Conrad Johnson PFR has all the qualities you seek. I have one and am running HT thru video loop. The remote is good although I've heard others whine about its design (it's plastic, not metal) Most importantly it is a great performer. The used price should be about $1100
preamp w/ cinema bypass / SSP loop for about 1k
The age old question of integrating 2 channel into HT setup rears its ugly head once more. I've got around $1000 to spend, give or take, on a new preamp to match with an Odyssey Stratos stereo amp. Preamp must have remote control, at least for volume. I'm letting a denon avr-3300 run the home theater, which it does well, it just can't produce the 2 channel sound I'm looking for. There are SO MANY options for preamps. Not just tube, SS, or hybrid, but active, passive, and $$$! SO - for around a $1000, what's the best option with a remote? phono stage not needed in my setup. I've seen quicksilver preamps, sonic frontiers, van alstines, CJ's, McCormak's, Rogue....what's a man to do?