IMO, you need to answer an important question (or two or three) before you choose from your options:
Do you plan to use your subwoofer(s) for stereo listening?
If you do plan to use them, Option 1 may not be your best choice. IME, AVRs and Pre-Pros will likely get you substantially better subwoofer integration than you'll achieve with a traditional stereo preamp. "Likely" is the key word there, as absolutes are risky, but the bass management systems in pre-pros and AVRs really do this job well.
A second question runs to source material. If your music is strictly digital, the trade-offs of DSP are IMO pretty beneficial. Not everyone here will agree, but IMO crossing in the digital domain and room correction schemes like Audyssey are simply a better mousetrap. If you use mainly LPs or other analog sources, the decision is more complicated. If you're amenable to subjecting your analog signal to processing in the digital domain, you may still prefer options 2 or 3. If that idea troubles you, I'd agree that Option 1 is best.
As to Option 2 vs Option 3, good AVRs are probably better value, but a pre-pro and separate amps may be preferable, particularly if your main speakers present a difficult load to an amp (provided that your budget allows).
Do you plan to use your subwoofer(s) for stereo listening?
If you do plan to use them, Option 1 may not be your best choice. IME, AVRs and Pre-Pros will likely get you substantially better subwoofer integration than you'll achieve with a traditional stereo preamp. "Likely" is the key word there, as absolutes are risky, but the bass management systems in pre-pros and AVRs really do this job well.
A second question runs to source material. If your music is strictly digital, the trade-offs of DSP are IMO pretty beneficial. Not everyone here will agree, but IMO crossing in the digital domain and room correction schemes like Audyssey are simply a better mousetrap. If you use mainly LPs or other analog sources, the decision is more complicated. If you're amenable to subjecting your analog signal to processing in the digital domain, you may still prefer options 2 or 3. If that idea troubles you, I'd agree that Option 1 is best.
As to Option 2 vs Option 3, good AVRs are probably better value, but a pre-pro and separate amps may be preferable, particularly if your main speakers present a difficult load to an amp (provided that your budget allows).