I appreciate all the responses. I actually have an Audio Research Ref 3 now running with an Ayre V-5xe amp and while I love the sound of the Ref 3, I am a bit annoyed by having to replace tubes, etc. I am wondering if I would be better off upgrading to an Ayre K-1xe preamp and with the money I save upgrading my amp to a V-1xe. From the responses, it sounds like I would get a lot more bang for my buck that way.
Ayre K-1xe vs Audio Research Ref 3
I currently have a Audio Research Ref 3 and am wondering if anyone has directly compared the Ref 3 to the Ayre K-1xe. What were the strengths and weaknesses of each? Which was better? I have read the other posts on audiogon and am looking for some additional comments.