Audible Illusions Modulus 3 Audio Research SP-11

On the AI website they list which tubes will perform with their preamp. They state that most NOS tubes are not a good match.

I'll throw in my perspective, (for what it's worth). I was an ARC dealer for many years and an AI dealer for a few years.

I have personally owned an AI 2C, 2D, 3 and 3A. I have owned almost every preamp that ARC made back in the day.

I would take the SP-11 or SP-15 any day over the AI 3A. This is just a personal preference.

Since we are taking used here, the price difference is pretty large. The ARC SP-11/15 are still going for around $3000 and I've seen AI 3As for around $1000. So that would have to be a factor.

It seems to me that nobody can describe the sound or make any direct suggestions.

I have heard the SP-11, SP-10 and Sp-15 as wel, but it seems that some folks still say that

the Modulus 3 has

- a quieter background
- better details
- better focus background info is pressed to the foreground( that was basically what I was looking for)
- no bubbled edges
- Tubey in terms of depth, but not warmth

Can anyone make some statments about the sound how he or she thinks about this after having had a comparrision with those units.

@ Mofimadness: Did the Audio Research really sound so much better? or was it just becouse Audible Illusions had bad service?

Arc gear really does sound good. I'd be hard pressed to think anything could clearly trounce it unless one prefers some special flavor.