Highest value pre under 1.5k used?

Robert Grodinsky Research RGR 4. List price in 1981 $600. I bought mine for $200 a few years ago! A superb preamp from the founder of pro audio company RG Dynamics. Sound quality competitive with any of today's four-figure preamps.

What do you need for feature set?   Remote?  Dual pre-out ?    Balanced?   

Excellent point, yes I need all three. Thank you!

You may have to stretch that budget to get all three.   I just bought a NIB old stock Zesto Leto preamp.  Sure it was more than I planned on spending but it was worth every penny.   I have long said the preamp is the most important component....maybe even more than the speaker you choose.   Which also is often times used with components that don't do them justice , so you upgrade speakers.  The electronics are so vital to good sound. 

Your options are better if you can do without balanced.   Quicksilver preamp with remote, have Mike wire tape out in parallel with main out so you have dual rca out.  Killer pre, brand new for $1600. 3 year warranty.  Its way better quality than most anything close in price

I have a pair of QS Mid Monos and his headphone amp.

Those amps sound so good.... they compete with much more expensive amps .   

Used I would recommend a CJ ET3 SE if you can find one reasonably