What is Audio Researches best preamp period

Just to show you how useless all our opinions are. I wanted something different than my Hovland, which I switched to after owning a ARC 5 for a few years.
My local dealer for Musical Surrounding's various lines, let me borrow a Calypso/Rhea for 10 days. I also brought in a REF 3/PH5 and went back and forth. Either would make me happy but, I preferred the ARC combo. Dead quiet with terrific bass authority. The real surprise, at least for me, was the PH5. What a unbelievable product for the price. I wouldn't say it was better than the RHEA but, absolutly it's equal.

is it so that the differ between the ref1 and ref 2 is a ht bypass?

also not interested in phono ,only cd playback ,,redbook

LS5mkII. Period.

Meisterkleef,
I have to disagree with you. I loved my ARC LS5mkII, and it is maybe the best of the older models. Not having owned every one, or heard every one I couldn't possible say. I do know that it was left far behind with the REF 3.