What preamp?

get ARC LS2 MKII, hybrid tube preamp, use 1 6SN7, very good in dynamic.

Get a Pass X-1 or and adcom 750. IMHO, YMMV. The best of both worlds.

Do you neccessary need a full-function preamp?
If yes try EAR834 full-function that will upgrade you substantially from Quicksilver.
Among SS preamps you can lookup Plinius M16 that incorporates excellent phono section as well.

I agree w/Marakanez about the EAR 834 - If you don't need the phono stage you can get the EAR834L. The are fairly bare bones but sonically the line stage is every bit as good as my ARC SP10II. I use one in another system and recommend it highly. (And they are cheap!)

ARC's own preamp.
BAT, CJ, EAR will work too.
VT-100 is balanced, so a balanced preamp should be better.
Good luck!

The entry level balanced ARC pre-amp would work wonderfully!!!(LS-16?)

I think a real good match for the VT 100 mkll is an LS 25 mk1 or mkll.........I have the 25 mkl and I am very happy with this set up (so far)!

I owned an LS-25 preamp for a couple of years; an amazing piece...some things about it were preferable to my Ref 2 MKII...instrumental action was par excellence!!

Hmmm... I use an Aleph P with my EMC-1, and certainly decided that my Red Dawn was a limiting factor, given the Pass pre's transparency. Further I modded the EMC-1 to "UP" level (RSVP if you want me to mod yours for 1/2 price), then found nirvana with SPM XLR. I'm not sure that I'm pretty sure that i would NOT have been able to resolve these levels of further purification with a lesser preamp.
So if you want to follow my example treat yourself to a cleaner top octave with the EMC-1 mod, then feed it through a cleaner top octave than the Blue Heaven, into a totally transparent pre like the Aleph P or similar. The latest "UP"grade to the EMC-1 lights up the top octave to a less laid-back character, but ya need a more resolving IC (in balanced mode!) and pre to appreciate it. Just my experience, but VERY noticeable.

Subaruguru,

What is involved in this mod? How much? what amp are you using?