Looking for the good sounding Pre Amplifier

I'll be the fifth person in this thread to recommend a PrimaLuna preamp.  I was able to find a gently used, excellent condition PrimaLuna dialogue three tube preamp for well under your $3k budget.

I would agree with the others that say that a $3k pre-amp would likely be overkill for your NAD C275, however a solid pre-amp can be the "foundation" that the rest of your system is built around.  

I wouldn't get a preamp at all.  I would get a used Berkeley DAC, version 1 and feed the CD digital out into the Berkeley DAC then the output of the DAC directly to your amp.  The Berkeley has a volume control.  The Berkeley DAC will have a better DAC than your CD player, and you will not loose any detail or dynamics.  I had a Bryston DAC feeding into a PrimaLuna Dialog Premium preamp, then into my amps.  When I replaced the Bryston/PrimaLuna combo with the Berkeley DAC (saved money too) I gained more clarity and dynamics.

Since you say you love the sound of your NAD with the CD player connected directly but need a way to control volume, I strongly recommend you try a passive preamp. In all likelihood, it will preserve that sound you love better than any active preamp unless you spend obscene money. I'd look at this:

http://www.tortugaaudio.com/products/ldrx-passive-preamp/

30 day in-home trial with full refund if not satisfied. Don't listen to the passive pre naysayers, just give it a try and see what you think.

Hello NAD C275,

I do not believe that you are being dissed because of your amp.
Most people have never heard a direct feed from a CD player to 
an amp. Many amps deliver more than 10db above the normal
listening volume. That is over twice as loud as you want to hear.
I ran into this problem about 20 years ago and began the search
that you are on. The solution will sound simple but it will require
you to spend some time at it. All active and passive preamps
leave a noise and distortion thumb print. What you need is a way
to divide the voltage between two resistors of the highest quality
you can find. I would use Vishay naked, or Mills, or your Choice.
First you need to find out what the values need to be. You will need
to find a volume control that is about 10-50k( for SS or 50k-500k for tubes)
that does not ad much color or noise. The first one I tried was a
cheep Radio Shack. I now use DACT. They are not cheep but you
get what you pay for. Place it between your CD player and amp.
Adjust the volume to your most used. This will change slightly from
day to day and the CD you are listening to. Remove it (being careful
not to change it at all) and measure the resistances across it. This is
your starting point. Go to a company that carries high quality resistors.
Google Vishay and high end audio parts to find sources. Cut a low price
connector about 55-65% through so that the ground shield is still connected.
Strip the outside down about a one fourth of an inch and twist and ad the
shield wires to the still connected area. Connect the series resistor between
the cut center leads (hot). Connect the other resistor to the amp end of the hot  
wire resistor end and the other end to the Ground Shield. This is now a
voltage divider. Make sure the hot and grounds are not touching and are not
able to touch anything. Use electrical tape for this. You can now connect it to
your CD player and amp. You will only hear what the series resistor sounds 
like as long as you use the same type to ground. Electrons flow from ground 
to +. Not + to ground. Think about it. Good luck! Happy Listening!   My Best.

THANK YOU ALL ON YOUR OPINIONS.
I ordered a passive Preamp. from Europe. It will be made by the NAD specs. A Preamp. will have Takman Rex shunt resistors and 48 position shunt type attenuator. The maker of a Pre amplifier guarantee full transparency since he also makes a passive Pre amplifiers for the owners
of the Accuphase gear. So let's see / hear.