Best tube preamplifier for under $15k

+1 for Don Sachs' linestage. 

Every one of Don's preamps are customized/optimized to the customer's system.

Tremendous value for the $$'s.
 

Ive never heard Atma-sphere, but their preamp is well reviewed
http://www.atma-sphere.com/en/mp-3.html

pstores, I would not pay this kind of money for equipment even if I could. What I said had nothing to do with me.

First Sound if you don't need balanced.

@smodtactical 
I mention some of my preamps above..  I don’t use the Freya anymore. I have a Pass XP12 currently. Another preamp I enjoyed was the Blue Circle BC3. The BAT VK5i was also one of my favorites.