Tube Preamps.....

This is a gorgeous sounding preamp in the listings $500 under your budget....

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis8fg1h-synthesis-art-in-music-ecstasy-line-level-tube-pre-amp-tu...

No affiliation with the seller but my local dealer Deja Vu Audio is the US importer for Synthesis so I've heard their gear many times. Very transparent organic warm and musical and being Italian very stylish looking.

Hi jond, When the preamp heats up, does it smell like a pepperoni pizza? Joe

I have my PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium PreAmp coming in this week.
Running a Mac Mini with Roon, connected to Pro-Ject Pre-Box Digital S2 for now. Does Tidal MQA, DSD and everything else you throw at it.
May upgrade the DAC later, and use the Pro-Ject for another system I'll build for my office.

+1 @whitestix on the Sachs pre.  He also offers a short in-home trial, which is a real plus, and the fact that this would be new rather than used is also kinda nice.  At your price you could do lots of Don's upgrades to create a really nice pre. 

On the used side, there's a nice Backert Rhumba 1.2 listed at $2400.  But if you can stretch your budget just a bit there's an Allnic L3000 mkii reduced to $3700 that looks like a great buy as its listed retail is $13,000 (there are nice reviews of the original model from Audio Beat and Dagogo comparing it to other nice preamps).  I have to say if I'm you I'd have a tough time passing this one up as it seems like a truly top-level and potentially end-game component -- if there is such a thing.  Best of luck. 

Joe pepperoni pizza is more of an American thing. :)