Any Comparisons between VTL 7.5 & ARC Ref 3

Ok thanks Dgad..Looking forward to it.

For what it's worth, Richard Hardesty's Audio Perfectionist has just published an extensive comparative review of the VTL 7.5 v2, Esthetix Callisto Signature with twin external PS, and the ARC Ref 3. I do not have access to the complete article, but have been told Mr. Hardesty appears to have an overall preference for the Ref 3 over the other two devices. His final comment on the Ref 3 is:

“ I’ve heard preamps that have a little more of this and a little more of that. But none that’s as complete, top to bottom, or as satisfying in its presentation of the entire musical picture, weaving
each distinctive element of music into a coherent whole. The Ref 3 goes beyond hi-fi; it’s a 21
st
century classic from ARC.”

G.

Haven't auditioned them myself but a user who has mentioned that although the Arc is excellent in many ways, it's noise floor remains tubey and was unacceptable to him in comparison to that in other pres like the VTL.

Bar81, I have heard rumors of a high noise floor on Ref 3, but can not substantiate it. All Ref 3s I have listened to, including my very own are totally dead quiet. I can only guess that some degraded tubes may be the cause of the noisyness on the unit your friend experienced. The device should go back to ARC for servicing. By the way Hardesty seems to indicate that in fact Ref 3 appears quieter than VTL. I also tried Ref 3 with on Art Audio PX-25 monos and Avantgarde horn speakers, and there was still no noise.

Guidocorona: Audio Perfectionist? - or Arm chair audiofool who just reviews other reviewers reviews and makes statements about design? Wonder what fine magazines he quoted this time around?

When I borrowed a Ref 3 from my local dealer the noise floor was amazingly silent, but I still suffered from a mid bass suck out in my system with the Ref 3 (which someone suggested was the 6550c needed replacement). I have huge power noise problems so to me it was amazing that the ARC was so stone silent. Plug a CJ in and you get nothing but HISS through the speakers..