Best Full-Function Preamplifier

Dear @dodgealum : Essential 3180 that’s a true challenge for over 120K separates units like FM Acoustics or CH and better than Boulder or Dartzeel and the like. It's an active high gain balanced dual mono non-feedback fully discrete overall design with 2 totally  separates phono stages : MM/MC and second to none line stage.

@lewm that I think you know as a very well regarded Agoner owns the Essential 3160 and I hope he could chime here about and the interesting main issue behind the 3180 is that is a full-function design with the stages facilities you are looking for that comes with external power supply.

You can contact rauliruegas@hotmail.com

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

If it was me, and I’d just won the lottery, the CH Precision C1.2 starting at $36,000 and the T&A SDV3100 HV $38,900 would be a couple I’d like to check out.

All the best.

Hello, I agree with a few above about Audio Research Ref 6se. The preamp is the soul of your system. It is on my wishlist. I have the Ref 5se. It’s amazing! The Ref 3se phono stage is also on my wishlist. Right now I am using the Hegel v10. I believe you could have both for your price range. The amazing thing about the Hegel is it has a separate linear power supply built into the wall plug. It has balanced outputs and of course a lot of gain if you need it. For $1650 it is a steal. Please make sure your cartridge is set up properly otherwise not much else matters. 

VAC preamps have (optional) onboard phono stages that are fully "separates" quality, plus some. Only caveat is they use Lundahl SUT’s for MC gain, which is not my preference. So I patch in my own external SUT boxes and use VAC’s MM mode (all tube). Vinyl is 99% of my played source material, so I care about this a lot lol.

Unfortunately, without hitting the used market, they don’t currently have a great entry to meet that $20K slot. Their Renaissance V is ok but far from my favorite VAC model. Hopefully they replace it soon. Older Signature models were fantastic and retailed ~ 20K with phono. Current Signature IIa SE is a bit over, at 26K w/ phono.

"$20k would be enough for reference level power cord, maybe."

Probably the most elitist, pompous and pretentious comment every posted on this forum.