Unless you've already done this and you don't indicate you have, 'beg, borrow, or steal' somebody's hi-end 2-channel preamp and LISTEN. THEN if you're still convinced your preamp section is the culprit, I suggest you start with a conrad-johnson Premier Fourteen. It's several years old (and discontinued, of course, which is why it's affordable at c. $1500) but still as good as it ever was, and it's c-j's 1st with a remote control. It may not claim to have a 'home-theater pass-through', but it does indeed have Tape Outs, and they serve the same purpose. If you won't be running a separate 2-channel poweramp, probably you'll have switch interconnects when you go from/to 2-channel/multichannel, but that's no big deal (unless your equipment rears are 'buried'.
If you don't need a remote control, do consider the Y-S Audio Symphonies preamp at only $400, new, delivered to you. I did, and it's worth every penny. Here'e a used one for only $210-- http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1115142858 .
Good luck.
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If you don't need a remote control, do consider the Y-S Audio Symphonies preamp at only $400, new, delivered to you. I did, and it's worth every penny. Here'e a used one for only $210-- http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1115142858 .
Good luck.
.