I have 2 old but nice Phase Linear pre-amps. However I want a remote and the Emotiva pre-amp for $500 looks ok to me. A friend of mine has Emotiva amps and Gallo surround system in his acoustically treated room - sounds fantastic. 

Topping Pre90

@tunehead @kota1 

I agree with the Parasound 200 option. I ran the small form factor Parasound ZPre3 in my main rig for a while and was pretty impressed. For the money, I think hard to beat, and the 200 should be a step-up to that, but didn’t really need the options it provided over the ZPre. It’s now in my bedroom system after investing in my Belles Aria Signature Pre at about 7x the cost.

You already have more options that you can sift through, but let me add a vote for the Rogue RP1. With used examples under $1k, it's a truly fantastic preamp for the money. 

And if your budget would be happier at half of that amount, find a used Freya S. Highly transparent, choice of gain including passive, fully balanced if that's important. Can't imagine getting more for your money. 

If you can find one, McCormick TLC-1

Schiit Kara?? 😉

One thing forsure , never buy a preamp with a cheap round silver Alps volume pot 

or bournes, a stepped ladder resistor type or relay , if you are using a remote 

if not at least a resistive ladder type to get the most out of your audio system.

So many variables need to be known. What connections and what type? Balanced? etc.

For a very inexpensive option, and if older is okay, a NAD 106 came through here this week and I tell you what, pretty darn good and it has balanced out even.  Really good if you have just one line in for all digital source from a DAC or similar..

There is a really good recap upgrade thread for it on AK too.

Since we are excluding Shitt I will add that I got the new 

https://www.schiit.com/products/mjolnir-3

preamp/headphone amp. It has to mostly work as a preamp to my Schitt Aegir amp and then into my headphones. The integrated headphone output will be used with a second headphone I have.

I was thinking of getting the Benchmark HPA4 which has similar functionality (and more) to replace my Benchmark LA4 preamp. However, I decided to get 2 preamps and save my self the chance of accidently messing up my system using 1 preamp with 2 amps.

I have 15-days to decide if this Schitt can make me happy given my expectations from using the amazing LA4 preamp. The Schitt Freya+ was not as good for me as the LA4.

Consider used Ayre....I have a K5xemp,,,,,love it...nothing ever went wrong. Great open 3D sound.

The ARC LS series, used, could work well ( LS 26 was 2300 in 2018).

It has for me.

I purchased a like new Threshold T3i for $1200 that knocks the socks off much more expensive preamps!

I also purchased an Inspire LP3.1 tube preamp for $1250 that’s as silent as I’ve heard, which allows you to swap all kinds of tubes. There are all kinds of very good preamps if one chooses to buy used!

Currently there’s a tube BAT VK3Xi available for $1500. That’s a steal, and a modern preamp.

Dehavilland Ultraverve, 6sn7 preamp if you can find one.

Do you actually need a preamp, or just switching and volume?  

Do you need gain? Phono stage? Tone or balance controls?  Built in phones amp? DAC? SE to XLR or visa versa?  Euphonic distortions? Those things send you to an active preamp. If not, passive is an option. 

Besides my Schiit Asgard, I have a JDS Atom+ on my desk.  I hear no fault with either. JDS is RCA only but $109. My previous preamps were another era. Hafler, Apt, Nakamichi, DIY passive then added a video driver buffer.  Of them, only the APT Holman I did not like. Hafler just worked and the Nak was sweet. 

 Spec wise, the Topping A70 Pro and A90 are good on paper. Never heard them. I  have see positive comments on the Ladder Bach, Emotiva,  and Gustard. Bigger bucks, Denafrips.   But a preamp should be easy and I have a hard time thinking a $1500 preamp is going to sound any better than my JDS and probably not as good as a passive.   You can of course spend $50,000 on a preamp and I am sure those who have believe they actually improve the sound which is of course impossible. They can only not screw it up or add distortion that you find pleasant.  If you like it is all that matters. If changing preamps "opens up" your system, all that means is you old preamp was not very good and your new one is better. May or may not be good, just better. 

Passives come from Alps pots, to resistor switches to relay resister ladders to opto-isolators  to multi-tap transformers.   A lot of creativity to extract the maximum money. 

