Best Full-Function Preamplifier

This is a little ridiculous. If you want reference level you should not either have a built-in phono stage or limit yourself to $20K. $20k would be enough for reference level power cord, maybe. I hope, I saved you a lot of money. Or exactly the opposite. 

It's the reality, Tony boy. It doesn't care whether you like it or not.

Tony, this is not to say that you can't have a great piece of audio electronics for $20k. You can, and the choice is there. But reference level - unfortunately not. Talking new equipment, of course. And you can have a great power cord for probably something like $2k-$3k.  

This is an interesting subject - how to get maximum performance for $20k buying new preamp and phono stage. Just because integrating separates is more difficult doesn't mean that the result cannot be better. But maybe within this price level it would be at least not worse to get, as suggested, full function preamp from VAC, Atma-Sphere or CAT.  I am not sure what I myself would do.