Personal Preamp Evolution.

My first preamp was an integrated with pre out/ main in jumpers that I used as a preamp. My first dedicated pre was an APT Holman which was great in it's day. That was replaced with a PS Audio 6.2 which was active or passive. That was replaced by a McIntosh C15 which was recently replaced by a McCormack RLD 1 which is the best pre I've owned to date by far.

1. Musical Fidelity X-Pre/X-PSU/X-LPS

2. Aragon 24K with IPS

3. (Present) Audio Research LS-2 (tube: Philips E288CC) with Sphinx Phono pre

And I have a PS Audio 5.6 pre for use in my second system.

Used a KenWood KA-6100 integrated as a pre after a little snip-snip, solder-solder. If I knew than what Iknow now, I'd have installed pre-out RCAs and done the same for main in.
Replaced that with a NAD1700 about '86 or so, than junked that out for a nice integrated, a PSAudio GCC250.
I don't change equipment that often, to have a 'history'.

Dyna PAT-4
Harman Kardon Citation 11
Crown IC-150
ARC SP-3a1
ARC LS-15 (plus PH3-SE)
Upgraded ARC SP-3a-1 to SP-3c

Pioneer SA-9100 integrated
Audio Research SP 9 Mk III
CAT SL-1 Ultimate
First Sound Presence Deluxe Mk II 4.0