The number of available high quality used choices available within your price range is staggering.
My advice:
Buy used.
Stick to well know, well respected brands with a long history.
My personal system has a Forte' 4a amp now $600 used.
And an Adcom 750 pre, also about $600 used.
If I had $3000 to spend..
I would personally look for an Audio Research preamp (prolly' a tube hybred)
(actually i would go for a big two box killer Audio Research pre and hang on to my amp for now.)
And some solid state amp from Threshold.
$1,500 per, and a few bucks left over.
Anyway, if you go used, you have a LOT of great stuff to choose from.
Look on AudiogoN.com
Stick to sellers with lots of feedback)
My advice:
Buy used.
Stick to well know, well respected brands with a long history.
My personal system has a Forte' 4a amp now $600 used.
And an Adcom 750 pre, also about $600 used.
If I had $3000 to spend..
I would personally look for an Audio Research preamp (prolly' a tube hybred)
(actually i would go for a big two box killer Audio Research pre and hang on to my amp for now.)
And some solid state amp from Threshold.
$1,500 per, and a few bucks left over.
Anyway, if you go used, you have a LOT of great stuff to choose from.
Look on AudiogoN.com
Stick to sellers with lots of feedback)