Preamp $600-$1000

TAD-150 signature if you can find one. It is a tube hybrid that will run somewhere in the $700-900 range. I know that there was an interruption in the supply of new ones but, contact Paul at Bizzy Bee Audio. This unit far surpasses anything near its price range IMO...

IMHO, try the Audio Experience Symphonies Plus line stage (~600). Lots of room to experiment with different tube brands for not a lot of money, well built, and a really good sounding unit. If you don't like it, you could always sell it for only a small loss. I think you'll probably love it, though.

I second the TAD-150 idea.

Audio Research is a good choice. In the past, I had used a
VTL 2.5, which sells used for around $750 used, with a Levinson 27. Worked out nicely!

Ahhh ~!

I own an older Levinson ML-3 amp. I was running Revel Gems with it, using a Quicksilver Remote Linestage preamp.
The Quicksilver is single-ended, uses 2 6922 tubes and has a remote. This is one of the nicest sounding short buck preamps I've heard. It's still in the system, however it's driving a pair of Levinson 33H's now on the same Gems.

It stands up to the 33H's fine. I am amazed at what I'm getting out of this.

You should be able to find used for $1K or a bit less.

Good luck,

Paul :-)