preamp advice.. quad 909 + esl-63

There are many used ones that are good in this price range but they are constantly changing. I would read the archive reviews in Stereophile when I saw one I liked. I'll be glad to tell you anything I know about a particular model if you email me. I liked Quad preamps, the 44 turns up once in a while and isn't bad, no remote or modern conveniences. The Creek passive pre, 21 or 22, I forget, is very good; it is around $500 new. You could get something like the Musical Fidelity V series phono stage, which is $179 new to use with it. An older Classe pre with built in phono would also be good. But as I said there are many possibilities.

No, unless you are very lucky. The 63s are very revealing speakers [I use to be a Quad dealer] and will reveal deficiencies in your associated equipment. I would budget quite a bit more to get the most out of your gear. Your amp is quite good and the speakers are excellent.