Since you already had the ARC Ref Preamp MkII, it is definitely a right decision to go along with the Ref.Phono. I tried this combination, it is really life like with the best mid you would never expect from either of them when they are used in a stand alone situation and being part of other combinations. It is really strange to discover their best performance only when they are paired together. I own many other phonostage and this one can never disappoint you.
ARC Reference Phono vs. BAT VK-P10 SE
Any experience/comparative data re: the ARC Reference Phono vs. the BAT VK-P10 or the VK-P10 SE ("special edition" upgrade)? Thanks!