Preamp advice

+1 Linear Tube Audio microZOTL. Excellent sounding and very reasonably priced.  Luxman CL-38uC. Excellent sounding, high gain.

Why do you need a preamp? If you are all digital, skip the preamp and go straight from the dac to your amp. But you need a good dac with a quality volume control that is quiet.

I have a Vac renaissance mk3 with my MC275 and it sounds wonderful (that's tubes on tubes). You can't really find them so maybe one of the newer Vac preamps should do nicely. 

Primaluna tube amps should be considered. 

Tubesound247,

I just went on a preamp listening tour, and listened to quite a few preamps in person: Rogue Audio RP9, BAT VK-80, Backert Labs Rhumba 1.4, Backert Labs Rhumba Extreme 1.4, used ARC REF 5SE. Of those my favorites were the BAT VK-80 and Backert Labs Rhumba Extreme. I could have lived with the Rogue RP9, had I not heard the BAT and Backert.

In the end I ended up buying an Aric Audio Motherlode XL preamp, the idea of a point to point wired and easily upgradable preamp (along with only amazing reviews), and having heard another of Aric's preamps.....was the deciding factor.