Paul Bolin wrote the following about the Ref 3 in The Decmber 2006 issue of Stereophile:
The Maxx 2 are 92 db loudspeakers...pretty sensitive.
As Newbee says, no tube preamp is going to stand up to the ear-to-the-tweeter test. That's simply an unrealistic expectation.
The first time I turned it on and unmuted its CD input, I ran the volume control up about halfway and heard nothing...utter silence. I cranked the thing wide open. Again...total, textureless silence at my listening seat. Only when I got within a foot or so of the tweeter of my Wilson Audio Maxx 2 loudspeakers did I hear a very faint, strinkingly fine grained hiss.
The Maxx 2 are 92 db loudspeakers...pretty sensitive.
As Newbee says, no tube preamp is going to stand up to the ear-to-the-tweeter test. That's simply an unrealistic expectation.