How much do I need to spend to get a preamp that sounds better than no preamp?

Regarding active versus passive preamplifiers, the world is big enough for both of them.

Yes and I’ve always maintained that, and so does Nelson Pass
But when someone of no acknowledged tech background put **** on what Nelson Pass says about passive preamp, of course I’m going to have a go at him, as should you!

BTW: are you a "fuser"?
I think I may have seen you be pro fuses in posts and what "magic" they can do .

Cheers George

@georgehifi 
I think you're the one talking the smack about the Aleph L. A couple pages back you were insisting there were secret patented components missing from the service manual to make it work like you swear it does. 

Go away kosst, your a pain.

" It is a provisional patent, which has maybe been granted by now on this special circuit, he may not have given the secrete to how he bypasses the "active stage" in the the schematic so it runs totally passive, after all it is patented."

Yeah, you DID completely reinterpret the man to suit your understanding.

"Same goes for my Lightspeed Attenuator there is nothing active or any switch contacts in the signal path just a passive ldr, yet it is powered by the mains for the leds to function. Yet it is a passive preamp with no gain."
https://ibb.co/choBZS

That is NOT a passive circuit. Those are active devices the signal is going right through. They’re obviously powered, and they’re obviously providing current gain.

You’re the one mischaracterizing things things left and right. You even falsely label the B1 Buffer in that schematic.

Nelson Pass from the B1 Buffer article:
" All of the transistors are N channel JFETs. The stock parts are 2SK170’s, LSK170’s or 2SK370’s, and you can use substitutes having Idss between than 5 and 10 milli-Amps and transconductance numbers from 5 to 30 milli- Siemens."

What is wrong with you?

Go and have another drink, so you pass out, because you really are becoming obnoxious.