Best Used Tube Based Preamp $2k Or Under?

Audio Research SP-9 $1250 on eBay. Seller notes recent service and excellent overall condition, manual and spare tubes. This is a screaming deal from a recognized high end brand. I would add that the adjustable gain allows proper gainstaging and optimized signal/noise ratio that is simply unachievable with other preamps lacking that ability. That translates to greater transparency, definition, detail, and soundstaging, all of which require a low noise floor. 

If i wasn't preamp heavy right now I'd buy this myself. 

I have several preamps, among them Coincident Statement, Cary SLP-98 and a LTA mz-2. My favorite is my Dodd audio preamp. Might be hard to find, but well worth it. It is dead quiet!

I also have a Supratek preamp and it is really good!

@bunkertoy The main differences are that the Aesthetix is more traditional tube like in SQ and is slightly noisier than the VTA 5.5. I've also had the VTA 2.5 and rate it the value preamp in the VTA range. I don't think the upgrade to the 5.5 is really worth it as the 2.5 is a damn good preamp 

I have the ARC ls15 that I bought in 1995 and still using it to this day with not one issue I've done one tube replacement  It does have a remote control I'm thinking of you could fine one used, you can't go wrong