Looking for preamp recommendation

OP, go used. You can drop down to a level you can afford. If you look 5 - 10 years old. I bought used until I could afford new.

I owned Pass amps for decades and the best match was Audio Research preamps. The Phonostage is as important as the preamp and is best in a separate box… Audio Research also makes some of the finest.

I have also owned Pass preamps. I highly recommend Audio Research. They are natural and musical. Highly recommended. My systems are shown under my UserID. The longer I listened to music and appreciated the natural beauty of it, the more I was drawn to ARC.