ARC Reference Anniversary preamp in 2011

I thought Jonathan will become 41 ... :-)
We will see the Anniversary running longer (already prolonged from December 2010 until March 2011) or even a successor. Marketing is King!

.
There has to be a successor. Technology marches on. If
this
is the last one, that would be tantamount to saying that it
can never get any better. The Ref 6, Ref 7, then they will
march out the Ref 8 stating that it surpasses the Ref
Anniversary 40 model. I don't have a problem with any of
it.
If I start saving now, I can hope to pick up a Ref
Anniversary 40 model in five years for about $10k.

Oh, and yes, there WILL be a Reference Golden Anniversary
Edition preamp for the 50th anniversary. It will sell for
$35k, ($50k with optional 18k gold plated faceplates and
handles), it will be a big success and be worth every penny.
I'm going to start saving for mine now.
.

I am glad to read about the 40ref being that good!
Can we expect this design to trickle down to the lessor priced preamps?
Let's hope so.
If the sound of this ref offends very few and gets things so right ARC can build their line around such a successful product and be heralded as the best preamp company in the world. Everyone wins the hobbbyist and ARC.
Then we can read and hear about ARC like we do Bose, in Time magazine, in Best buy, in Metropolitan opera house, in PLayboy and audiophiles will finally be mainstream--(never but wishful thinking).
Can one company dominate in an area such as preamps? Hasn't ARC been a leader in the past?

Wasn't CJ's ART preamp also priced at $25,000 way back when?

The first addition of Conrad-Johnson's ART was in the April 1999 issue of Stereophile P107 listed at $14,995. I did see the third addition at $25,000.
Nice mid fi stuff eh .