Benchmark HPA4 and LA4 Preamps

I have always had a Benchmark product except for last year.  I sold my old Benchmark AHB2 amp and will move to the Luxman m900u next. I liked the AHB2 a lot but find the Luxman is better. The 2 preamps I have in mind for the Luxman m900u are uncomfortably expensive to me, Luxman c900u or Mola Mola Makua w/DAC, do-able price wise but I keep wondering if I can get similar sound from a lower cost alternative. The sonic character I want is essentially the m900u amp's.

I have had the Benchmark LA4 in mind as potential upgrade to my old Bencmark DAC3 + AHB2 system. I am not a huge fan of volume driven by a DAC, especially at low volume levels. I dropped the idea of getting the LA4 once I sold all my Benchmark gear to fund some other things. However, now that I am getting back to buying new gear the idea of the LA4 with the Luxman m900u has entered my brain.

I will do the 30 home trial of the LA4 with the Luxman m900u but I was wondering if others have replaced a great preamp with the HPA4 or LA4. Were you happy with the results? The HPA4 and LA4  are supposed to let the sonic character of the source and amp to dominate. Is that how you heard it? Did you lose anything GOOD by switching preamps?

https://everythingaudionetwork.blogspot.com/2018/07/audiophile-review-benchmark-hpa4.html

https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/benchmark-media-systems-la4-line-amplifier/

https://benchmarkmedia.com/products/benchmark-la4-line-amplifier