Updating my preamp.Frustrating..You Bet

You are correct. It does seem to be a buyer's market.

"I have heard about Atma-Sphere,but they are real pricey of what I remember!Antique Soundlabs,VTL,Classe',EAR and whatever happend to Quicksilver?"

I believe the gentleman mentioned 2 to 4K as a budget. That would include the Atma. Good suggestions on Antique Soundlabs and VTL. I don't think Classe makes tube gear and EAR seems to trying to turn it's back on tubes. Quicksilver is still around, tho'.

Yes, I'm all for people going to HT. More good 2-channel gear for me (heh-heh). Personally, Home Theater is O.K. for taking a break from listening to a good sound system in the dark, but I wouldn't want to spend a lot of money on it.

Your probably right about Classe,but I thought they made Tube Stuff before getting into Hybrids!

I did not wnat to go to far into a HT setup so I got a Lexicon CP-3+ and a B&K 5ch. amp to use for suurounds which was my alternative to getting an ARC tube amp for now.After I get my all my NEAR Speaker's I will look into getting the Pre-Amp.

My goal for a Frontend Amplification is a ML amp mated with an ARC or Tube Pre-Amp which is the finest setup I have heard for my speaker's.If getting a nice used ML for the Front is to pricey I will look into something like PS Audio's HCA-2 (new Amp) or there might be something better for less by then!WOuld not want to venture into all Tubes with all metal driver speaker's!

Will try harder to keep abreast of the changes in the Audio World as it's been a few yrs. since I have been seriously into it.Seems I drift back after awhile!Have been putting together a Mid-Fi system for a friend and have been re-tooling my system with new Speaker's and another go at a HT system!I hated my HT system when I tried to do it 7yrs ago and this is another attempt to see if it will be suitable without messing up my 2-Channel playback!

Best thing that has happened is finding NEAR's through the Designer and former president of the Co. who now works for Apogee!Got a pair of NEAR M15's with a spare set of Tweeter's and newly designed Woofer\Mid Driver's that are incredible($350).Went to audition B&W CDM 1NT's and these things blow them away.I have a Sub that goes down to 25Hz and the speaker's go down that far ,but the Sub adds a little more Impact!
M50's being refitted with a new crossover making them the most advanced version ever made.$2550 and I will pay $1000.Incredible speaker's for the cash!
NEAR's are in the same league as the Watts in my opinion having close to the same Tweeter in them(Inverted Dome).Might try refitting them with Scanspeaks at some point to see what diff there is!

I will look into the Atma from old Stereophiles I have!What are the prices on the used Market for them nad do they have a Phono stage?

Stereophile doesn't do Atma-Sphere, so no point in looking there. You might try soundstage.com or go on the Atma-sphere web site and look at reviews. I'm guessing the lower priced of the two pre-amps (MP-3) might go for around $2500 used if you could find one and yes, they make a phono stage (a real good one). I'm a planar man myself, no domes and cones for me (except sub-woofer) or horns.

Well I was a Planer Man myself till I heard the NEAR's!I have a set of Maggie 1.4's that are collecting dust now!The NEAR's give me the see through quality with the Bass that I was lacking with the Maggies & a Sub!

The Detail and Info that come through the NEAR's are better than the Maggies!It still blows my mind,but it's true.I hear more things I thought only the Maggies could bring out and more!
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I did go through all my PHILES to see wht I could come up with concerning Tubes!I probably seen ATMA-SPHERE's some place else!

I want to thank you all for your suggestions and here they are.....Sonic Frontier (line 1),BAT VK 5i and VK5SE,CAT SL 1MK 111,Rogue Audio 99,Atma-Sphere MP-3,Hovland,Herron,Joule Elctra's LA-100,Cary 99-2002,Audio Research LS 15,and LS 9 MK 11,First Sound Presence,Melo Mar 333,Audible Illusions,Blue Circle 3.1 Gatalea,Antique Sound Lab,VTL..to name a few.
I have to guess that all these preamps must range from $800-$5000 and higher..
Am I wrong thinking the more money spent will always yield better sound.
More money means at least twice the price.
As Hbarrel stated ..don't be afraid to spend less $$$
So can I expect an ARC SP9 MK11 to sound as good as a Blue Circle 3.1 Gatalea?
Again there is no way I am able to hear many of these suggestions but it does give me guidance.
I think I have narrowed down my choices to BC3.1,Atma-Sphere MP-3,possible the Rogue 99 magnum but I've heard that it isn't even close to the BC3.1,and on of the ARC models.
I will be pairing this preamp up with a Bryston 4B ST.
to listen to blues,instrumentals,country rock and some roll.
How am I doing so far??