"8k...is a lot of $ for a preamp"
Yes it is!!! But,in life,you usually get what you pay for.It may well be worth it.
On the other hand,the Bel canto Pre 2 was a $3500 over-achiever from 2004 until recently retired.I purchased a mint unit here on A-Gon with box,manual and two remotes for less than $1000.I can't say that I have owned a finer preamp(I have owned Krell,BAT,AR,Sonic Frontiers,Cary,Muse,Plinius...)