Best Used Tube Based Preamp $2k Or Under?

Yeah, I'm an old tube-roller who has spent many years restoring vintage gear.  IMHO, the finest pre-1970s amp I've worked with was the original Quad 2 monoblock.  You can sometimes find them cheap online.  I had a pair restored by the factory and it was worth every penny.

These little Class A amps have to be paired with the right speakers -- no Magneplanars, thank you! -- but when you do, they're remarkable.  In my case, I used them with a restored set of original Quad ESLs.  Dead friggin' quiet, fast as heck, transparent and overall, as J. Gordon once said, downright pants-wetting.

Yeah, they're not for everyone by any means, but I just wanted to add my 2c.  Gear that you still remember fondly 20 years later doesn't come around too often.

@nightfall -

I've been following your query/thread with interest because a while back I was also looking for a tube pre-amp, with remote for $2000. 

If I may, I'd recommend either an ARC LS15, or a Sonic Frontiers Linestage 1 or 2. Both come with remotes and with both XLR and RCA inputs/outputs you have synergy with a large number of power amps and upstream sources. They are also both a tube rollers delight, using 6922 signal tubes and variants. Soundwise, both are slightly on the warm side of neutral. Between the two, I thought the SF had a much beefier power supply, providing a more robust sound, while the LS15 had transparency in spades. Both imaged quite well.

Something else that may interest you down the road--the ability to upgrade the capacitors and power supplies without paying an arm and a leg.

FWIW--after auditioning both the ARC and a SF 2+SE, I went with the LS-15 because it was $250 less. It was a close choice, and I would have been happy with either.

I hope you are enjoying your search. No doubt, whatever you choice you will enjoy the music!

David

+1 on RP1

Tubes4hifi  SP14 Preamp 

Anyone have experience with the somewhat new LAB 12 Pre1? Its gotten consistently excellent reviews. Its $2400.00 new and they sell for about $1700.00, used. 

Herb Reichert, in Stereophile, said (in a comparison with two much more expensive preamps) 

"I regard all three preamps as sitting at or near the leading edge of what's possible with line-level preamplification."