the tough question: Which preamplifier? and why

I have found that the LEAST predictable interaction is between preamp/linestage and an amplifier. A lot of times, a combination that I think will work well does not do so at all. This is a must experiment situation.

Tube preamp/linestages, in particular, seem unpredictable. When the combination is bad, the sound will often be lifeless, bloated in midbass and murky. The opposite is also true -- when things work out there is a kind of hard to explain "magic" that is much more difficult to obtain with solidstate gear.

If you can find dealers that will work with you, I suggest that you work out home trial. The dealers I work with will allow home trial of electronics. If you are buying the Placette new, you have a home trial period.

I think you have made a reasonable list for a start -- one solid state, one passive and one tube unit. However, one should not, based on these particular models, rule out a particular type -- synergy with a particular model is a BIG factor.

Mrtennis if you thought the UV didn't sound like a tube preamp, then you will probably love the Cary. I say this because it is the typical (what people think of) tube sound. Warm and lush, but not resolving or detailed. I owned the UV2 and thought it had just enough tube goodness, but with resolution and dynamics the Cary can't muster.

That being said, I now own the Sonic Euphoria PLC which is better than either. And I would highly recommend it to the OP or anyone else who has a passive friendly system.

Shakey

i owned the sonic euphoria passive preamp. it was too focused for my taste, almost to the point of being analytical.

of the four preamps mentioned, i suspect the cary is the least likely to be bought, unless i replace the caps and substitute audionte copper/oil, or mundorf silver.

Larryi hit the nail on the head. This has certainly been my experience time and again. My most recent example is a CJ pv10 and premier 14. While the 14 was under repair I put my spare pv10 in and the result was an incredible improvement. They were driving Mcintosh 501's which have a low input impedence - the pv10's output imp is around 800 while I believe the 14 is around 200, I'm guessing that's the reason? The synergy is clearly better in every area.