Always spend more on the preamp , everything downstream will benefit and quality sources will not be shortchanged by the most common bottleneck in HiFi.... mediocre preamps. I just sold a Zesto Leto. That was the best sounding preamp I have ever owned , used , or had any experience with.
I am having a Toolshed 101d DHT Line Stafe built and if it is half as good as the 300b amp they built I will be in a good place. I am using an old Sonic Frontiers preamp for now and it's a few steps backwards but it does the job. Whole Soundstage caved in and bass is kind of flabby compared to the Zesto. Everyone in the DAC with volume camp that has done away with their preamp has probably never had an outstanding preamp , because if they did they couldn't live without it.