Used Preamp on a budget advice please.

As George mentioned, and as being kinda fan of low-gain preamps, I’d recommend McCormack mid-90’s preamps such as TLC or RLD.
You’ll need to find them with optional phonostage installed or purchase a phono board and mount it on your own.
Most of SMC preamps have either unity or low gain of 6dB that give you flexibility to use either their active or passive section depending on mood or music you want to listen to.
I owned passive/active Mod Squad Line drive miniature preamp that had either passive mode(no power required) or active mode with user adjustable gain under top cover by combination of jumpers from 0 to 12dB which I kept in the middle of section 6dB. Still remember fun of having that luxury to be comfortable at certain music I listen to to certain mode I choose.
When I purchased less sensitive amp (2.4V for full power), I had to sell it to get higher gain preamp and that was for me Classe 60. That one had remote receiver, but getting an original remote was challenge. Therefore I built one myself with parts from partsexpress.com. They sell internally

@dastro

I used to own a Hafler amp, then an Adcom 555 and then an Aragon 2004 mkii (which I thought sounded better than the 4004 in a/b comparison, btw). Also spent a lot of time time in Progressive Audio. They got a lot of my money.

Don’t know if you were around when big Henry (beard) was there. He was trying to sell me a CJ preamp ($1000), and suggested that I bring in a lower priced ($699 if I remember right) Bryston ss preamp to a/b with their CJ. I did so... and the Bryston schiit all over the CJ, even in different matching configurations. You should’ve seen Henry’s jaw hit the floor. High-larious. They must have hated me there.

In that vein, back in 1995 while I was stationed at Ft Rucker, I got the bright idea to audition three preamps in my home. I was running the Aragon 2004 MKII with a set of PSB Stratus Golds. Anyway, one was a $5500 Krell, another was a $4500 Audio Research, and the last was a Melos Audio MA-333a. The latter was used at $2000, previously owned by none other than Barry Gordy of Motown. The MA-333a smoked the others in that setup. I mean smoked. The AR sounded veiled in comparison, while the Krell sounded speedy and contrived.

Later on, I took it to a buddy’s house in Atlanta, who also happened to work for HiFi Buys when they were the bee’s knees. He had another audiophile friend there that was quite proud of his Counterpoint (SA-7 if I remember right), and his jaw was likewise as Henry’s when he heard the Melos. But from what I remember, the Counterpoint was closer in the running than the AR or the Krell. He was running Martin Logans, btw.

So much is predicated on matching. Best advice I’ve gotten... try before you buy.

We have a Parasound P- 5 preamp .it was opened brand new and ..Parasound used it at CES Show for 4 days  then factory packed it and sold it to us as exibition stock ..comes I with full warranty ..color is black and it looks brand new .. Cost is $695.00 plus shipping..it is an amazing pre-amp with Dac , bass management , full function remote -and phono section 
http://www.questforsound.com/preamps/preamps_parasound_halo_P5.htm

Good Listening
stephen
www.questforsound.com 

SSP-30 has given my ML Spires the airy, 3 dimensional sound I have been missing for many years. 
(Was using them with Marantz AV-7005 before)
Can't say enough good about Classe.
Those older AV receivers are finally put top-quality pre-amps in reach.
good luck

Hi, for your budget and prefered signature sound you might consider the Audio-gd Master 1. This is a wonderful preamp with great imaging, details, punchy and refined sound. Way superior to Musical Fidelity  a5 pre and Teddy Pardo PR1. Also the synergy with my Forte 1a (Threshold) is really nice, and maybe better (surely different) than with the Audio-gd Master 3 power amp. Just my 50 cents.