In need of Audio Research preamp recommendation

In your price range, about the best you could do is the
LS-26 which is a dynamic preamp.
Having said that however, with that particular amp, I would recommend the LS-5 mkIII(which is an all balanced model)or the LS-25mkII.

Eee3, PLease explain "LS-25 which is a dynamic preamp".

Rrog,if you read again, I said that the LS-26 was a dynamic preamp not the LS-25. So, is your question referring to the LS-26?

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If you've got $5k to spend, another two or three hundred bucks will get you a Ref3. Outside of the Ref5 and the new 40th Anniversary model, the Ref3 is far and away better than anything else in the AR lineup.

The Ref3 is a game-changer.
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