Tubed Preamp recommendations?

for your price range get a primaluna or a modwright

No Quicksilver?

@twoleftears ah yes, the QS is also on the list...All these pre’s have great reviews, the open top/exposed tubes of the Primaluna is very appealing but I dont want to weigh too much on aesthetics.

You referred to a Primaluna 3, but not the model. I assume you meant the Prologue which I owned for a few years. My experience with it was not outstanding - with its matching amp (a Prologue 5e in my house) it was fine, but not so much with the other amps I had on hand, whereas another very competent pre amp I had had no problem with matching any other amp I tried. 

@newbee yes its the prologue 3...I assume the prologue premium replaced it?

Ancient used ARC.

jl1ny, I believe you are correct that the Prologue Premium replaced the Prologue 3. I'm not sure just how much it changed, if at all. Watch out for a high output impedance, that might limit you choice of amps. In your price range I think I'd like the Quicksilver. Easy to change tubes for sonic reasons. Lots of tubes, new and NOS, reasonably priced as well. 

Linear Tube Audio has an extremely well reviewed David Berning design within you price range (maybe $50 more if you want the remote option).

It also has an onboard headphone amp which may, or may not, better the Saga you are currently using.

https://www.lineartubeaudio.com/products/mz2mz2-s

DeKay

there are only two tube preamps that I have heard, repaired and upgraded that I would recommend.  Counterpoint and the DeHavilland.  But you would have to send them to me to upgrade with better parts quality.

Happy Listening.

If you have the opportunity, check out a used Conrad Johnson ET5; it’s essentially 1/2 of the GAT1, and sells used for between $3,000 and $4,000. Add a good Telefunken tube or Siemens tube and you’ll never look back.

Older used Conrad Johnson pv 11or 10. Excellent tube preamps. 

Depending on budget either the Schiit Freya+ or a PrimaLuna preamp. 

Van Alstine, Modwright, Belles or DeHavilland. Maybe need to go 2nd hand to keep within your price range.

I like the newer CJ sound but buyer beware nothing but maintenance issues tubes were only lasting four to six months talk to a few dealers like Upscale Audio he said CJ runs there tubes hard and in their experience you will go through many tubes with this type of equipment. First three sets of tubes came from CJ direct then tried other resources other two still the same

The Schiit Freya+ may get you there. Brand new with 5 year warranty shipped and taxed will still bring you in under budget. Provided you live in the usa. If you dislike it, 15 day return policy. 5% restock fee.

Sorry for the typo results were all the same CJ had to go and it did

I also have to agree on Modwright. I had decided my preamp was the weak link, so I Talked to Dan at Modwright, and he had an SWL 9.0 Line Stage he was rebuilding. He finished it, and I bought it. Turned my system around completely, totally better sound quality, system sounds like I always thought it should have sounded. Very happy with it.

Regards,
Dan

Thanks for all the suggestions! Keep em comin! The modwright and dehavilland look really nice but would most likely cross the budget line on the used market. QuickSliver is perhaps the most cost friendly unit of the bunch, Primaluna’s open top design and scores points for looks and build quality (and the price is pretty good). I don't want to jump on something compulsively but at the same time Id hate to pass on a great deal. What surprises me is that no one has recommended ARC...Interesting.

imho under 1500 the cj and arc options available are tubey sounding, but not transparent enough ... cj a little too much honey colored glow and soft at the frequency extremes, older arc stuff sounds very inconsistent (some too rounded, some grainy, some harsh, some explode the sound stage in really unrealistic ways)

you need to get into the 2-3-4 grand range then the higher and/or more modern cj and arc gear are really top notch

Take a look at a Croft Micro 25 pre

Increase your budget for just 3-5 hundred and get used Modwright LS-100... I’ve got one a month ago and very satisfied with it... wide stage, clear beautiful sound with nice harmony of mids, heights and lows.. plus huge advantage of 12v triggers and full function remote control.

cj et-5 and other et’s do run their tubes hard, they get noisy and need replacement, but there are good/smart solutions to this - just talk to upscale (and jeff fischel at cj)

but let’s stay on topic - these units are well above the OP’s budget

Rogue RP-1 is very good at that price.  The phono section is excellent.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/rogue-audio-rp-1-preamplifier

I'm happy with the ModWright SWL 9.0 Anniversary Edition I added to my system a few months ago. Took a bit to get the tube selection right. Did not like either pair of Tung-Sols that came with it. Dan had me try JAN Philips and that did the trick. Very nice sound whether I'm playing rock, jazz, or something symphonic.

Mind you, these days it is a bit challenging to listen and compare...
System includes Bel Canto amps/DAC and Cambridge transport (the last I do not so much recommend) and Goldenear Triton Ones.

Schiit Freya +...a bargain, with more capability than any of the above mentioned preamps.

Very happy w PrimaLuna Evo 300 and Parasound A21+....won’t miss my Audio Research and my Counterpoint SA5000 is kaput. Love the PrimaLuna

Schiit Freya +. Schiit's best product IMO

Take a look at Van Alstine. https://avahifi.com/collections/preamplifiers

Having owned two Audible Illusions preamps, I would strongly recommend them. You can’t beat the performance or the price. I think ones currently for sale on Audiogon for $1950.

DeHavilland Ultraverve. An excellent 6sn7 based tube preamp. I use mine with a Bryston 14b3 as amp. 

+1 for the Dehavilland Ultraverve and 6sn7 based preamp. I bought a used Ultraverve and immediately sold my Primaluna preamp. 

Think long regarding features, options, remote volume somewhere, and I am a big fan of remote balance.

I don’t know anything about current choices,

After many years, tubes/SS (I’m 72), I am most pleased with my vintage McIntosh Tube Tuner/Preamp, mx110z. two phono inputs ended up being very advantageous. 

