Balanced Pre for Bi Amping Recommendations Please

One thing to keep in mind: just because a unit has XLR outputs does not mean that the product itself is truly balanced.

If you need two sets of truly balanced outputs, the BAT 3 or VK3 series will not work as they only have one set of balanced outputs. The VK5 series has two sets and does fit into your price range. "Transparency" and "neutrality" are of course subjective in comparison to another product. The BAT line stages have incredible dynamics and bass but tend to be a wee bit soft on the top.

Another product in your price range is the ARC LS5. Like the VK5 series, the LS5 is a truly balanced product and it also has two sets of balanced outputs. The LS5 does not have the low-end extension but it does have a little more presence on the top.

Both the models above have NO single-ended inputs or outputs. And they are from the 1994-1997 time frame.
Do a search here for these two models to get an idea on the pros/cons of each.

John

Quincy: No CJ gear has balanced or XLR inputs or outputs.

Zimmerma: Perhaps biamping will not be done in the context of having an active crossover between the preamp and amps but rather simply to drive the individual halves of the speaker drivers by removing the shorting bars between two sets of speaker posts. In this case, the built-in crossover in the speakers will be used.

Mahandave raises a good point but with such an adaptor, there are two more connectors, the associated soldering and the potentially inferior cabling in the adaptor for each path. Whether or not this is audible is another story. I doubt I would hear much of a difference, if any at all, but others claim they can.