Been using a Sonic Euphoria autoformer preamp for the last 8 or so years with excellent results although I did have compatibility issues with my EAR 834p phono preamp but other than that, have no urge to upgrade.
I only have the original grey MDF version, although it has been modified to have a selector switch and an added input (Serge would cringe if he read this). It's still better than any active preamp I have heard (when used in the right system), and clearly better than the MFA was (although at 2x the price).
I use a Promitheus Reference C-Core TVC. Compared it with a 4k active preamp and sent the preamp back. I know what you mean. It is ABSOLUTELY necessary to have "enough" gain in your system for the TVC to work. Also it is very important to choose a loudspeaker with high sensitivity to make the TVC work it's magic in the system. I do not care for impedance or other stuff while using TVC. But "gain" and "sensitivity" are the key words here.
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