Preamp recommendation

Wyred-4-Sound STP-SE or Benchmark HPA4. Both use similar design philosophy. Can't go wrong with either.

$2G’s?
VTL Ultimate.... if you can find one.
Way ahead of it’s time.
You won’t be disappointed.

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/58800-vtl-ultimate-preamplifier/

There a couple of Don Sachs tube preamps on the used market at just under $2000. They retail new for about $2500. They’re based on the Aikido circuit boards from VTA. You can build the same preamp, as a kit, but in a very plain case, for as little as $1100. VTA also offers that preamp fully assembled and tested for $1500.

There a couple of Don Sachs tube preamps on the used market at just under $2000. They retail new for about $2500. They’re based on the Aikido circuit boards from VTA. You can build the same preamp, as a kit, but in a very plain case, for as little as $1100. VTA also offers that preamp fully assembled and tested for $1500.


The vta preamp isn't the same as the Don Sachs preamp. The vta is really good, but Don uses better caps, resistors and a better volume control plus I think he uses a different rectifier tube now.

Audio Research builds one of the best preamps. 

Get the Parasound . I have a Rogue RP-1, and I wouldn’t recommend it for you . After upgrading to Telefunken medical grade 12AU7’s , isolation footers and a $250 power cord, it sounds good as a single ended line stage tube pre with my Schitt Yiggy DAC . But the headphone section is crap. I have a modded Thorens with a Grado cartridge, and I am not pleased with the phono stage , its noisy and needs a bit more gain .  So if you take the cost of the RP-1 and add $600 then how does the Parasound look ? In your system I’d get a quiet SS pre . Regards , Mike B. 

Don't be too quick to rule out building one from a kit.www.bottlehead.com has easy to build kits which outperform preamps costing thousands.

I would get a used EAR 864 full function preamp ($2000-$2500) or the upgraded ones EAR 868P around $5000 (more limited functionality than) the EAR 912 (outstanding phono section) at $7500-8500.  Or buy the 868L for $1000-$1500 less and add a phono preamp.  They will last decades.   

cary slp 98p they are on sale right now for a little over 2k from Cary Direct had mine for years now and it's a great preamp

If you are interested in the Parasound JC2-BP, I have one for sale on USAM - less than two years old and in excellent condition. I'm the original owner.

Although a bit long in the tooth, this BAT VK-3iX seems to tick all your boxes:

BAT VK-3iX $1,790

There are lots of options for (relatively) low cost upgrades e.g. tube rolling and a SIX-PAK capacitor option (the same ones found in the more expensive VK-51SE).  

Don't let age fool you. I'm still running a pair of Soundcraftsmen PM-860 monoblocks that were built in 1978 that sound tremendous.