Adcom gfa 555 or 5400

This is starting to look like a never ending road, lol. Thanks guys. 

Vinnyjr,

That amp you found looks like a solid choice, and I’ve heard that the Zpre is good bang for buck.  As long as it has the bypass.
 Good luck with your search.

The Parasound Zpre has HT pass through.

call Safe and Sound, they sometimes have it as ‘b stock’ for about $330

The current model Schiit Saga+($399) and Freya+($899) have home theater bypass. It is a free feature all of their preamps have. I recommend the current model preamps because they shut down the tube buffer when it is not being used. Instructions at the bottom of the page:

https://www.schiit.com/guides/choosing-amps-preamps

You simply select the input, put it in passive mode and turn the volume all the way up. Instant 1:1 home theater bypass with only a relay in the signal path.

I realize that the Saga+ is a little out of your price range and the Freya+ is way out of your price range. Part of "saving money" when you are just getting started out is sometimes buying the right product the first time around. Buying something that serves your current needs AND your future needs can save you a lot of time, money and headaches in the long run.

Before you buy a preamp do some research and explore the advantages of having XLR inputs and outputs available to you. Balanced is the way to go if you want better sound quality and compatibility with more equipment.

For what it's worth, I had a long conversation with an experienced speaker designer, and he really likes the Parasounds (including the small light NewClassic 2100) as well as the Hint 6 (more expensive) and the stuff by Belles. He is really happy with the Van Alstine SET 400. FWIW.