New to Preamp - Preamp suggestion around 10k

I have a solution for about 8k

Angela-Gilbert Yeung

C318 Line Stage Preamplifier

We have to make a lot of decisions every day - 1% or 2% milk? Chicken or beef? Donut or Bagel? White socks or black socks? When it comes to preamplifiers, the usual question is, "Tubes or solid state?".  And I say "Why not both?". The C318 offers the opportunity to create the perfect sound by offering separate 6922 and 6SN7 tube circuits, and a solid state circuit. Each circuit has its own volume control so that you can mix and match to create the ultimate tonal balance for your speakers, your room, and your music. Standard inputs are two balanced and three RCA, along with both both RCA and balanced outputs, and a separate line output. The C318 also has a beefy separate power supply, and rear panel jacks for both SP Capacitor Pack and FCF plug and play upgrades. I should also mention that it sounds amazing.

@cming0038 If your interest/curiosity is are leaning toward EAR, I am\very familiar with the Brand as the Companies models are owned within my local HiFi Group.

I know the Acute very well and am Very Impressed, there is a infrequent attendee who has The Head SUT and this is rated as the best SUT to be demo'd during the get togethers.

There is Power Amp' Owners with models from the past and recently one the most recent models from the Brand has been bought in place of a earlier produced model.

Additionally there is a Tim De Paravicini Designed 300b and a Imported VAC Amp.

There was a want to bring in a New Pre Amp, where money was not too much of a constraint for a option on a New Pre Amp' for the owner of the exchanged model EAR Power Amp. The monies available for the Pre Amp' was working towards £7K, which shares a similarity to your own situation.

A host of Pre Amp's were available for Home Demo's of which one was the EAR 868. Out of the Commercial Pre's being demo'd the EAR was the one that impressed the most. Note: The 868 is not a Lush or Rich Toned Pre Amp, it has clarity and detail retrieval with unnoticeable smearing affecting the micro details.

Here is a curve ball, there was also at the Pre Amp Demo's a PASS KB1 Pre Amp present, and it delivered in a manner that was not easy to overlook. It was also commanding a cost that was very very attractive, and suggested methods to upgrade were also made known and the cost that would be needed to include these.

The EAR owner has chosen the Pass KB1 as their Pre Amp and a few other Valve Power Amp owners within the Group are also using the Pass KB1. At present I am having a Balanced Design of the Pre Amp' produced to couple to my monoblock Power Amp's. 

A Pass KB1 can be acquired for a very respectable outlay. If it does not deliver to your preference, it will sell on and a valuable experience will have been encountered. 

Thank you all again!

I would like to share some of my experience with RP-7 and RP-9 last week too! Turns out a preamp does improve the sound a lot, compared to only T-8000. Especially with RP-9, my SR-009 was starting to sound like a little speaker and it felt so real! Resolution upgraded signifcantly, and dynamics improved as well. The sound is more laid back, and a little thinner (might be because of increase in resolution). As for sound signature, I have yet distinguished whether it was "warm" or "cold" (the dealer who was quite familiar with tubes actually said RP-9 was more tubey than RP-7🤔). RP-7 in comparison has less resolution and extension, and a "thicker and more rounded" sound. The dealer said that with some burn-in, RP-9 would sound sweeter and more dynamic. So I might go for another audition! (I was sitting there for 7 hours lol)

The friend who accompanied me (and likes IEM like Fitear 333), said the preamp took away the "musicality" of my setup, while I was still jamming to the instruments played by both preamps, even more so with RP-9.

That makes me wonder, what feelings should I get if a machine sounds musical/warmer and sweeter? I wonder whether I am blown away by the upgrade in quality (resolution, dynamics, extension, etc), or the sound signature (sweetness, passion, warmth). What do you guys think would hint at the sound signature of a machine?

Either way,  just want to share my experience and say adding a preamp did bring some changes to my setup!

@cming0038 Nice! If you’re happy with the resultant sound, that is what matters.

Having a reference system (or systems) and comparing gear over time will develop your ability to quickly pick out a specific component’s sonic disposition (warm & sweet or dry and analytical etc).

For me, the RP-9 was not warm nor sweet compared to the ARC Ref 6 or VAC Master or VAC Renaissance III (or even the older Rogue Athena and Hera). However, I did like its bass punchiness, and overall clarity & detail. To be fair, I may never have burned it in "fully". But the VAC's were sweet from hour #1 lol. Maybe Rogue should do some initial burn-in and auditioning like VAC does (if a VAC component doesn't make the cut in audition, it goes back to the line). 

Your post is making think I should experiment more along these lines -- since I have a few nice preamps, headphone amps, and headphones at my disposal :)

+1 Backert Labs Rhythm 1.3 linestage tube preamplifier