Preamps better than Parasound JC-2 ?

If I'm you I'd buy a used BP26 and save a couple grand over the BP17.  If you read the Stereophile review I think you'll see there doesn't seem to be a night and day difference between the newer and older models.  If you don't love it you can sell it for little or no loss.  As I mentioned a few years ago, my BP6 was the closest thing I've heard to straight wire with gain, and that seems exactly what you're looking for.  FWIW...

@jafant ,What is your current preamplifier?

@dbphd ,When I auditioned a JC2 years back, I did not find it harsh. But I found that it had too much gain. Later I found out that that shop demo piece had an issue. My current loudspeakers are far too revealing compared to the previous ones. And that is one of the reasons that I have reconsidered the JC2. For some reasons, I am not in the "Ayre looks". Nothing against them.

@soix ,I have read the Stereophile review as well as James Tanner's opinion on BP-17Cubed Vs the BP26 at audiocircle. He feels that overall the BP17 is an improvement over the BP26.
Do you guys think a used Pass XP-10 would be better than the Parasound JC2 and Bryston BP-17? My dealer is suggesting the Jeff Rowland Capri S2 as his number one choice. His second choice is the Bryston followed by Parasound.I want to make sure that I get a pretty good active preamp. Don't want to keep upgrading over a period of time. So sometimes I feel, if I can stretch a bit, it will be good in the long run. Any other suggestions?

Seriously, just try a tube preamp, and see if you still want to play with solid state. You may find that to get similar or better sound, a tube preamp is less expensive.

+Atmaspere .

Try a Tube Pre.  Tubes in Pre-amps last years if not decades, also most pre-amp tubes are relatively inexpensive (compared to power tubes) so tube rolling is not an expense you need to worry about too much in a Pre-Amp.  Tube Pre to SS amp best of both worlds some say. Also as Atmasphere suggested you can get more for the money in a tube Pre-amp normaly. 

@milpai 

I’ve owned a lot of tube gear. When a tube gets “weak” on the way to failing, it gets a bit more white noise rush and lower output. I usually replace the suspect tube(s) when I detect it. It’s pretty discernible during causal listening. No overt system crashes or other collateral damage.