Another vote for Shindo preamps. I first had the Aurieges paired with an Accuphase P-3000 and also tried it with my Luxman MQ-88 and Nagra PSA. All were superb pairings, and the Aurieges easily bettered my Audio Research Ref 3. All of those combos can be easily had within the target $10-12K range.
The only "downside" with Shindo is that many who go that route become so enthralled with the Shindo sound that they move up the Shindo ladder, often quickly. I went directly from the Aurieges to the Masseto and might not stop there, much to my wife's chagrin.
The only "downside" with Shindo is that many who go that route become so enthralled with the Shindo sound that they move up the Shindo ladder, often quickly. I went directly from the Aurieges to the Masseto and might not stop there, much to my wife's chagrin.