How much do I need to spend to get a preamp that sounds better than no preamp?

Your such a **** kost, all you can see is your FW F5 which has such abnormally low gain, it needs an active preamp.
And that’s the second time you’ve put **** on Nelson Pass, who do you think you are? better???, your not even his hang nail.

Cheers George

You need to back off.

Sounds like a threat there sunshine. You are an agitator, as many on Audiogon have said, stop drinking or whatever your doing. 
Like I said.
That’s the second time you’ve put **** on Nelson Pass, who do you think you are? better???, your not even his hang nail.

As others have said, you built a F5 from "paint by numbers" "kit" that anyone that can hold a soldering iron can put together.
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/firstwatt9/1.jpg
And you think you know better than Nelson Pass, who gave that very amp to the diy’ers who can solder to make.

Cheers George

I'm not at all saying I could design the thing by a long shot.

That's about the most honest thing you've said, enough putting**** on what Nelson Pass says about passives.

Cheers George