which non ARC poweramp do you use with ARC REF 3

I cannot answer your question directly but I can give you some guidance - select a power amp that has input impedance greater than 10K Ohms. The ARC Ref3 has an output impedance of 600 Ohms which does not work well with lower input impedance power amps. The bass is not well-controlled (flabby).

I have found excellent synergy for my Audio Research Ref 3 with the Lamm M 1.2 Ref monoblock amplifiers. I recommend that you refer to a series of product reviews by Marc Michelson at soundstage.com.

I have tried Audio Research tube and hybrid amps and Krell and Pass solid state amps with this same system, but in my opinion, the Lamm tops all of them when matched with the Ref 3. Even though the Lamm is rated at 100 wpc at 8 ohms, there is an output impedance adjustment switch. These amps are more powerful than their rating would suggest.

One recommendation for the hybrid Lamms: they are supplied with one Russian-sourced 6922 tube. I strongly recommend that you replace this 6922 tube with a NOS tube of your preference--telefunken, seimans, etc. This will improve upon the transparency and character of the sound.

If possible, audition the Lamm M1.2 Ref. Best of luck in your search.

Gryphon Antileon Signature. Pure class A. Very good into low impedance speakers. Better bass control than tube amps.