What Pre/Pro do you recommend?

I still think your best option is a pre with pass through so you can get the best of both worlds. Just a thought.

Ctsooner.....I appreciate the response....can you give me a couple examples of the preamps your talking about?

Thanks

Your in luck to be looking for a pre/pro with the release of the Marantz 8802 and seeing its right in your budget , I would hesitate to get one. I have had it in my setup for a week , it replaced an oppo 105 and Marantz 8801 and the sound is extremely pure ,dynamic and it has an incredibly low noise floor, its only been a week but this thing is beginning to sound great and not many will like what I'm about to say here but Marantz tweaked the inputs for digital and jitter is a non issue and the sound is better than my Oppo 105 direct to my Halo A21 for 2/ch!

@Jdub39, I had a Emotiva UMC200 that sounded killer compared to my old oppo 105. I did sell them both and bought a 103 strictly for video HDMI.