SS Pre-amps that can beat an Audio Research sp16

Never heard the sp16 but did own the Bel Canto Pre3 as well as a few other ss preamps. IMO the pre3 provides absolute neutrality. The volume goes up and down smoothly with not a hint of coloration no matter the setting.
If separates were in my future, for the money, the pre3 would be the preamp.

I owned an SP-16 for a few years. It was a nice piece and I did not find it particularly noisy. I wonder whether your tubes may be up for replacement? I thought the linestage on that unit was quite good, though with a fairly healthy dose of tube flavor compared to LS26 I owned. The weakness of the SP16, IMHO, is the phonostage so your idea about a separate phono may be a good direction to go. In any case, you may want to throw your amps into the mix since this may open up greater possibilities for electronics that meet your goals. You may come up with a more synergistic combination this way than if you try to find a preamp that will integrate seamlessly with your amps. Just a thought...

Al, yes I know what you are saying about bandwidth of the Class D amps. Newer Class Ds appear to be pushing the barrier significantly and I have an eye on that perhaps for the future.

When I mention bandwidth, what I am really looking for is better low end extension. Sp 16 has very clean and articulate bass but not as extended as even my old Carver pre-amp, though the sp16 whoops it in most every other way. I think I have read that is one of sp16s limitations. When I listen to say a well recorded pipe organ, I think I can hear this. Otherwise, it leaves little for me to want.

Amps are staying for now. I figure the longer I hold off on newer Class D amps, the better and more affordable good products will become. Besides, my 50+ year old ears do not hear much above 12Khz or so anymore. Not that higher bandwidth for better high end extension might not still be better, but not something that bothers me in practice. The BC amps do most everything that I know I can hear quite well, especially with my big OHM 5 speakers, which are not going anywhere My other smaller speakers in smaller rooms are less challenging to drive to their max.

Tim,

That is consistent with what I read and would expect with BC pre-3 and others. Hard to go wrong there I think.

The latest BEnchmark DAC intrigues me also. From what I read, it might hang well with the BC as a pre-amp as well. THat's why I'm very interested in hearing from anyone familiar with both or either. Others in comparison as well.

Dodge,

sp16 is not noisy at all when tubes are good. SLight hiss in phono with ear to speaker maybe with very low noise tube in phono tube slot 1. More with noisier tubes. ARC sells special lower noise tube for that 1 slot only for a premium. I have replaced all my other tubes completely twice since acquiring a few years back. I am smarter about what to use for phono versus others now, and some off those replacements were probably not fully warranted. THe thing is very quiet for a tube amp when all is well, which is most of the time.

I am quite happy with the phono sound, just not that the phono circuit and tubes are live even when not playing phono. SO phono tubes get worn even when not being played. If I listened mainly to phono, this would be a lesser issue in that I would get more mileage out of the lower noise phono tubes than I do.