Best Preamp for Ayon Orthos II monoblocks?

Audioman, your responses indicate to me you have spent a lot of time reading websites and reviews, but don't seem to have a clear understanding or appreciation for the differences between the two preamps. You seem to place a high importance on the measured figures of the CD-5s. Cheap cd players from your corner audio store can have excellent measurements, but in reality measurements reveal little about the sound qualities of a component. The fact is the Orbis is an ultra new linestage concept, with a remarkable 6H30 circuit (parallel single-ended design with high current bias point – yes we are talking about a preamp). Ayon spent a crazy amount of time on R&D for the Orbis to get out a new performance standard. Compared to the CD-5s, Orbis is a superior circuit design imho. It has in-house designed & built transformers, a regenerator ps which compensates for waveform irregularities to provide a clean, low distortion sine wave (It is not a filter as you described, though of course the Orbis uses chokes and filters elsewhere in the ps). Ayon are using a superior custom 4 channel/24 position volume potentiometer & new chassis with superior ventilation. The importance of the ps & volume control in preamplifier design can't be over-emphasized.

I have never had the orbis in my system .I was just trying to point out
That the review I pasted on the forum in this instance the Reviewer
Preferred the cd-5 s with the synergy it provided as being as One
Then the richer sound of the Polaris which I have heard directly.
Extra power cords, interconnects,will for sure effect the synergy
To some extent , as well as change the sonic balance,which may shift
The final balance with the amplifier to the output of the character
Of that particular speaker. Before retiring I owned and operated a hifi
Shop in Europe until 06 and have had the pleasure and opportunity
To listen tomore hifi combinations then most people, with over 35 years
In he field I can say that all the above factors stated above mean
That there are exceptions to every rule , equipment synergy
And personal sonic balance. If everything is equal thenfor sure
The expensive. $$$ preamplifier will give a little more of everything
Across the board.

Audioman, i'm a bit confused as you remarked earlier that the Orbis is a noticeable improvement and were prepared to put a number on the difference, but you haven't heard the Orbis in your system? FWIW, I think the CD-5s as a cdp is an outstanding rbcd player at its price point, and my example is staying. The Reimyo CDP-777 had a better transport & superior processing (Extended K2 processing), but the Ayon has the edge elsewhere. An a-b comparison between those two players would be interesting. The CD-5s has an excellent pre for an integrated player. But i'm having a hard time with your estimate of the Orbis only providing a 5% gain over the 5s. Even an identical preamp as a separate pre should give a 5% improvement. And taking into account my earlier comments, i'd have to say i'm skeptical. But i'll reserve any judgment until i've done an a-b comparison between my upgraded CD-5s & the Orbis around the end of the year which should be interesting. Both pre's will be running identical tubes, so the 5s will have a fair crack. According to Gerhard Hirt, the Orbis has a rich, warm sound like the CD-5s, but it is a higher end pre with a newer, more refined design (even a little bit different to Spheris).