Help me with preamp choice.

OOOPS!!! I forgot to mention Adcom GFP750. Ivanj, right on!
Don't spend too much on cables for passive preamps. AudioQuest DiamondBlack tended to work the best with passives. You can also get VanDenHul Type2. I've never heard F.T. audio but in general terms you simply ought to try any passive v.s. active that is 2x or 3x the price of passive and see the result. After that I'll guarrantee that you will forget about using active preamp.

Hey IvanJ...good suggestion, but for $1500 he could buy himself a used Pass Aleph P with remote (even better, and the design that inspired the Adcom model).

I would also recommend checking out tube preamps. The above suggestions are good, and I'd also add a used Counterpoint SA-5000 to your list (it has a phono pre too, if that matters).

Passive is the only way to go. Try Placette's passive line stage.

bf

I'm glad I asked for some help on this. I have been putting all of your ideas into the search engines on some of the sites and they all sound good on the feedback. I think I will try passive and tubes. I live in Michigan and I retired from General Motors about six months ago. Now every day is the weekend and I find myself turning on my system every day. ( can,t seem to get enough.) I bought a sunfire pre. for movies but I'm tired of having a t.v. in front of me all the time. I bought way to much gear for this hometheater crap. I like music alot more it seems. I guess I had forgot that. ( Hope the wife help me pay for all this). She likes movies better. Thanks guys

Slightly off topic, Sogood51, but if you have the time, space and resources a second system might be in order. No use upsetting the wife, if you know what I mean.