome and put the old tube back in.
Will try again when the 6550C from ARC arrives.

OK Agaffer, but how did the sound differ from that of the stock tube during those two hours?

It didn't sound any different, at least not that I noticed.

Interesting thread and how misquoted I was. All along I told guidocorona that only the 6L6GC tube would be replaced by the 6550C. I was somewhat surprised because I am not a big fan of the 6550C--however once the tube was swapped and the bypass caps added there was a distinctly deeper bass as well as a much smoother upper end.

What to me is the $64 question is what the unit would sound like by swapping the 6550C for a KT88?

Here is a look at my system with the Ref3

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vaslt&1049587927&read&3&4&

http://homepage.mac.com/imacdoyou86/PhotoAlbum52.html