I get my remote volume and remote balance elsewhere in the chain.

a good review here
https://positive-feedback.com/Issue77/vintage_mcintosh_experience.htm

seems the price has been going up, here is a restored one
https://positive-feedback.com/Issue77/vintage_mcintosh_experience.htm

not many for sale now it seems,
https://www.hifishark.com/model/mcintosh-mx-110-z

hifishark: you can see past sales of any equipment, see the two tabs top left
https://www.hifishark.com/model/mcintosh-mx-110-z

Schiit Freya + Is very entry level preamp... it too microphonic, the tone board is too weak, so when you rolling tubes you always have to be extra careful in case to do not break something... and most annoying thing is that you have to turn it in with the switch on the back, manually, no remote on-off function :) really!!?

Op, I use the Freya Plus and upgraded the tubes with Ken Rad VT 231 & Melz 1578. Zero microphonics, have no trouble rolling tubes and the sound  is superb. I will upgrade to either the Sachs or Supratek later this year but will not sell the Freya Plus, it will move to a second system. Adding 300.00 in better tubes gets you in your budget.
Having a "stand by" mode for the tubes allows me to leave my entire system on 24/7 with no tube rush powering up. Granted it is not a 3500 dollar pre but with the right tubes, it makes the magic happen.

Still entry level..no trigger option, ON-OFF function is annoying...even with best tube rolling you the SQ of Frea + is not comparable with CJ, AR, Cary Audio or Modwright..

Look for a CJ PV-1. You can find them for $600/800. They sound fantastic .

Surfmuz...if anyone is incapable of reaching over a Freya (which has room for this since the tubes demand the room) to switch it on I sympathize...mine turns on from the power conditioner anyway, although I do switch it off if I want the other items (non tube) to stay on. I don't think this is generally a widespread complaint. I actually have compared my Freya (original version) to other, more "precious" preamps including ARCs and others and it holds its own, and in fact sounds a lot better than many. It is an astonishingly good preamp that's far less expensive than most, mine has had zero issues with microphonics with any of the various tubes I've tried, and cherry picking complaints from here and there is meaningless when compared to the overwhelming success reported by many happy Freya owners. I can only assume you haven't actually compared a Freya to the preamps you've mentioned, or you lack the experience to understand what you're listening to.

@ WOLF--GARCIA, I concur. My Freya+ is great. But i am thinking, with the power button on the back will i go deaf? :)

Quicksilver remote pre for $1500 new would be at the top of my list.... i have a c-j Classic 2SE and yes they are hard on tubes but if you use a Gold lion 6922 like I have it should last a long time.... i just pulled one out that was 3 years old and still sounded great....  

I got my hands on some 6H23N-EB Reflector tubes from the late 70s and they sound awesome , and are super rugged.   That is whats in there now and so far so good.  

Great stuff fellas, Modwright and the DeHavilland are now both on the list and after much reading I took vintage ARC and CJ off the list because I don’t want to have to deal with repairs. Speaking of ARC, there is a fairly modern SP16L that’s available and has good reviews...the Rogue looks cool, I haven’t looked into them yet. As for the Schiit, I’ll pass on the Freya...I have nothing bad to say about my Saga and with the Psvane tube it sounds really nice...the remote and the way it interacts with the volume knob i find a little quirky but otherwise it’s big bang for the buck. Nevertheless, i want a preamp that I can build around rather than have to upgrade.

I'd go with the Prima Luna 3.

My vote is for the Freya +. I have owned a Counterpoint SA 5000 that I purchased new many years ago when they went out of business for $2500–it was a $5000 unit. I loved this preamp until it’s transformer went— taking with it a lot of other parts! I then purchased a used Audio Research on Audiogon. I did not like the weak bottom end and the overly sweet mids. I heard a lot of good things about the Freya + and decided to give it a shot knowing I good return it. The unit came stock with JJ tubes, It sounded good— but not great. Reading about tube rolling for the Freya I purchased a set of nos Ken-Rad 6sn7gt 9 hole top mica black glass tubes, circa 1950. This took the Freya to a whole new level! I now can say that in some ways I prefer the Freya to my beloved Counterpoint! Don’t sweat the small stuff — with a little tube rolling this is an amazing sounding preamp and an incredible bargain!
  If you don’t agree you can return the preamp and use the tubes on another 6sn7 based unit.

I don’t know... maybe I’m too picky... I did compared Freya + rolling Ken-Rad 6sn7gt as well Sylvania 6SN7GT and RCA 6SN7GT with Modwright LS-100 and Cary slp-05 and on my opinion SQ of Freya not even close to those two units.

Save some more money and get an Aesthetix Calypso

The ARC SP16L would be a nice fit, fairly inexpensive to retube if nec, and sound nice for the $$$. Good sounding phono stage, though limited to MM carts. 

Given the OP's budget, I agree that the Quicksilver would be on my list. I would also consider the Aric Audio preamp that is offered at that price point. 

Thanks for all the help fellas, I pulled the trigger on a Primaluna. I had to reel myself back in, some of the suggestions had me looking at gear that was way over budget. thankfully none were readily available haha. From what I’ve researched, the Primaluna should check all the boxes....my only reservation was that it was made in china but I couldn’t find a single complaint about reliability. Well see how it goes.  

You are right, there are a lot of fine Preamps out there. I had a used Audible Illusions for 15 years with No trouble.  I upgraded to a new Audible Illusions L3 last May and have been exstatic with it. Audible Illusions is an older brand and not in vogue currently, but there are a # of used units in your price range. Check out the review of Audible Illusion units in last years The Absolute Sound, impressive! Go to the Audible Illusions website for the review!