FWIW, depending on my final DAC if I need a preamp for the remote volume or if I need balanced IO, I lean to the Schiit Kara.  But I might slap an E-bay motorized ALPS  or relay card in a box for a passive. If I need gain and phones, I could mod the Schiit or JDS for a remote volume using said E-bay wonders.  I only need a preamp if I go Chord or Denafrips. and only for remote volume. Otherwise, JDS and Schiit have me covered sonically.  DIY mods let me spend my SS check on the DAC and amp where it matters. 

Back to Schitt again. This new preamp from them is the best I have heard from them (including Freya+).

Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in Texas and California

MJOLNIR 3

CLASS A HEADPHONE AMP & PREAMP

As a headphone amp it fails my very demanding phones (but that is OK). Less demanding phones are likely great with it. As a preamp into 2 amps (used for headphones and 2-channel) this thing is great. On the headphones it is reference class via the 20-watt ’Class A’ Schitt Aegir amp. As 2-channel to my Magtech amp (500-watts) and Magnepan LRS+ it is really good.

The Aegir path is better than even my Benchmark LA4 or Holo Serene preamps. On the Magtech path I prefer the other 2 but most would likely prefer the Mojolnir.

This preamp is on a limited run by Schitt. I am sure the reviews will be great.

+1 for the Rogue RP-1.  That amp cost you about $2K new now with tax.   You can find them for little more that $1K.  Respectable phono stage, add a couple NOS tubes and you got big bang for $

I am currently using the Linear Tube Audio Micro Zotl M2 with the upgraded power supply and the remote. Hard to beat under $2K.I also recommend any preamp from Dave Belles. I have a refurbished Audibile Illusions that sounds great, and an Audio Research SP9 II, an early Aric Audio all great. Used is the way to go (at the right price).

I have Linear Tube Audio Micro Zotl M2, best bang for the buck. There's one on Ebay now for $989. In my second system I have an Essence HDACC which is a preamp with dac $699 new. Read the review in TAS.

Thanks everyone for all the response. Seems like folks are happy w/ a variety of products, most of which are above my available cash on hand. I'll just have to see if anything shows up at resale shops. I suppose I'm not that picky for a preamp to partner w/ my 25 yr old Arcam Alpha P8 power amp.

This site is frequented by mostly audiophiles. I don’t think I’ve ever read a post where people didn’t extoll the virtues of higher priced equipment, well beyond the OP’s budget.

Component synergy is key (i.e. matching components that compliment one another). You are not going to hear an appreciable difference by adding a $10,000 preamp to an $800 system because the rest of your system isn’t capable of resolving the details. That isn’t to say that an $800 system can’t give you an enjoyable musical experience.

You’ve been given lots of examples of preamps that fit your budget. The reality is that until you actually hook one up, you won’t know how it sounds in your system.

There are a lot of deals to be had in the used market. Audiophiles tend to always be upgrading their components (in their pursuit of audio nirvana). Keep your eyes open for deals that fit your budget.

And don’t forget to enjoy the music!

Nice conclusion @nordicnorm 

OP:

So many suggestions!

Did you overcome your indecision paralysis?? 

I'd like to (belatedly) second the Musical Paradise 701mk2 suggestion, with a caveat:

Since the tubes and capacitors can be easily swapped out, it can become a money pit!

I have rolled in V-cap ODAMS for a transparent presentation and Mundorf SGO supreme EVOs for more full bodied tonal saturation....and that's just the coupling caps! Power supply bypass caps are also tunable via screw terminals inside the preamp. Just takes a couple of minutes to swap out before powering up in the morning.

Perfect preamp for a tube afficianado to tune in EXACTLY the sound you want!

However, I'm eyeing the Ladder Bach as a balanced, neutral pre for the balanced outputs of my Denafrips DAC.... Hopefully to keep a reference point for my tube shenanigans. Also, having a preamp I can leave on for the weekend would be nice.

Does anyone have experience with the Ladder Bach?

Thanks everyone. I've decided to downsize and simplify, so I'm just going to use my system as is with the Rotel receiver.

If you are feeling adventurous, there is always the kit route: Akitika, Bottlehead, Elekit (Tube Depot) and others.

What do you consider a budget pre amp ? Check ARC, Conrad Johnson ,Rogue ,Parasound or Bryston. I enjoyed my Bryston BP 20 and My Conrad Johnson Premier 17.