Best Options For A Tubed Preamp - $2500 Or Less, Preferably Used To Maximize Value

curiousjim

Said: 

"Audio Research has a really warm sound. I saw an LS28 that sold for $3250 a couple of weeks ago.

All the best."

Thanks for the recommendation. Excellent preamp but unfortunately just above what I can spend. The price limit of $2500.00 is as far as I can go at this point in time. I just had to replace a furnace at the cost of $6500.00 two weeks ago. :(

@nightfall 

I have heard great things about the deHavilland preamp in the past. Honestly, if there were one available, I would have snatched it up before even beginning this discussion. However, a check I made at hifishark.com indicates that exactly one of these has been sold online since September of 2022. 

My search on hifi shark shows 8 in 2023 alone. Not sure what your filters are, but this is not that rare.

 and then click "expired" and sort by date.

My only filter was items for sale/sold in North America. It showed one sold in August of 2023, and the last one before that in August of 2-22! I just realized that my search did not include ones people labeled Ultraverve 3 vs III, that appears to be the issue. 

Here is the link:

I have the JJ 243 preamp and love it.

@nightfall  Search terms can be tricky. Try searching for just dehavilland.

Anyway, you sound like you're wanting something faster than that, but for me, this is an end-game model.