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SLP-05, REF3, LS26, Mac C2300

I'm looking for a new/used preamp and am considering the above. Except for the C2300, there are no dealers within 300 miles that carry Cary or ARC. If you have any of the above preamps, can you describe the relative sound of it especially if you've owned more than one of the above.

The C2300 was nice but lack some definition and tight bass; it have serveral XLR outputs and inputs and a level/gain control which I liked. The SLP-05 only has one XLR input and output and no gain control. The ARC preamps of course have all XLR/RCA inputs and outputs; I prefer using XLR given I have some expensive Kimber KS-1136 interconnects.

My speakers are B&W 803D, Magnum Dyalab 609T XM tuner, Cary 306 Pro CD player, Spectron MK2 w/V-Cap option amp and Mont Blanc speaker cables.

I have a wide range of listening tastes.

Thanks in advance for helping me make this decision.

Btw, I have read various reviews but am also intetested in views from people that have owned or heard these preamps.
nick778
krisjan
100 posts
 
I'm a current owner of the Cary SLP-05. This is a wonderful preamp. Does timbres perfectly without excessive tubiness. I think its one of the best tubed pres one can hear. It does have individual channel gain trim pots - don't know where you heard otherwise. These can be used to adjust overall gain and/or to adjust channel balance as needed.
guidocorona
4,114 posts
 
The ARC Ref 3 remains by far my very preferred tube preamplifier. I have compared it favorably with a number of tube base preamplifiers and prefer it for its linearity and exposure of harmonics over a variety of them. My selection process is discussed in one of my threads, with my actual listening experience starting at:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1123254379&openfrom&57&4#57
My Ref 3 is by the way equipped with the NOS variant of the 6H30 tubes, called the 6H30DR 'supertubes'". Guido
tvad
9,467 posts
 
In my system, the ARC REF3 was easily bettered by a Lamm L2 Reference. The
comparison wasn't close. I sold the ARC within a week. The ARC was
purchased used. It was less than one year old, and it had 650 hours on it. The
amps were Pass Labs XA-60.5. Speakers were Silverline Sonata III.

The buyer of my Lamm L2 Reference did the exact same comparison, and he
also sold his ARC REF3.

I replaced the Lamm with a SMC Audio VRE-1.

YMMV.
tinear1
40 posts
 
I owned the LS26. I loved the midband - voices were magical. But I like a weighty, deep-reaching low bass, and the LS26 is audibly light in the low bass. The entry-level VTL 2.5 I had before, and the Krell KCT I replaced the LS26 with, went notably deeper. I wouldn't recommend the LS26 if you like a deep bottom end.
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