personal experiences with quaility preamps...

For $2K, you could have a BAT VK3i tube pre and a McCormack DNA 0.5 dlx ss amp(125 wpc) or BAT/DNA1 (185 wpc) for $2.75K. Very nice combo. Either would leave you with some $ for used cables. A lot depends on what kind of music you listen to and what your present/future plans are for speakers (in terms of the load, current demands, etc.)

I had an anthem Pre 2L for a while. It does a great job with most everything I threw at it. You can pick up a used one for about 650. As far as amps go, anthem makes some nice ones that compliment the pre. Check out their website. Also, I've had pretty good luck with the more expensive Parasound amps.

I would get a McIntosh amp and pre. I have owned 5 separate systems and then I got a Mcintosh setup and I find it is the best in looks and sound. I am now a Mc man. I tried my C712 pre with amps from other makers and it did not sound as good as with the 3 Mc amps I have used so I would buy them as a pair. There are 50 years worth of used ones so a good deal is not too hard to find (except on recent ones). Arthur

Depending on the power requirements of your speakers and the size of room, your needs are difficult to determine. I will however recommend several systems I have heard which sound very good. The Bryston 4BST and BP25 preamp can be had for under 3K, and is well spent money. They are capable of handling just about any speaker out there. An integrated recommendation is the Rowland Concentra 1. This is a fabulous piece, more refined than the Bryston combination, but with less power and muscle. There is no magic in separates, they can sound good or bad depending on how they are matched to your system. I also would recommend the BAT VK200 and VK3i, VK30, and other BAT preamps. They are also very good and reasonably priced. The best advice I can give you is to find someone who has speakers and a room size similar to you and find out what they have heard and other info. Then you will have better direction. Jallen

lets see

$3k

you can pick up a sonic frontiers line 3 for arond 1700 or an ARC LS15. Then a solid state preamp Arc d200 for $1500
great system