Ideas for Pre/Power $9000?

@immatthewj I'd say that it may have been a case of "too much of a good thing". Anthem brought a bright, snappy sound. Same with the B&W. I tired a few different songs. Not just metal. So I don't believe it was a genre issue. 

+1 on Echo Audio and Stereotypes based on your budget 

You can find some fantastic deals on high quality used equipment at Echo. And the owner is a super cool guy. Stereotypes is also good. They sell good stuff at modest prices. Nice guys too. 
 

Pearl is on the more expensive side. And one component could easily eat your ip up your entire budget. 
 

Btw - I just looked at the Echo website. There are a couple of McIntosh SS amps that just came in priced around $3500. Newer models. For metal, I think they’d be great. 

You could pick up some used speakers for under $3000 and still have a third of your budget for a DAC, streamer or upgraded cables. 

@bluethinker I definitely keep an eye on Echo's site!

I'll have to check out Stereotypes. 

@Ifromsalem - Stereotypes is worth a visit. Both echo and Stereotypes will let you demo amps in your own home, which is fantastic. 
 

Let us know how your search goes.