Help build my new system

Three great options.
My preferences would lead me to the 47 Labs gear, plus I think their styling would just work better in a small space, IMO.

Could you save some money by not buying the input chooser? Plus if you are worried about the 12 step volume control being too limited, why not just add another brand's preamp to the system? This way you would get the multiple inputs and more volume control steps by killing two birds with one stone.

Perhaps an Audio Note M2 Balanced, Joule Electra LA-100 Mk3, Lamm LL2, Emotive Audio Poeta, or something along these lines should still get you well under the $7700 estimated for system one.

Have had a chance to listen to a full 47 Labs Shigaraki system, and thought it was very nice. The dealer however didn't give that set-up enough time on decent speakers however and he felt the need to start pushing a line he carried on the group. I thought the 47 labs gear was offering some of the best solid state sound I had ever heard driving some Neat speakers.

Thanks soliver,
i thought mixing such a radically designed amp with another manufacturer's preamp would be risky and tough to demo.
i knew of a stereo shop offw. broadway in the west village by tower records (i forget the name) that was selling the 47 labs line a few years ago. i went in the other day and they said although they loved the gear they only sold ONE piece in 3 years so they stopped selling them. too esoteric looking and frightened customers. this shop loves tubes so i think it's a compliment they took a shot at selling 47 labs. i can't find any shop near me to demo.

have you heard the sakuras with the Konus speakers?

thanks again. i'll post some followup when i have had time to audition some of the mentioned gear.

No, when the dealer brought in the Shigaraki stuff for the openhouse, he brought in these tiny little 47 labs single driver mini-monitors, I was not impressed at all with these things and very disappointed that they had not sent the Konus Essence speakers instead. The sound was quite unimpressive at this point, but you could tell it was the speakers holding things back, then when he switched in some Neat speakers things were much nicer.

As far as the preamps being a smart idea, I don't know could be blowing smoke out of my ***. I don't think there is anything in the design that would make it difficult to match up with good synergistic preamps, and I beleive the volume control is very easy to set at zero gain.
Constatine Soo on his website Dagogo reviewed the Gaincard S and in addition to running it straight he also matched it up with the Audio Note M3 with reported great success.
quote -
"In terms of fidelity, the $4,000 25 Wpc 47 Lab Gaincard S is just as worthy an amplifier to the AN M3 as its own $4,000, 9 Wpc Quest 300B monoblocks, and I have yet to hear a preamplifier/amplifier combination at $4,000 possessing
comparable finesse."

There is also a system listed on Audio Asylum where the owner is using the Gaincard with the Shindo Labs Monbrisson preamp, the Monbrisson is out of your price range but the entry level Aurieges at $3800 could be a possibility.

I know Shindo is at High Water Sound in NY, and I would have to imagine Audio Note could be found somewhere in the city. The other preamps that I threw out are probably more alike than different compared to the Shindo or Audio Note stuff. So if you do decide to go the route of 47 labs stuff you could always jsut pick-up the Gaincard first, see how it works as your preamp, and then if you feel the need, take it out on the town and start pairing it up with various preamps and see what you find out. It's not like the Gaincard isn't easy to transport.

Good luck in your search.
Also in case you don't know, Carolina Audio offers a speaker called the JTM that is very close to the Konus Essence and more people own or have experience with that speaker compared to the Konus, so doing some research on the forums for the JTM can probably help give you a better idea of the Konus' performance.

I really like the 47 labs gear. You should check out High Water Sound 274 water st. No i do not work fo them or have any biastoward them, but jeff is a great guy who has helped me out many a time. My name is Matt van lunen, and those are my 2 cents

Thanks. i'll go for a demo. glad to know there's a place in nyc.