Preamp choices:Short list

This is a very important issue particularly if you keep your amplifiers where they perform best which is right next to the speaker keeping speaker cables as short as possible. This means that you have to run long signal cables to the amplifiers and balanced cables can make these longer runs with far less noise. It is best to have all your analog equipment balanced but as Atma-sphere has related on numerous occasions there is real balance and fake balanced so you have to be careful until the industry settles this out. Some companies like Parasound try to go both ways. The JC1's have a gain switch, low gain for true balanced operation and high gain for fake balanced operation. Mono amps without balanced inputs are IMHO a total waste of money being compromised from the start. There is absolutely no advantage in remaining unbalanced.

Art gone already. what a piece.. 

Why only those three?  What pre are you using now, and what sound characteristics are you most looking for?  Budget?  You really didn’t give much to go on here to form a basis for a meaningful recommendation.  

@soix  I am currently using a Modwright LS100 (with all NOS tubes) and Wells Audio Inamorata. I like the sound of a tube pre. I have not found solid state to have the fullness in the lower mids. I have tried some solid state but they tend to sound thin. But the bass in SS is better. The Wells is a SS amp that has "tube like" qualities. Sonically they sound good but I am getting noise. Now here is the kicker: I am getting older and want simplicity and reliability in my system. I don't want to be screwing around with tubes and chasing down issues. Also I can't lift 75lb amps any more. So I am in a quandary, I like a certain sound but may not achieve it the way I am going. My first preference based on this is a SS Pre and Class D amp. If I can't do that it's a tube pre with Class D amp. My speakers are 92db efficient I run 2 GR Research subs driven by Rythmik amps. I hope I covered everything. Thank you for taking the time to consider. (BTW, @yyzsantabarbara suggested Benchmark, the only reason I am not jumping on their pre is I am afraid of it being analytical sounding and far from tubes. They do have a trial so there is no risk.

You might want to give Decware ZEN Triode preamp a listen, made here in the USA with lifetime warranty to original purchaser, $2,995.00 custom made, they only start to build it after you order it truly a work of art, no circuit boards all hand made.