Preamp for Krell 750mcx

Hi all,

Recent changes to my system have seen me acquiring some beautiful Krell 750mcx's - these are just wonderful amps driving my Maestro Utopias perfectly. The slightly dark tone and room filling ability is captivating and non fatiguing. The rest of my kit is a VPI classic 2 with various mods (sds power, stillpoints feet and clamp, PAB SE isolation platform) with a Benz Micro LP-S cartridge - this feeds BMC MCCI phono - I am getting a new cartridge as i know the high internal impedence is not good with the BMC. Digital is via jriver (DAC yet to be decided).

I am using a Rotel RC1570 preamp (the recent one) from my second system at the moment to tie me over and boy does it punch above its weight. Jriver via ifi ilink/iusb and BMC USB cable to stereolab reference spdif into the Rotel as the Rotel has onboard dac. Mains filtration is Isotek sigmas for phono and pre. Krells straight into wall. Speaker cabling from Tellurium q Ultra Black.

Now - I am wanting to acquire my final destination preamp as I feel like i am nearly there now. I am wanting increased depth of soundstage - it is already good in terms of width, but would like more depth. The Rotel is obviously also not allowing all the resolution through as proven when i borrowed a Mark Levinson the other day.

I want to keep the system fully balanced so fully balanced designs are only in consideration here. I am thinking of the following to audition:

1. Audio Research ref5se
2. Krell KCT or more recent
3. BMC DAC1 Pre

I would really appreciate any suggestions. I like resolution, speed, timbral accuracy, and deep/wide soundstaging. Not interested in overly rolled off / over warm stuff nor dry and clinical stuff either. For example, my old mcintosh c2300 was too syropy for me and Bryston bp26 was too clincal.

Many thanks,

Bill