Best mid priced Amp-Preamp

+1 with tomcarr,
The Freya preamp is pretty darn good for the cost and it leaves you enough for a Vincent, Adcom or Schitt amps/amps.

All the best.

JD

kns54 OP

I’d go along with that too curiousjim , a Schiit Freya (great switchable tube/ss/ or passive preamp) with a Schiit 100w Vidar. Should work a treat with the KEF 103/3, and at 93db maybe the Schiit Aegir 25w class-a if he doesn't want party levels, that would sound sooooooo sweet.
And the OP kns54 can trial them for 15 days

https://www.schiit.com/products/freya

https://www.schiit.com/products/vidar

https://www.schiit.com/products/aegir

Cheers George

Marantz pm14s1 integrated, if you can still buy one, getting hard to find brand new. A second for the rogue sphinx v2...on the more economical side, the new marantz pm8006 is a nice amp as well at only 1200.

Underwood HIFI is selling brand new (NOS) Peachtree Nova 220SE integrateds for $999. I used one for 2 years on a pair of LS 50's and enjoyed it immensely. I also like the Rogue Audio Sphinx (any generation).

Thank you all for your suggestions. I decided to go with Rogue Sphinx v2.
Thank you again!