Looking for an amazing preamp under $700 used

foreverhifi2000, I think it a disservice to those asking advise that you continually refer to a "lack of dynamics" or "You'll give up ultimate dynamics" when discussing passives - as if it were a given. You may have had that experience but many others of us have had the opposite experience. Yes, components must be matched carefully but the rewards in doing so are excellent. It is fair to discuss passives in that light. To present a lack of anything regarding a passive as a given, is just wrong because it just ain't true.

Larry does not mention his amp but, depending on it, I'd wager that one of the smaller Bents would provide as good or better performance than several of the other preamps listed here.

Audible Illusions L-1 preamp. You want beat it for the price. They ended up at about $2195 new before the L-2 came out and now sell for around $700 used. It is an all around great performer. Very transparent and neutral for a tube preamp. You can change the sound of this unit with different tubes. It seems to be more effected than most by tube brands. Lot of folks overlook this pre sadly.
It is as transparent as the TLC but delivers a more dynamic sound.

The Audible Illusions L-1 would probably be a good choice. The Meitner also has a strong following. However, I believe those two must be used single ended (rca connectors) and neither have processor loops. If you want the choice of balanced or single ended operation and a processor loop, the Adcom GFP 750 is a good suggestion (I just sold one with black gate capacitor upgrades), but an even better unit would be a Muse Model 3 (non-signature version) which would probably go for about $700-800 used, if you could find one. Good luck.

It has one tube more than your looking for, but I think the Cary SLP-50A is a real sleeper of a pre and can be found used right around that price range. Really outstanding value! SLP-50B uses the 6922 tubes (more common and popular than the 6CG7's in the SLP-50A). In my system I compared the two side by side for several weeks and swapped out all kinds of premium 6922 tubes in the "B". In the end I sold the B and kept the A. Still have it, still love it. In the ARC family, and more fitting your description, you may be able to find an LS-2B which is also a fine pre for the $. Also Quicksilver's Line Stage can be found in that range, as well as an older Audible Illusions. No long-term experience with either, but have heard and enjoyed both in various friends systems, and both have great reputations.

Marco

Sonic Frontiers SFL-1, a hybrid single tube pre-amp was a product that helped put SF "on the map"-- a very good value now @ $500.-600.. Excellent sounding, and the tube can be selected to suit your taste. No remote and probably no HT bypass but I don't remember. Cheers. Craig