I had a CS117 and it's a very nice pre for the money. Some also include Balanced outs, and a phono stage (but some don't so be careful if you need it). Very quiet, and it also has a passive mode. I recently picked up a Pro 5 - one of the early models which are infamous for the cheap/flimsy RCA jacks Tripper describes. The later Pro 5's have good quality RCA's like you find on all other B&K gear. The pro-5 is also a nice sounding pre, but the CS117 is a better choice.